Ed Miliband responds to the COP28 agreement

Ed Miliband MP, Labour's Shadow Energy Secretary, responding to the COP28 agreement said:

“This COP agreement is an important moment for the world: signalling for the first time a global commitment to a transition away from fossil fuels. It shows that for all of the flaws in the COP process, the world can come together and make progress. 

“Yet the truth is that for the progress made, the hard maths tells us that the world remains way off track from where it needs to be to limit global warming to 1.5C.

“The defining question of the next two years in the run up to COP30 in Brazil is whether the world can now turn its good words at COP28 into meaningful action to genuinely keep 1.5 degrees alive.

“For that to happen, it requires a British government that will lead with the power of example, not show climate hypocrisy as Rishi Sunak’s government has been doing: telling the world to move off fossil fuels in line with the science but saying at home we will drill every last drop, in defiance of the science.

“Thanks to Rishi Sunak tanking Britain’s reputation on the world stage, Britain has been an absence, not a presence at these negotiations. Only Labour can provide the climate leadership Britain needs, to cut energy bills for families at home, grow our economy with good jobs, and step up on the world stage to protect our planet for current and future generations.”