The UK has secretly dropped commitments to tie Australia to climate targets in order to achieve a trade deal, it emerged, as Boris Johnson was embroiled in a furious row before a crucial summit in Glasgow.
As part of the Paris accord in 2015, signatories will be required to publish NDC plans setting out the measures they are committed to taking to help meet the goal of containing global warming to well below two degrees, with “further efforts” needed to limit it to as little as 1.5 degrees.
One of the “asks” referred to the Paris temperature objectives of limiting global warming to well below 2C, preferably 1.5C, with the second giving environmental agreements precedence over trading rules.
An email leaked by Greenpeace says that three Cabinet ministers have agreed to “drop both of the climate asks” in a bid to “take the trade agreement to the limit.”
Australia is a signatory to the Paris Accord, but Prime Minister Scott Morrison has laid down less ambitious goals than some other large nations.
The tariffs on imported Aussie beef and lamb will immediately be axed, sparking claims that UK farmers are being “to the wall”
A Government spokesman has denied making climate change concessions while in power in the trade deal and has called the claims ‘completely untrue’.
Sam Lowe, trade expert for the Centre for European Reform, told Sky News he was surprised British ministers were caving in to Australian pressure.
This is dreadful. Weeks from hosting #COP26, this is what this Government think climate leadership looks like.
The UK should by leading example. Instead we are failing at every turn. Time is running out for our #climate. https://t.co/PZVEfGYqVD
— Anna McMorrin MP 🏴😷🏳️🌈 (@AnnaMcMorrin) September 8, 2021
