Prime Minister calls for global action on climate change

19 November 2007

Gordon Brown has called for "vision and determination" from world leaders to rise to the challenge of climate change.

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In a speech at the Foreign Press Association in London, the PM stressed the importance of building a global low carbon economy and pledged to put the UK at the forefront of the fight against climate change and its effects.

The PM said:

"Our mission is, in truth, historic and world changing - to build, over the next fifty years and beyond, a global low carbon economy. And it is not overdramatic to say that the character and course of the coming century will be set by how we measure up to this challenge."

Mr Brown outlined measures from three Government bills - the Climate Change Bill, the Energy Bill and the Planning Bill - that will help the UK reduce its carbon emissions and move to greener energy sources.

On climate change, the Government is committed to a 60 percent reduction in emissions by 2050 and is consulting on the possibility of raising this to 80 percent. The UK will also commit to increasing its use of renewable energy sources to meet its share of a 20 percent EU target by 2020 [country shares are to be determined in January].

Planning regulations will also have an impact, with all new homes required to be carbon neutral by 2016. Other steps include the convening of a supermarket forum aimed at cutting packaging waste and a new international funding framework to help developing nations switch to green technologies.

The PM looked ahead to next month's summit on climate change in Bali where world leaders will begin negotiations on a successor to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. He announced the release of a statement outlining the Government's principle aims for any agreement, including a global rise in temperature of no more than two degrees centigrade and a 50 percent cut in global greenhouse emissions by 2050.

Pointing to the opportunities afforded by green technology, Mr Brown said that a low carbon economy could help create hundreds of thousands of UK jobs and a "vast new export market".

The PM said that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Synthesis Report, published on Saturday, showed "pervasive and prolonged consequences" as a result of inaction. The report claimed that temperatures will rise by four degrees and sea levels by up to 60cm if radical measures are not implemented.

The PM said:

"All of us - Government, business, civil society and individuals - have a part to play. Working apart we will surely fail. But working together I have no doubt that this is a challenge to which the human spirit, and our powers of ingenuity and enterprise, will rise."

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn, who was also at today's World Wildlife Fund event, will take part in a live webchat in Downing Street today at 17:00 GMT.

• Post your question to Hilary Benn
• Developed countries "must show leadership" on climate change - PM
• Read the Government's statement on a Post-2012 framework to tackle climate change(new window)

Image copyright: Reuters