Climate change is the greatest environmental challenge facing the world today. Rising global temperatures will bring changes in weather patterns, rising sea levels and increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather. The effects will be felt in the UK; internationally there may be severe problems for people in regions that are particularly vulnerable. The UK is acting now to adapt to climate change and to reduce the risk by contributing less to the causes.

Climate change law

In November 2008 the UK Parliament passed a landmark climate change law that commits the country to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% over 1990 levels, by 2050. Highlights include:

• legally-binding targets that include interim reductions in CO2 emissions of 26% over 1990 levels by 2020, increasing to 80% by 2050.
• a new system of carbon budgets that cap emissions over five-year periods.
• an independent expert Committee on Climate Change to advise on the level of carbon budgets and submit  annual reports to Parliament on progress towards the targets and budgets.
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The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan plots out how the UK will meet the cut in emissions set out in the budget of 34% on 1990 levels by 2020. A 21% reduction has already been delivered - equivalent to cutting emissions entirely from four cities the size of London.

Transforming the country into a cleaner, greener and more prosperous place to live is at the heart of our economic plans for Building Britain's Future and ensuring the UK is ready to take advantage of the opportunities ahead. The Transition Plan is the most systematic response to climate change of any major developed economy, and sets standards for others in the run up to crucial talks in Copenhagen in December.

"Getting this Bill into law makes Britain a world leader on climate policy. It’s the first legislation of its kind in the world. It sends a clear message before European and global climate talks that serious action is possible."

   - Ed Miliband, Secretary of State, UK Department of Energy and Climate Change.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS)

While coal combustion may be the largest anthropogenic source of CO2, it is bound to remain part of our future energy mix, at least in the short to medium term because it is cheap, abundant and flexible enough to meet fluctuations in demand for power.  The UK has recently declared that we will indeed build new coal-fired power stations - but only if they can be part of a low carbon future.  CCS is the only technology with the potential to reduce emissions from fossil fuels by up to 90%.  There must be a global effort to develop this technology, however, and the UK is in a strong position to lead this charge.

Canada has established itself as a key partner in driving forward CCS globally.  In December 2008 Canada and the UK signed a Joint Statement agreeing to work more closely to develop and promote CCS technologies.  With the development of commercial-scale demonstration projects in both countries, there is excellent potential for further UK-Canada exchanges of best practice.

Areas for potential shared learning include exchanging experience and information on the development of regulatory frameworks, mechanisms for deploying CCS projects in developed and developing countries and the demonstration of key elements of the CCS chain.