The Mayor of London is facing some difficulties in encouraging the UK's energy companies to introduce innovative carbon reduction schemes in the capital, the London Assembly has heard.

In a meeting of the London Assembly Environment Committee, the Mayor's Advisor on the Environment, Isabel Dedring, expressed concern that the response from big energy companies was 'not brilliant'.

Talking to Committee Members about the Mayor's draft climate change strategy and progress on getting energy companies interested in helping Londoners reduce carbon emissions through retrofitting schemes, Ms Dedring said: "Smaller players in the London market are more interested. They know they have to be innovative to try and gain market share in the London context. The bigger players have been quite disappointing."

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Murad Qureshi AM, Chair of the Environment Committee, said: "We've heard that some energy companies do not perceive reducing CO2 emissions in the capital as a priority.

"The Committee's report on home insulation called on the Mayor to work with energy suppliers to develop schemes to help reduce London's household emissions and to ensure that London gets its fair share of the CERT's national funding pot.

"Utilities must now address this issue and take action on emission reductions if London is to meet its 60% carbon reduction target by 2025."

(CD/BMcC)