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“Britain may be viewed as a climate change passenger”
The COP21 summit in Paris last year is viewed as a historic one that could limit the impact of global warming.
The follow-up, COP22, being held in Marrakech, is tasked with “deciding on the rules so that the goals of Paris are not only achieved but overachieved”.
The conference is crucial for countries like Morocco, which are already suffering the effects of climate change. However, it is also important for the UK as it seeks to retain its position as a leader in tackling the problem.
The UK government crows about how it played a vital part in securing the Paris Agreement, but in the wake of Brexit, international attention will be following its every move.
Prime minister Theresa May, energy and business secretary Greg Clark and environment secretary Andrea Leadsom have all spoken out about how they aim to protect the environment and how important this is to this government.
The UK must now, if it seeks to retain its position of influence as a climate leader, continue to push ahead with tackling the thorny issues of how to get everyone in line and to take the Paris targets seriously.
Anything less may be viewed as Britain becoming a climate change passenger.
This would not only harm the UK’s international standing, but it could potentially harm further investments and trade deals, and raise more questions from the domestic renewable industry about how seriously the government views the transition to a low-carbon economy.
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