A group of UN experts have suggested that the UK is actually performing well in its bid to cut carbon dioxide emission, despite the issue of a report this week by the European Environment Agency (EEA) that suggested that the EU countries as a whole are failing in their attempt to meet Kyoto targets.

According to the UN group the UK is doing better than many other countries at cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

The experts say Britain is well on track to meet Kyoto's target of reducing emissions by 12.5 per cent, in comparison to 1990 levels.

But the panel does point out that the UK may not make its own tougher target of 20 per cent, which government officials have insisted is attainable.

Friends of the Earth spokesman Roger Hickman said the report was encouraging, but warned that more needed to be done.

'We've got to do more ourselves,' he argued. 'We are going to have to introduce more measures to crack down on pollution.'