London announced a substantial increase in its climate ambitions on Tuesday, April 20, and was to be repeated on Thursday, April 22, during a climate summit hosted by US President Joe Biden. Boris Johnson’s government is committed in British law to ensure its greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 emission levels, to achieve a zero carbon footprint by 2050 at the latest. “In this way, the United Kingdom will ensure its commitment under the Paris Agreement to help limit global warming to 1.5 ° C”, 10 Downing Street said.
In addition, and for the first time, the British carbon footprint will take into account emissions from the air and sea transport sectors, a long-standing demand from associations fighting against global warming. Already, in December 2020, London has been at the forefront of reducing national emissions by 68% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
“If we are serious about stopping climate change, this will be the year when we take this fight really seriously. These 2020s will later be remembered as the days during which world leaders would turn the tide Managed to unite to fold, or vice versa as a missed opportunity ”, Mr. Johnson was to make the announcement on Thursday during his speech at the climate summit.
Clear political motive
Boris Johnson wants to be the most ‘green’ among the G7 leaders. Arriving at 10 Downing Street in the summer of 2019, he has already inherited an enthusiastic reference: just before that, Prime Minister Theresa May set a carbon neutral target for the United Kingdom in 2050, making the United Kingdom the first western country Gone. This goal in law. British conservatives, who until then were little known for their pro-environmental beliefs, have carried the torch and, over the past year, have put the fight against global warming at the forefront of their concerns.
Its political intent is clear. The United Nations Climate Conference (COP26) is scheduled to be held in Glasgow in November – London and Scottish authorities hope to maintain a “physical” meeting despite the Kovid-19 epidemic. Mr Johnson wants to take the opportunity of this important meeting to show that the United Kingdom still weighs in on the concert of nations despite Brexit. Incidentally, a diplomatic breakthrough in the Scottish economic capital would make him argue in favor of the Union of the United Kingdom, to counter the discourse of Scottish separatists who have an air in the elections.
You have 46.23% of this article to read. The rest is for subscribers.
Coffee enthusiast. Travel scholar. Infuriatingly humble zombie fanatic. Thinker. Professional twitter evangelist.
