Gordon Brown spoke to the Major Economies Forum this morning, calling for ambitious action in Copenhagen to avert a global climate change "catastrophe" - and warned this could be the world's last chance to act together to make a difference.
The PM told environment ministers from 17 countries - who together are responsible for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions:
"In every era there are only one or two moments when nations come together and reach agreements that make history, because they change the course of history. Copenhagen must be such a time. There are now fewer than 50 days to set the course of the next 50 years and more. If we do not reach a deal at this time, let us be in no doubt: once the damage from unchecked emissions growth is done, no retrospective global agreement in some future period can undo that choice. By then it will be irretrievably too late."
He continued:
"The extraordinary summer heat wave of 2003 in Europe resulted in over 35,000 extra deaths. On current trends, such an event could become quite routine in Britain in just a few decades' time...and within the lifetime of our children and grandchildren the intense temperatures of 2003 could become the average temperature experienced throughout much of Europe. In Britain we face the prospect of more frequent droughts and a rising wave of floods.
"We cannot compromise with the earth. We can not compromise with the catastrophe of unchecked climate change; so we must compromise with one another...I urge my fellow leaders to work together to reach agreement amongst us, recognising both our common and our differentiated responsibilities – and the dire consequences of failure."
