The effects of climate change pose a major threat to global prosperity and security. A few years ago, the UK Government funded the Stern Review on the economics of climate change. Its findings were stark: climate change will pose dramatic challenges to human well-being, including the risk of losing the equivalent of 5-20% of global GDP each year.

Climate change also threatens the future development of poor countries. Rising sea levels, floods, droughts, increased climate shocks, and lower farm yields will jeopardise hard-won progress in the battle against poverty. Regions like sub-Saharan Africa, which are least responsible for the problem, will suffer most.

Global climate change and energy

The UK is working internationally to tackle the global challenge of climate change and to achieve international agreement at Copenhagen in December 2009. As the UK imports more energy, we also want to ensure our supplies are secure, reliable and from a wide range of sources.

Diverse and low carbon energy mix

We want the UK to enjoy a diverse and low-carbon energy mix, through an appropriate market framework to ensure competitive prices.

A low-carbon UK

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is working to help the UK moves towards a low-carbon economy using carbon budgets and other mechanisms. The Government has published the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan, a route map to a low carbon country. 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. More info on Low Carbon Transition Plan can be found on the DECC website.

Climate impacts on the UK

For the latest UK Climate Projections from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the five point plan in the lead up to Copenhagen.

The British Embassy reduces its environmental impact

The British Embassy, Paris, is greatly committed to the fight against climate change. Therefore, we have been implementing various initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of our daily running and events hosted in The Residence.

In addition, having assessed our carbon footprint during the summer, we are now entering in the core of our project by working on carrying our actions that will help us to decrease our CO2 emissions to a minimum in the coming years.

Latest videos

Joan Ruddock, Minister of State for the Department of Energy and Climate Change, met ministers in Rome, Warsaw and Paris regarding the leadership the EU is providing towards climate change negotiations at Copenhagen. Watch the video from her Europe visit: