UK could unveil tougher emissions targets at COP29 climate summit in Baku

The British government plans to announce new commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at this year's UN climate summit, News.az reports citing The Guardian .

It is hoped that the plan will help boost global ambitions for reducing emissions and encourage other countries to follow suit.

Under the Paris climate agreement, countries are required to submit tougher emissions targets by February if the world is to have any chance of holding global temperature rise to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

But Ed Miliband, the secretary of state for energy security and net zero, is hoping to announce a new target several months earlier, and has the backing of Keir Starmer, the prime minister, to try to propel the UK into a leading position on the international stage during climate negotiations.

Starmer attended the previous summit, Cop28, when he was opposition leader and has been invited to Cop29, which will take place in Azerbaijan in November.

Campaigners representing developing countries told the Guardian that the global south would welcome the UK's plans to quickly publish its emissions reduction plan, known as a nationally determined contribution (NDC).

Harjeet Singh, Global Engagement Director at the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, said: “The UK has a critical opportunity to set the standard for climate leadership and equity by announcing a robust Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) well ahead of COP29. This proactive approach would signal to other developed countries the urgency of transitioning away from fossil fuel production and committing to a renewable energy future.”

By increasing domestic investment in clean energy and contributing equitably to climate finance for developing countries, the UK can play its part in driving a just global transition that leaves no one behind.

Mohamed Adow, director of the think tank Power Shift Africa, said: “In terms of international leadership and diplomacy, the UK fell far behind under the previous government. Being one of the first countries to develop a robust NDC is exactly the kind of thing we want to see to show that the UK is under new leadership.”

It would be good if the UK included its commitment to phase out fossil fuels in its NDCs. This would set an example that climate plans should be channelled through the UN process rather than announced piecemeal but never formally delivered. It would show the way for others to follow.

Under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, countries must set their NDCs with targets for future emissions reductions over a five-year cycle, with a catch-up mechanism to ensure they are strengthened each time. The UK’s current NDC commits to reducing its emissions by 68% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

Miliband has asked the Climate Change Committee to advise on the UK's next target, for 2035. The Guardian understands the CCC's recommendation is likely to be published before the autumn budget in late October.

The Cop29 summit will take place on November 11, a few days after the US elections, making it difficult for the US administration to plan its impact on the negotiations.

France, usually a leader on climate under President Emmanuel Macron, is facing political turbulence, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, also a staunch climate advocate, is facing political headwinds at home.

These difficulties leave a vacuum on the international stage among powerful developed economies. This month, Miliband signalled his willingness to see the UK work in partnership with the developing world by visiting Brazil, the current G20 president and host of COP30 next year. He also met last month in London with the president of COP29, Mukhtar Babayev of Azerbaijan.

Next year, Miliband will co-host a conference in the UK with the International Energy Agency.

These efforts stand in stark contrast to those of the previous government. Under Conservative Prime Ministers Theresa May and Boris Johnson, the UK played a significant role in international climate negotiations, including successfully hosting the Cop26 summit in 2021.

Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak signalled a change of direction by banning King Charles from attending Cop27 in 2022 and making Sunak make significant U-turns on climate policy.

Sunak had little impact at last year's Cop28, spending significantly less time there than other world leaders and meeting few of them.

News.Az