Action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the UK could prove "meaningless" if world leaders fail to reach a global deal on tackling climate change, MPs warned today.
The Commons environmental audit committee recommended that the UK move to a 42 per cent emissions cut by 2020 from 1990 levels, despite the failure of UN talks in Copenhagen last month to reach a legally binding global climate agreement.
"The government must be ready, if needed, to establish credible emissions reduction pathways that go well beyond what is currently regarded as politically possible," the report said.
The report assessed the progress the UK had been making in meeting its "carbon budgets", targets for reducing emissions over five-year periods set down in the Climate Change Act.
Britain is on track to meet its commitments to 2012 only because of the recession, the committee warned.
The report called on ministers to deliver the promised reductions and to bring forward new measures to boost progress.
At present UK carbon emissions are falling by only 1 per cent a year, instead of the 2-3 per cent per year recommended by the committee on climate change.
The report also urged action from the government to put the correct regulatory framework in place to ensure correct investment is made in high-carbon infrastructure.
Committee chair Tim Yeo said: "The UK's efforts to tackle climate change could be rendered meaningless if global leaders fail to reach a deal to reverse the growth in emissions by 2020.
"We must send a clear signal to developing countries that we are serious about making an international deal work – by meeting our own targets more quickly.
"The slower our progress, the less credibility we will have internationally".
