The UK will ratify the Paris agreement by the end of the year according to prime minister Theresa May, who used her first speech to the United Nations to commit to the global effort against climate change.
Speaking in New York, May insisted that the UK would “continue to play our part” in limiting temperature rises to 2 degrees following the country’s exit from the European Union, despite the UK making the agreement as part of the European block in December 2015.
“In a demonstration of our commitment to the agreement reached in Paris, the UK will start its domestic procedures to enable ratification of the Paris agreement, and complete these before the end of the year,” she said.
May’s confirmation follows months of speculation over her government’s commitment to climate change, particularly following its removal from a named Whitehall department after the Department of Energy and Climate Change was closed.
Greg Clark, secretary of state for its replacement, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), said: “The government is determined to tackle climate change to help create a safer and more prosperous future for us all. That is why we are now starting the process of ratifying the landmark climate deal signed in Paris.
“The UK played a major role when the world came together last year and we will continue to play our part in the transition to a global low carbon economy as we continue to provide secure, affordable and clean energy at home.”
The UK was considered a leading nation during the climate talks last year and it is expected that it will continue to commit to the burden-sharing agreement made with other EU member states.
The ratification will help to give some certainty to businesses over the UK’s commitment to the cause, with global firms thought to be essential in meeting the goals of the Paris agreement.
A report by We Mean Business published in June found that private sector businesses could achieve 60% of the cuts in global emissions pledged at the COP21 summit in Paris. It has also been argued that the final ambition of the agreements could not have been reached without business involvement.
Speaking at the report’s launch during the Business and Climate Summit, former executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and current nominee for secretary-general Christiana Figueres reinforced the role business has to play in climate action.
“It is very clear that the Paris agreement perhaps could have been achieved without business but it definitely would not have been as ambitious as it is without the support of business. It’s also equally true that the implementation and delivery of the agreement can also not be done without business,” she said.
