Campaigners cast doubts over deal

The UK is one of more than 160 countries that will sign up to the world’s first comprehensive deal to tackle climate change at a ceremony in New York.

But environmental campaigners in the UK are criticising the Government for continuing to back fossil fuel extraction at home despite supporting the international climate deal to drive down greenhouse gases.

The Paris Agreement to curb rising temperatures and avoid “dangerous” climate change was secured at United Nations talks in the French capital in December.

An official ceremony at the UN in New York will see at least 168 countries and the European Union sign up to the deal on the first day it is open for signing – today, which is Earth Day.

While Energy Minister Lord Bourne is attending the ceremony to sign the agreement for the UK, the Government faces criticism at home for continuing to allow mining for coal.

Friends of the Earth is sending a tonne of coal to the Government, with each lump representing one of almost 10,000 signatories to a petition calling for a change to planning rules to stop new opencast coal mines.

Friends of the Earth climate campaigner Guy Shrubsole said: “To meet the Paris Agreement, the Government must leave fossil fuels, like coal, in the ground – yet we’re still permitting vast new opencast coal mines to be dug up next door to communities and beauty spots across the UK.”