‘Worrisome’ policy decisions could undermine UK leadership and the talks themselves, say senior climate experts
Boris Johnson must urgently take control of the UK’s presidency of vital UN climate talks, amid a shower of green policy setbacks and growing concern over the lack of a coherent all-government climate strategy, senior international figures have said.
The Cop26 climate summit is viewed as one of the last chances to put the world on track to meet the goals of the 2015 Paris climate agreement, of holding global heating well below 2C, and preferably no more than 1.5C, above pre-industrial levels. There are just over six months left before the crunch talks are scheduled to begin in Glasgow in November.
The green light for a Cumbrian coalmine, which provoked a months-long rowthat ended with the promise of a public inquiry
New licences for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea, while other countries have been asked to forego fossil fuel reserves to stay within global carbon budgets
Cutting overseas aid from 0.7% to 0.5% of GDP
The UK’s support for climate sceptic Mathias Cormann to become head of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Scrapping the UK’s only “green recovery” measure, the green homes grant
Support for airport expansion
Slashing incentives for electric vehicles
Net zero target, including a 10-point plan
Commitment to reduce emissions by 68% by 2030 – a stiffer set of cuts than promised by comparable developed countries
£11.6bn in climate finance to developing countries between 2021 and 2025
Boost to offshore wind through licensing of sites, funding to improve ports and Contracts for Difference
£1.3bn to local authorities for insulation and low-carbon heating to social housing and households on low incomes
Funding for some low-carbon emerging technologies, including hydrogen, carbon capture and storage and nuclear fusion
Integrated review of defence and foreign policy made climate change “number one priority” for international policy
End to funding fossil fuels overseas
Slashing overseas aid from 0.7 % of GDP to 0.5%
Cumbrian coalmine given green light, now subject to public inquiry
Licensing of new oil and gas exploration sites in North Sea
Scrapping the £1.5bn green-homes grant for home insulation and low-carbon heating, leaving 20 million households without incentives to decarbonise
Slashing incentives to buy electric cars, freeze on fuel duty and £27bn road-building scheme, while emissions from transport fell only 1% in last decade
Support for Mathias Cormann, a climate sceptic, to head the OECD despite concerns from many countries and campaigners
Support for airport expansion
Covid-19 stimulus money given to high-emitting companies without green strings attached
Missing tree planting targets
Thousands of green jobs lost
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