As the world gathers at COP29 to discuss the most urgent issue of our time — climate change — UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has made a bold and ambitious pledge for the UK’s future.
On the second day of COP29 in Baku, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered a powerful speech outlining an ambitious commitment to cut UK emissions by 81 per cent by 2035, compared with 1990 levels.
The UK’s existing ‘nationally determined contributions’ (NDC) was a 68 per cent emissions cut by 2030, compared with 1990 levels, so an 81 per cent cut by 2035 is new and more ambitious.
In his address, the Prime Minister make clear that this bold target strengthens the UK’s position as a climate leader, and framed the green transition as a critical path to economic growth.
Starmer highlighted that the shift to a low-carbon economy would bring substantial benefits, including job creation, reduced energy costs, and sustainable development, positioning climate action as essential to national prosperity.
“The race is on for the clean energy jobs of the future, the economy of tomorrow, and I don’t want to be in the middle of the pack. I want to get ahead of the game,” he told audiences at the conference.
Starmer highlighted the intertwined nature of climate security and economic security, urging immediate action to avoid falling behind in the global race for clean energy jobs.
“There’s no economic security, there is no global security without climate security… this is a huge opportunity for investment for UK businesses, for British workers, if we act now to lead the world in the economy of tomorrow.”
“This is how we move towards better jobs, cheaper bills, higher growth, the industries and net technologies of the future and ensure the prosperity and security of our nation for decades to come.”
LAUNCHED AT COP29: Power Shift: The Renewable Energy Revolution premiered on the first day of COP29 at the REA stand. Watch the programme here.
Starmer stressed that the UK’s ambitions are not isolated. He pointed to the country’s ongoing efforts to support green technologies, such as the carbon capture projects in Tyneside and Merseyside, which are set to create thousands of new jobs. Furthermore, investment in green hydrogen projects across the country is positioning the UK as a leader in clean energy solutions.
The leader’s focus on creating a low-carbon economy with job creation and energy innovation at its core is a key part of the UK’s broader strategy to ensure a sustainable future for its people and the planet.
In closing, Starmer reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to the 1.5°C global temperature goal and stressed the need for global collaboration. “A global problem also requires global partnership, responsible international cooperation, which is where we took the opportunity at this Cop to again urge all parties to come forward with ambitious targets of their own,” he said.
In a later interview, he elaborated on a £1 billion wind farm turbine contract — creating jobs in Hull — and further investment plans to support British pioneering energy projects to inject growth into the country’s industrial heartlands.
