Climate change

Bangladeshis knee-deep in water (Crown Copyright) The effects of climate change pose a major threat to global prosperity and security.

2009 is a landmark year for climate change. In Copenhagen in December, the world will come together at the United Nations conference to agree a new international agreement to tackle climate change. The current international agreement, the Kyoto Protocol, will expire in 2012. Copenhagen, in effect, will create its successor.

The UK Government-funded Stern Review on the economics of climate change predicted climatechange poses dramatic challenges to human well-being, including therisk 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.

Ed Miliband visits Brazil, Crown Copyright

Because of the huge implications of climate change for the UK and the rest of the world, we are working with the international community and in conjunction with other key UK departments (particularly the Departments for Energy and Climate Change, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and for International Development) to take action that is both rapid and ambitious. This issue matters to the whole of government because its impact will be felt by everyone in the UK and worldwide. Act on Copenhagen sets out the UK government's ambition for a global deal at Copenhagen.