The Government continues to recognise that climate change is one of the most serious long-term economic threats that this country and this world faces, and remains committed to the Paris Agreement
I am proud of our record on addressing climate change. The UK has played a leading role as the world has worked towards a global deal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We have led by example, and our energy Energy Act works towards decarbonising the UK’s energy sector at the lowest possible cost to the consumer. It also puts Britain firmly on track to meet the 2050 target to reduce emissions of all greenhouse gases by 80 per cent and underpins the remarkable investment that the UK has seen in its low carbon economy since 2010.
As you are aware, every country in the world has now signed up to play its part in halting climate change. The deal will limit global temperature rises and avoid the worst impacts of climate change, which is vital for our long-term economic and global security. The UK played a critical role in securing that deal, indeed, the British minister was there at the start of the conference and helped created the crucial momentum needed.
The deal sets out the long-term goal of net zero emissions by the end of the century, showing that the world is committed to decarbonising. Progress will be assessed every five years and new, more ambitious commitments will have to be made. There will also be $100 billion mobilised from private and public sources for vulnerable nations in order to mitigate and adapt to the effect of climate change.
Britain is already leading the way. I was pleased to hear that we will be one of the first developed countries to take coal out of the energy mix completely, with the recent announcement that all coal-fired power stations where carbon emissions aren’t being captured and stored will be closed by 2025. Renewable capacity has trebled since 2010, and the Government has sent clear signals to investors and businesses about the shift to a low carbon economy.
By Patrick McLoughlin on September 22, 2016