Representatives from the Church of England will join some of Britain's biggest and best-known businesses as they head to Downing Street for a meeting on how they can empower the public in the battle against carbon emissions.

Tesco, Marks and Spencer, B&Q and HSBC reps are among those who will meet Tony Blair for the summit.

They will discuss how consumers can be encouraged to take individual responsibility for going green.

A recent poll found that nearly 80 per cent of people believed they could reduce their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.

The possibility of personal quotas will be discussed, after only one in five of those surveyed opposed plans to financially penalise people for using "more than their fair share" of energy.

Ways to encourage consumers to take responsibility - as opposed to the need for business itself to cut emissions - will be the theme of the meeting.

Satellite TV giant BSkyB and the Starbucks coffee shop chain are also invited.