The UK is committed to taking action against climate change because, as the Stern Review made clear, the costs of inaction are potentially much more severe. These costs are not only monetary; the issue of climate security indicates that climate change is now a fundamental concern for national security.

The UK has set ambitious emissions reduction targets and is implementing policies and other measures to reducing bring down its current emissions accordingly.  On 5 June 2009, it was announced that the UK was on track to double its emissions commitment under the Kyoto Protocol.  

As well as efforts to reduce the rate of climate change, the UK is looking at how to adapt the country to the effects of climate change, such as higher temperatures and altered rain patterns. To enable the government, businesses and individuals to better plan and prepare for climate change, the Hadley Centre of the UK Met Office has launched UK Climate Projections 09. These are scientific projections that shows how the climate of the UK might change during the 21st century, based on a series of emissions scenarios that take into account population, technology advances and the UK's reliance, or otherwise, on fossil fuels. The projections include an interactive website.

Much of the UK’s energy and climate change policy is influenced by decisions and laws agreed with European Union (EU) partners.  The UK takes an active part in these negotiations and seeks to lead the debate on energy and climate change policy at EU level.  

• In January 2009 the EU agreed the Energy and Climate Change Package, the so-called “2020 package” comprising:
  a 20% reduction in the EU’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, below 1990 levels by 2020;
• an increase to 20% of all energy in the amount of renewable energy consumed in the EU by 2020; and
• a 20% reduction in the EU’s energy consumption by 2020.

Supported by effective domestic action, the UK Government is working to encourage an ambitious agreement at COP 15 to be held in Copenhagen in December 2009. To help facilitate this agreement we have already made a commitment with EU partners to increase the collective EU target of 20% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020, to 30% if an ambitious global deal is agreed.

On 26 June 2009, the UK Government published The Road to Copenhagen so that everyone can see how the UK will be arguing in the negotiations and how they can help the debate so their own voices can be heard.