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The size of the Household's carbon footprint, calculated at 3,425 tonnes of CO2 in 2006-07, was published yesterday for the first time in the 2007 Annual Review.

The reduction in carbon emissions last year was due to a number of factors, including fewer journeys taken by plane and helicopter and more by car and train, the introduction of 'green' electricity from sustainable sources at Highgrove, and the conversion of The Prince's official cars to 100 per cent bio-diesel fuel from used cooking oil.

The Review shows that in 2006-07 The Prince of Wales undertook 632 official engagements, of which 86 were overseas, and The Duchess of Cornwall undertook 222 engagements, 60 of them on official foreign tours.

The Carbon Footprint part of the review was undertaken by Forum for the Future, a sustainable development charity. Working with staff across the Royal Household, Forum for the Future analysed utility bills and travel behaviour to measure the carbon footprint of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall and their household, and identified opportunities to reduce the Household's emissions.

Measures implemented to date include: the conversion at Birkhall and Highgrove to 'green' electricity from sustainable sources; the installation of woodchip boilers at Highgrove; the installation of new, more efficient boilers at Clarence House; the installation of solar panels at Highgrove; and numerous other smaller, energy efficiency actions.

Sally Uren from Forum for the Future said:

?The Royal Household has shown huge enthusiasm for reducing its carbon emissions and wider environmental impacts. We are pleased to see leadership mixed with pragmatism in terms of how the Household is planning to meet its carbon objectives.

?Operating in a carbon-constrained future doesn't mean we have to stop everything we do today. What we need to see is a different set of activities where changes are made that result in long-term sustainable carbon reductions?.

In addition to enhancing energy efficiency, and reducing carbon emissions as a result, The Prince has offset his Household's carbon emissions since 2005, excluding those from official overseas travel before 2007. The offsets are achieved by investing, via Climate Care, a specialist agency, in sustainable energy projects and energy efficiency initiatives. However, this is an evolving area, and the best way to achieve sustainable and effective offsetting is under continuing review by the Household, Forum for the Future and Climate Care.

Among the themes that feature in the latest Review are: the work undertaken on behalf of the Government by The Prince and The Duchess on overseas tours in what was an exceptionally busy year for foreign trips; The Prince's efforts to highlight the threat posed to the environment by climate change and to reduce the carbon footprint of his own Household; and The Prince's work through his charity The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment to encourage, and advise on, the creation of more livable, human-scale homes and communities in the UK and abroad.

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