The UK government is looking to announce a new, more ambitious blueprint to reduce its carbon emissions soon after the country leaves the European Union on 31 January, 91av understands.
The move would be seen as a sign the UK wants to show leadership on climate change post-Brexit and to encourage other governments to follow suit ahead of it hosting a major .
Current carbon cutting plans submitted by world leaders under the Paris climate agreement put us on course for at least a 3掳C rise in global temperatures, which scientists say would have devastating impacts.
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Campaigners, vulnerable countries and the UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres have all called on leaders to submit new, stronger plans before Glasgow, as part of the Paris accord鈥檚 鈥渞atchet mechanism鈥�. The idea is to help close the gap between 3掳C and the Paris deal鈥檚 goal of remaining well below 2掳C聽of warming.
As it stands, the UK鈥檚 international commitment is to cut its carbon emissions by 40 per cent by 2030 based on 1990 levels, as set out in聽.
But Brexit means the UK will no longer be part of the EU鈥檚 climate plan, or 鈥渘ationally determined contribution鈥� (NDC) in the jargon of international climate talks, and it will need to submit a fresh one to the United Nations. Officials are considering doing so as soon as February, UK government sources say.
The plan would be one of the first of a new wave of 鈥渆nhanced NDCs鈥� that help to close the gap between the current disastrous trajectory of warming and the more limited warming if the Paris targets are met. Only two tiny emitters, the small Pacific island state of the 听补苍诲 in South America, have submitted enhanced NDCs so far.
However, after the disappointing UN climate summit in Madrid, Spain, last month, it are planning to follow suit this year.
There is a possibility the UK鈥檚 enhanced submission may slip beyond February, but if it does press ahead next month, it would be seen as a call for some of those 100-plus countries to bring forward their plans and generate momentum ahead of the Glasgow summit, COP26. China, which accounts for more than a quarter of global emissions, and the EU, are expected to announce their plans in September. The US won鈥檛 do so, because it is withdrawing from the Paris accord.
One key question is what will count as new ambition in the UK鈥檚 fresh international plan.
The country already has a legally-binding domestic target to cut emissions by 57 per cent by 2030, which is more aggressive than the UK鈥檚 existing pledge under the EU NDC, and it could simply submit that to the UN. But the 57 per cent when the UK was aiming for an 80 per cent cut in emissions by 2050, not the net zero goal by then that the government enshrined in law last year.
Green Alliance, a UK think tank, is urging the government to adopt a genuinely new and more ambitious cut of 61 per cent by 2030 for its enhanced NDC, which it believes is feasible and in line with net zero by 2050.
Officially, the government has only said that it will submit a new NDC post-Brexit and is looking to increase its ambition on climate change before COP26 in Glasgow.
