Forget the environmental impact of gas-guzzling 4x4s, smoking factories and that most hated target of green campaigners the world over – the aeroplane.

A new report has found that a major contributor to the UK's carbon output is literally right on our doorsteps – with our own homes making up about 27 per cent of all CO2 emissions.

The study, from WWF, argues that the whole of Scotland's existing housing stock could be made eco-friendly by the end of the next decade – but only if the Scottish Government makes a radical policy change to kick-start homeowners into taking matters into their own hands.

The charity wants politicians to at least treble their £1 billion-a-year spend on upgrading housing stock in the UK to make it more environmentally friendly, by increasing the number of grants available to homeowners and introducing incentives such as reduced council tax for greener homes.

It says the move would slash domestic carbon emissions by nearly half within 12 years and 75 per cent by 2050.

For more information visit http://www.wwf.org.uk/core/