Kier Starmer has revealed his new climate goals at COP29, including reducing emissions by 81 per cent compared to 1990 levels by 2035, and called on other countries to accelerate their own targets.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Britain is back in the business of climate leadership, with an ambitious new target that will protect our environment, deliver energy security and restore our global climate reputation.”

The new target is in line with the recommendation from the Climate Change Committee and previously legislated and legally-binding Carbon Budgets for the same period and the UK’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) commitment.

The new target is nearly twice the reduction needed (estimated at 43 per cent on 1990 levels), but, of course, not all countries are reducing emissions, and the most optimistic scenario of NDC implementation implies a reduction of around 5.9 per cent by 2030.

The Government will submit the detail underpinning the NDCs to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ahead of the February 2025 deadline. During COP29 the UK’s climate negotiations will be led by Ed Miliband where he will be encouraging others to submit their own targets ahead of the deadline.

Ther announcement comes as a new poll also reveals three-quarters of MPs believe UK should be one of most ambitious countries in world on climate change.

The YouGov poll shows a significant increase on those prior to the general election when MPs were polled in April, when just over half (51 per cent) thought the UK should be one of the most ambitious countries in the world.

Alasdair Johnstone from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) said: “There has in the past been a clear recognition around the world that the UK has been a leader on tackling climate change.”

---