11 December 2005
A breakthrough deal on tackling environmental challenges has been welcomed by Tony Blair, who called it a ‘vital next step’.
Delegates at the UN climate change conference in Montreal agreed to work towards fixing new targets for greenhouse gas emissions from 2012.
At the end of night-long talks, an agreement was also reached to adopt a draft rulebook detailing the operation of the Kyoto Protocol, and get the compliance mechanism for the treaty up and running.
The PM paid tribute to the UK’s representative at the summit, environment secretary Margaret Beckett, and said:
"This agreement is the result of years of hard work and is a vital next step in tackling climate change - the biggest long-term challenge facing the world.
"Of course it is only a beginning but it is important and demonstrates why it is always worth engaging with America and the rest of the world."
Mr Blair put climate change top of the agenda during the UK’s G8 Presidency this year.
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