DAVID CAMERON, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband have jointly pledged to work “across party lines” to agree cuts to Britain’s carbon emissions.
The agreement, signed by the three party leaders yesterday, was brokered by think tank Green Alliance, backed by Christian Aid, Cafod, Greenpeace, RSPB and WWF.
They also signed up to seeking a “fair, strong, legally binding” international climate deal, due to be negotiated in Paris at the end of the year, to limit global temperature rises to below 2°C.
In addition they pledged to move to a low-carbon economy, ending the use of coal without technology to capture and store its emissions for power generation.
The statement signed by the three party leaders said: “Climate change is one of the most serious threats facing the world today.
“It is not just a threat to the environment, but also to our national and global security, to poverty eradication and economic prosperity.”
Green Party leader Natalie Bennett welcomed the fact that the coalition and Labour had acknowledged the vital importance of climate change and the urgent need to take action.
“Voters will be able, however, to make a judgement as to why it has taken them so long to reach this point, and how it squares with their actions in government including regarding fracking, energy efficiency, renewable energy and other energy policies,” she said.
“We will work hard to ensure this agreement is maintained in letter and in spirit, and that decisions and policies are based on evidence and realism. Particularly about the undeveloped technology of carbon capture and storage, and the costs, risks and delays associated with new nuclear power stations.”


