Dear John,

COP29 has ended with a deal, but also with disappointment.

With much bolder action urgently needed, and with Donald Trump threatening to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement once again, now is the time for the UK to step up and show global leadership on climate action.

We’ve done it before – when the Liberal Democrats were in government, and we led the world in offshore wind while also leading in Europe to pave the way for the Paris Agreement.

But in recent years, the Conservatives abandoned that role of climate leadership and trashed the UK’s reputation on the world stage. We urgently need to get it back.

There were some promising signs in Baku. The Prime Minister committed the UK to an ambitious new emissions target for 2035 – a crucial step I had urged him to take at Prime Minister’s Questions last month.

⏲️ Watch time: 1 min

A good start, but what we need now is a clear plan of action to achieve that target – including an emergency home insulation programme and investing in cheap, clean renewable energy.

But action at home is just one part of it. The UK can and must drive forward bolder action around the world too. That’s what these COP summits should be all about.

Our climate and energy spokesperson Pippa Heylings was in Baku to represent our party and build alliances for climate action. I encourage you to read her reflections here:

⏲️ Est. reading time: 8 mins

On climate change, on restoring Britain’s role in the world, and on so much more, the Liberal Democrats will continue to push the Government to act faster and be much bolder.

Yours sincerely,