The government has launched a sustainable procurement action plan to ensure supply chains and public services meet targets.

Together with the Treasury’s Transforming Government Procurement report it forms the response to Sir Neville Simms’ survey on sustainability.

The plan establishes lines of accountability and reporting in an attempt to ensure supply chains and public services are increasingly low carbon, low waste and water efficient, and deliver wider sustainable development goals.

The government is also publishing a set of mandatory product standards to ensure departments procure the most sustainable commodities.

The plan comes as David Milliband, the environment secretary, admitted that the government was not doing enough to tackle climate change.