In his first address at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a bold climate agenda to cut the UK’s emissions by 81% by 2035, based on 1990 levels.
Starmer emphasized proactive climate action as essential for both environmental stability and economic revival, TVC News reported on Wednesday.
The Prime Minister outlined two potential futures for the UK: one marked by inaction and negative consequences, and another driven by sustainability, innovation, and job creation.
“There is no national security, no economic security, no global security, without climate security,” he stated, highlighting the critical link between climate stability and wider societal goals.
In his first 100 days, Starmer’s administration has taken significant steps, including the closure of the UK’s last coal-fired power plant, making the UK the first G7 nation to fully phase out coal.
He also lifted the ban on onshore wind development and committed to ending new oil and gas licenses in the North Sea, aiming to transition traditional energy regions towards renewables and carbon capture.
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Starmer announced funding for carbon capture projects on Teesside and Merseyside, focusing on redeploying oil and gas expertise into clean energy initiatives.
He described these projects as part of a larger “investment in jobs and industries” to revitalize former fossil fuel-dependent areas.
Starmer further emphasized the UK’s commitment to global climate leadership, aligning the UK’s goals with the 1.5°C target.
He urged other nations to adopt ambitious targets, echoing the call for international cooperation set at previous COP meetings.
Additionally, he also spoke the upcoming Global Clean Power Alliance, a coalition dedicated to accelerating clean energy transitions and unlocking private finance for global climate initiatives, announced in September.
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