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Brown seeks binding climate deal Climate deal is 'important start'
(29 minutes later)
Gordon Brown has pledged to lead a campaign to establish a legally binding treaty on tackling climate change. The energy and climate change secretary has described a last-minute agreement that emerged from the Copenhagen summit as "an important start".
Speaking at the Copenhagen summit, the prime minister said that was the next step after the US reached agreement with some major developing economies.
Delegates passed a motion recognising a US-led deal which includes limiting temperature rises to less than 2C.Delegates passed a motion recognising a US-led deal which includes limiting temperature rises to less than 2C.
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said he had wanted a stronger outcome. Ed Miliband said it was significant as countries had "signed up to the notion" that they should state their plans on cutting emissions.
Mr Miliband spoke as the countries debated the merits of the US-led agreement, which would see a temperature increase limit of 2C (3.6F) and $100bn dollars to help poorer countries cope. Gordon Brown pledged to push for a legally binding climate change treaty.
On Saturday morning delegates passed a motion recognising the agreement, which the US reached with key nations including China and Brazil.
The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the agreement must be made legally binding next year.
Earlier, the meeting failed to secure unanimous support, amid opposition from some developing nations.
I am now going to lead a campaign around the world with other countries for the legally binding treaty that is the obvious next stage from this Gordon Brown
US President Barack Obama said the deal would be a foundation for global action but there was "much further to go".
Mr Miliband told Sky News: "This is a very significant moment because it indicates developed and developing countries are both signing up to the notion that they should say what they are going to do in terms of cutting carbon emissions."
Earlier, he said he had wanted a stronger outcome than the US-led agreement, which would recognise a temperature increase limit of 2C (3.6F) and put aside $100bn dollars to help poorer countries cope.
'Good' start'Good' start
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We would have wanted a more comprehensive agreement, a legally binding one. Mr Miliband told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We would have wanted a more comprehensive agreement, a legally binding one.
"It's good we made a start, in terms of the emissions cuts countries are going to do and crucially, in terms of finance. But that does rely on getting agreement."It's good we made a start, in terms of the emissions cuts countries are going to do and crucially, in terms of finance. But that does rely on getting agreement.
"Today's events show the difficulty we face, which is, we are dealing with incredibly complex issues and getting 192 countries signed up. In anyone's book that's not an easy task.""Today's events show the difficulty we face, which is, we are dealing with incredibly complex issues and getting 192 countries signed up. In anyone's book that's not an easy task."
I am now going to lead a campaign around the world with other countries for the legally binding treaty that is the obvious next stage from this Gordon Brown
US President Barack Obama said the deal would be a foundation for global action but there was "much further to go".
He said the US, China, Brazil, India and South Africa had "agreed to set a mitigation target to limit warming to no more than 2C and, importantly, to take action to meet this objective".He said the US, China, Brazil, India and South Africa had "agreed to set a mitigation target to limit warming to no more than 2C and, importantly, to take action to meet this objective".
As details emerged of the agreement, Mr Brown said there had been progress, although he added that "it is not enough" and he wants "to go further quickly". As details emerged of the agreement, the prime minister said there had been progress, although he added that "it is not enough" and he wants "to go further quickly".
Mr Brown said: "I am now going to lead a campaign around the world with other countries for the legally binding treaty that is the obvious next stage from this.Mr Brown said: "I am now going to lead a campaign around the world with other countries for the legally binding treaty that is the obvious next stage from this.
"We've got, for the first time, agreement about the limits to which we can allow emissions to go.""We've got, for the first time, agreement about the limits to which we can allow emissions to go."
The prime minister said he expected all countries to agree to the 2C limit for 2050.The prime minister said he expected all countries to agree to the 2C limit for 2050.
Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband urged delegates to accept the draft planClimate Change Secretary Ed Miliband urged delegates to accept the draft plan
Mr Brown also said every country would now be expected to produce a national emissions plan that would be open to "international scrutiny".Mr Brown also said every country would now be expected to produce a national emissions plan that would be open to "international scrutiny".
"It is the first time anything global like this has been agreed. Kyoto was not global - it was only a number of countries that signed up," said the prime minister."It is the first time anything global like this has been agreed. Kyoto was not global - it was only a number of countries that signed up," said the prime minister.
He said once countries publish their plans in the coming weeks it would become clear that "it is a major number of gigatonnes that are being reduced in carbon emissions".He said once countries publish their plans in the coming weeks it would become clear that "it is a major number of gigatonnes that are being reduced in carbon emissions".
Former government chief scientific adviser, Sir David King, said the summit had come one year too early for Mr Obama to be able to take leadership of the issue.Former government chief scientific adviser, Sir David King, said the summit had come one year too early for Mr Obama to be able to take leadership of the issue.
"He's in a hostage position in relation to his own Senate. He has to wait until next March when his Senate has declared what the United States can do before he can take an internationally leading position," he said."He's in a hostage position in relation to his own Senate. He has to wait until next March when his Senate has declared what the United States can do before he can take an internationally leading position," he said.
"I see momentum has gathered, I see the big step forward is a range of nations committing themselves to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.""I see momentum has gathered, I see the big step forward is a range of nations committing themselves to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions."
He said these were voluntary commitments but were led by the EU so "they go a quite long way".He said these were voluntary commitments but were led by the EU so "they go a quite long way".