Environmental legislation news: UK will not agree to "inadequate" deal on climate change

Ed Miliband has said that Britain will not sign up to an agreement on climate change that is "inadequate".

Speaking to a parliamentary committee yesterday (October 28th), the energy and climate change secretary said: "We must push for a substantial, comprehensive deal."

His comments came ahead of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference due to be held in December and amid concerns that the US and China will both dig their heels in over emissions reduction targets, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The publication claims that America may be unable to agree to targets, while China will oppose any moves that could curtail its economic growth.

Mr Miliband also stated that developed nations would need to finance eco-friendly technologies to help poorer countries around the world meet their emissions targets and other climate change goals.

The United Nations (UN) has announced that it is lowering its expectations in terms of reaching a deal on global environmental issues.

Following a news conference by Janos Pasztor, director of the UN secretary-general's Climate Change Support Team, the Associated Press reported that the conference in Copenhagen will likely be used "to push governments as far as they can go on the content of an agreement", rather than signing up to a treaty.

Posted by Lauren Steadman