Tougher environmental standards on house-building, increased wind farms, the addition of plant-derived fuels to petrol and measures to make business more energy-efficient will be some of the priorities for the government in its quest to tackle climate change, a minister will say this week.

Elliot Morley, environment minister, will tell a conference on climate change on Thursday at Chatham House that if the UK is to hit its self-imposed targets of cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent compared with 1990 levels by 2010, stronger measures will be required.