SIR Keir Starmer today insisted he can hit dramatic new climate goals without forcing Brits to eat less meat.
The PM slapped down government green advisers as he argued the UK can reduce fossil fuel usage without a mass drive to vegetarianism or meat taxes.
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It comes as he pledged to cut Britain’s emissions by a massive 81 per cent by 2035 and called on other nations to follow suit.
Speaking from Cop29 in Baku, he argued the huge shift would be fuelled by ditching fossil fuels for electricity by 2030.
This is despite the Climate Change Committee (CCC) warning around 10 per cent of the change would have to come from “an accelerated shift in diets away from meat and dairy products, reductions in waste, slower growth in flights and reductions in travel demand”.
Risking a row with the climate advisory body, he told a press conference: “The target is my target and the plan is my plan, I’m not borrowing from somebody’s else’s plan.
“The target is as I’ve set out today.
“I don’t think that as we tackle this really important issue the way to do it is to tell people how to run their lives and instruct them how to behave.”
Sir Keir also insisted he won’t be wagging the green finger and telling people “how to live their lives”.
He said: “The new goal is ambitious and that’s measured not by telling people what to do.
“It’s measured by making sure that we get to clean power by 2030 – that’s the single most important target on the way to the emissions.”
The 81 per cent target aligns with recommendations from the CCC, whose methods the PM has subscribed to.
The body has implored ministers to enforce a 20 per cent reduction in meat and dairy by 2030 and a 35 per cent reduction in meat by 2050.
Addressing the UN green bonanza, the PM argued his climate ambitions pave the way to stronger national security and a green jobs investment blitz.
He said: “The UK has a huge opportunity to get ahead here when it comes to renewables.
“That’s why I’m encouraging as much investment as I can when it comes to clean energy.
“There’s a global race on now to be the global leader on this. I want us to be in the race and I want us to win the race.”
The climate conference comes just days after the re-election of Donald Trump, who has called climate change a “hoax”.
The President-elect has vowed to roll back on green commitments and withdraw the US from Paris climate agreement.
Addressing the gap between Britain and the US on environmental matters, The PM said: “I’m not going to comment on Trump’s views.
“I am very clear in mine which is that the climate challenge is something that we have got to rise to and that’s why I’ve repeatedly said we’ve got to show leadership.
“A global problem also requires global partnership, responsible international co-operation, which is why we took the opportunity at this Cop to again urge all parties to come forward with ambitious targets of their own.”
