More than 400 climate experts call on political leaders to pledge 'ambitious' action
More than 400 experts have called on political leaders to pledge "ambitious" action on climate change if they win the General Election on July 4.
In an open letter published on Monday, the experts from universities around the country warned that a "failure to tackle climate change" is making the UK a "dangerous" and "insecure" place to live.
The letter says: "We call on you to pledge to an ambitious programme of climate policies that accelerate action, in the UK and across the world, both to cut greenhouse gas emissions and to increase resilience to those impacts of climate change that cannot now be avoided.
"Without such a programme, the UK will be shirking its international responsibilities and will be losing the opportunity to promote prosperity and peace in the UK and around the globe.
The letter continued by outlining five points of action that the experts hope the Government will adopt once its been voted into power.
These include publishing a "strategy for ending the UK's contribution to climate change" and "increasing public and private funding for climate change mitigation in developing countries."
It also called the Government to "lead by example internationally on climate change" and "accelerate action across all sectors and all parts of the UK to adapt and become more resilient to those impacts of climate change."
ITV News' Martin Stew breaks down the parties' climate pledges
Professor Emliy Shuckburgh, who was one of the organisers of the letter, said in a statement: “The UK has just experienced by far the warmest May on record, despite the weather seeming miserable.
"Climate change puts a dark cloud over all our futures - as a climate scientist I am fearful of what is in store. Many aspects of global stability are at risk from ice sheets and ocean currents to financial systems, food security and geopolitical order.
"The climate clock is ticking loudly, our Party Leaders need to listen and respond.”
The letter comes as the UK recorded its warmest May and spring on record, despite the wet, dull conditions for many parts of the country, according to provisional Met Office figures.
Meteorological spring, which covers the months of March, April and May, was also the warmest on record, the figures show.
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