Theresa May has given her first major commitment that Britain will continue to tackle climate change after leaving the EU, as she promised to ratify the Paris agreement by the end of the year.

The prime minister used her speech at the United Nations in New York to say the UK remained determined to “play our part in the international effort against climate change … In a demonstration of our commitment to the agreement reached in Paris, the UK will start its domestic procedures to enable ratification of the Paris agreement and complete these before the end of the year,” she said.

The UK was party to negotiations as part of the EU and will be expected to take on emissions reductions based on an EU-wide “burden-sharing” agreement, which is yet to be worked out.

May’s decision to speed up ratification will relieve green campaigners and charities amid worries that the new prime minister could start retreating from Britain’s position as a leader on tackling climate change after leaving the EU. She has rarely spoken about the subject in the past and was accused of a regressive step when she abolished the Department of Energy and Climate Change after taking office.

Source : TAP