Fuel sanctions

“More must be done” was Rishi Sunak’s COP27 verdict despite an agreement on recompensing developing countries. This was badly needed but fails to achieve the main targets of halting warming to over 1.5C as agreed in Paris through phasing out fossil fuels and achieving net zero CO2 emissions by 2050.

Nearly 60 per cent of world emissions come from just five countries, China, US, India, Russia and Japan. At current rates most emissions will come from China and India. Neither of these countries are at the forefront of climate talks, however, and while both expect to achieve an emissions peak by 2030 their track records are not good. The UK has reduced emissions by about half since 1990 levels, faster than any major developed country. While we need to do more it is arguably more important to work collectively to pressure leading emitters.

Sanctions on Russia on the export of oil and gas, for example, are already estimated to contribute to a three per cent drop in CO2 emissions in Europe this year, according to the Centre of Economic & Political Research, rising to 5.5 per cent by 2030, with consequent health benefits. Carefully targeted sanctions on reducing fossil fuel production by the West on China and India, and high emitters per capita like Qatar, should be considered rapidly to get back on track.

A 2C increase in temperature looks inevitable but if we don’t act now climate change may prove irreversible. As Sunak says more does need to be done but Britain can’t act alone if it is to influence the largest emitters and avert a climate catastrophe.

NEIL ANDERSON

Edinburgh