More needs to be done in the capital to meet future housing needs and to combat the imminent threat of climate change, according to London mayor Ken Livingstone.

The citywide supply of new housing is on the up, he told delegates at the Towards the Mayor’s Housing Strategy conference, but certain boroughs are failing to meet targets for the delivery of affordable and social rented accommodation.

"It is vital that all London boroughs step up to the mark to meet the 50 per cent target for affordable housing – and especially the need for more homes for affordable rent," Mr Livingstone said.

"The good news is that 28,000 new homes were built in London last year – a 65 per cent increase since 1999 - and that nearly a third of these were affordable – many for first-time buyers.

"The bad news is that there has been no similar increase in the building of homes for affordable rent."

The mayor also insisted that improving the standards of new housing in the capital was tantamount to reducing the amount of CO2 produced by London homes and meeting the city’s long-term emissions targets.

"Housing accounts for around 40 per cent of London’s current CO2 emissions and new house building needs to be far more energy efficient," he concluded.

Last month, London Councils revealed its vision for the capital’s housing future.