A new department was established to deal with climate change issues: Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC http://www.decc.gov.uk/). The Department brings together much of the Climate Change Group, previously housed within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), with the Energy Group from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR).

Besides DECC several departments are involved. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) runs the Climate Change Programme, a key strategy for tackling climate change.

Defra also published the Government's Climate Change Bill, which was introduced into Parliament in November 2007, and be passed during in 2008.

The Office for Climate Change, set up by Defra, began work in September 2006. It aims to provide a shared resource across government for analysis and development of climate change policy and strategy.

As part of the Government's Act on CO2 campaign Defra produced a personal CO2 calculator, which lets people work out their carbon footprint using government-recognised data and calculations.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) works with other countries and international institutions to rapidly shift towards a lower carbon world. It also focuses on securing energy for the UK and tackling the challenges of a global economy.

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) - formerly the Department of Trade and Industry - led on energy and energy supply and published an Energy White Paper in May 2007. You can also view information about energy sources, renewables and sustainable technologies on its website.

A new generation of nuclear power stations was announced by the Secretary of State on 10 January 2008.

The Department for Transport (DfT) concentrates on reducing the impact of travel on the environment. It has launched a CO2 car ranking website, which encourages people to research the environmental impact of the type of car they're hoping to buy.

The Department for International Development (DFID) is overseeing a project on the effect of climate change on Africa.

Energy Saving Trust

The UK Government set up the Energy Saving Trust in 1993 to address the damaging effects of climate change. Its aim is to cut carbon dioxide emissions by promoting the sustainable and efficient use of energy.

Its member companies include BP, BG Group, Centrica, Johnson Matthey Catalysts, National Grid Transco, Northern Ireland Electricity, Powergen and Scottish and Southern Energy.

It works with households, consumers, drivers, small businesses and the public sector in the areas of energy efficiency, road transport and renewable energy. It encourages the use of cleaner fuels for transport and better insulation and heating efficiency for buildings and homes, and champions small-scale renewable energy, such as solar and windpower.

British Council

The British Council, which promotes UK education, culture and science overseas and is part-funded by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, has an environmental section on its website which is a guide to research, funding, policy and practice in the UK. It also runs ZeroCarbonCity, which highlights the environmental impact of city living and urban industry.

What is the UK Parliament doing?

There are 2 parliamentary committees involved in climate change: the Environmental Audit Committee and the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, which oversees Defra's work.

What are the UK devolved institutions doing?

All the devolved administrations and institutions work together to fight global warming.

The Scottish Executive works in close partnership with the UK Government, which is still responsible for key related policies such as taxation and contributing to EU climate change policy.

A Scottish climate change bill- separate from the UK bill - which will set mandatory targets for emissions reductions, is likely to be introduced in the Scottish Parliament towards the end of 2008.

The Welsh Assembly Government has already taken a number of steps across all policy areas. It published its Environment Strategy in May 2006, while a new document, 'One Wales: A Progressive Agenda for the Government of Wales', outlines the government's aims on climate change.

The Northern Ireland Department of the Environment takes a lead on climate change issues through its Climate Change Unit. It works closely with Defra in England, and the devolved Scottish and Welsh administrations.

What are UK industry, business, non-governmental organisations and charities doing?

Over the last few years many UK groups, organisations and companies have been campaigning, or at least taking a position, on climate change.

Confederation of British Industry

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) represents around 240,000 UK businesses that employ roughly a third of the private sector workforce. A special CBI report and analysis argued that companies will have to change their business models to meet consumers' and society's needs.

The Climate Group

The Climate Group is based in the UK, the USA and Australia, but operates internationally. Its 41 members - including Arup, Barclays, BP, BT and HSBC - are committed to raising business and government awareness of the importance of climate security.

You can find a useful list of links to a variety of climate change organisations on its website.

Stop Climate Chaos

Stop Climate Chaos wants the UK government to beef up its policy on climate change.

The UK Rivers Network

The UK Rivers Network campaigns to protect rivers and inland waters across the UK. It has also put together a handy guide to the best climate change websites.

What are UK Citizens doing?

UK citizens are doing a variety of things to reduce their carbon emissions ranging from using public transport rather than the car, to turning off the television rather than keeping it on standby.

Some of the things people do include:

• washing clothes at 30°C
• using energy saving light bulbs
• installing loft and other home insulation
• buying locally-produced food
• recycling paper, bottles, tins and newspapers
• installing solar panels

The Climate Group has recently started a campaign called 'We're in it together', which attempts to help shoppers reduce their carbon dioxide emissions.

What is the UK doing internationally? The UK also plays a leading role in tackling climate change around the world. The government is working through the European Union (EU) and as a member of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, the G8, and through the UN's Framework Convention on Climate Change and the International Governmental Panel on Climate Change.