Climate change is the greatest challenge facing the world today. It’s a global issue that demands a global response. All countries must be part of the solution.

The UK plays a leading role on climate change 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 on climate change is to stabilise the levels of greenhouse gases so that we avoid dangerous climate change, and to adapt to unavoidable climate change. 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 climate change.

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 expire.

UK’s international role in tackling climate change