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Climate deal is 'important start' Climate deal is 'important start'
(30 minutes later)
The energy and climate change secretary has described a last-minute agreement that emerged from the Copenhagen summit as "an important start". The UK's energy and climate change secretary has insisted the last-minute agreement at the Copenhagen summit is "not the final word" on the issue.
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.
Ed Miliband said it was significant as countries had "signed up to the notion" that they should state their plans on cutting emissions. Ed Miliband said it was significant as it marked a sense that both developed and developing countries wanted to tackle the problem.
Gordon Brown pledged to push for a legally binding climate change treaty. Gordon Brown earlier pledged to push for a legally binding treaty.
On Saturday morning delegates passed a motion recognising the agreement, which the US reached with key nations including China and Brazil.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.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.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 BrownI 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".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." Mr Miliband said: "It's not the final word at all, it's the end of the beginning. It marks a real sense that developed and developing countries, despite their constraints, want to tackle the problem.
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. "What is different about this agreement is not just the developed world, but India and China, and all the other countries of the developing world have committed to hard targets."
But 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 to help poorer countries cope.
"I don't think it's the full agreement we would have wanted. We would have wanted a clearer tract to a legally binding treaty, we would have wanted legally binding targets, ideally. We'd have wanted more clarity of ambition for 2050," he said.
'Good' start'Good' start
Mr Miliband told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We would have wanted a more comprehensive agreement, a legally binding one. Earlier Mr Miliband told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "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."
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, the prime minister 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".