Climate change: International action
Climate change is the greatest challenge facing the world today. It is a global issue that demands a global response. All countries must be part of the solution. The UK plays a leading role at the international level. We are working through the European Union, G8 and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) processes to find ways to reach global agreement on action to avert dangerous climate change.
The UK Government’s goal is to stabilise atmospheric greenhouse gas levels so that we avoid dangerous climate change, and to adapt to the climate change that is unavoidable. The UK Government and the EU consider that global warming must be limited to no more than 2°C temperature rise above pre-industrial times to avoid dangerous impacts.
Crucial to achieving this goal is securing a global agreement to a realistic, robust, durable and fair framework for the post-2012 period, when the first set of targets under the Kyoto Protocol expires. The UK Government is therefore aiming to reach an ambitious agreement at UNFCCC Conference of Parties at Copenhagen in December 2009, supported by effective domestic action (under the Climate Change Act) and through the EU (under the 2020 package).
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The evidence
Our activities on mitigating and adapting to climate change must be underpinned by robust scientific and economic evidence, which we are working to improve. On the science, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and its Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) makes clear the need for urgent action to tackle climate change and provides a sound basis for developing the national and international response.
- See our IPCC pages
Despite the current economic difficulties, now is not the time to row back on our ambitions on tackling climate change because only a low-carbon growth path will lead to a sustainable and economically viable future.
In October 2006, Sir Nicholas Stern presented a report to the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the Economics of Climate Change which shows that taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is an economic imperative. We continue to integrate the report’s recommendations about international climate change into our international climate change policy.
More information:
- The UN and the Kyoto Protocol
- Working with developing countries
- The G8 and Major Economies
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Page last modified: 11 November 2008
Page published: 01 December 2005