I worked with Tony Blair when he put climate at the heart of UK policy. He must not now undermine that

The Guardian

01-05-2025

I have always been proud of the progress the UK made between 2003 and 2007 in formulating a credible response to the climate change. Under Tony Blair's leadership, the UK placed climate at the heart of global diplomacy. At the time, our understanding was based largely on scientific projections and models. Today, the crisis is in full view – faster and more devastating than many imagined. The world is now experiencing the daily impacts of climate breakdown, and our responses must reflect this escalating emergency. We need measured, strategic, sustained and, above all, urgent interventions to ensure a manageable future for humanity.
That is why I support much of the thrust of The Climate Paradox report from the Tony Blair Institute. It rightly recognised that the era of endless summits and slogans must give way to one of delivery and impact. But the comments I gave were prior to seeing the foreword, and while there has been some clear misinterpretation from elements of the media, I do believe it has removed the balance of the report in ways that risk undermining what still can – and must – be achieved.
Tony is right to highlight the need for innovation, investment and carbon removal. These are vital tools in our response. But framing the climate challenge as a choice between reducing emissions and developing new technologies is misleading. We need to do both – simultaneously and urgently. At the Climate Crisis Advisory Group, we call this the 4R Strategy: Reduce emissions, Remove greenhouse gases, Repair critical ecosystems, and build Resilience. These are not optional elements; they are the foundation of a manageable future. Treating them as alternatives risks delaying action we cannot afford to postpone.
Crucially, the science has not changed: reducing emissions – and especially phasing out fossil fuels – remains the bedrock of any meaningful climate strategy. This is not ideology, it is science. The idea that phasing out fossil fuels should be anything but an immediate priority misreads the disaster in front of us and the direction of progress globally. Here in the UK, we have reduced emissions by 54% since 1990 – an achievement few other countries can match. We have done so without undermining growth or prosperity. It hasn't been perfect, but it proves what is possible when leadership, science and policy align.
This is also not the time to walk back ambition. The UK's goal of reducing emissions by 81% by 2035 – reaffirmed by Keir Starmer's team – is not only achievable, it is necessary. Parliament's Climate Change Committee, supported by rigorous scientific input, has demonstrated that the transition can be delivered. What it does require is consistency, clarity and leadership.
Blair is also right that financial flows must be restructured to support climate action, especially in developing economies. But again, the answer is not to downplay emissions cuts at home – it is to build new coalitions of the willing that drive delivery globally. The likes of the EU, China, Kenya and Brazil and others are already showing leadership, and we need to support that with real investment, not retreat into fatalism.
It's also important to correct one misconception. There is, in fact, widespread public concern about climate change. What is fragmenting is not public belief – but political coherence. Like many corners of our society, climate has become a proxy for culture war battles in many countries. In such a polarised world, we must speak with precision and care. Clear signals, transparent policies and honest leadership are essential in rebuilding the trust.
And here is where I know Blair and I will be lock-step in agreement: the next phase must be about delivery. That means scaling solutions – wind, solar, storage, clean transport – and rapidly deploying new technologies where they make sense. It means investing in nature and resilience, in communities alongside technologies. And it means building a new kind of internationalism – less about process and more about progress.
I take enormous pride in what Tony and I helped initiate together – a climate-conscious policy platform. And I deeply respect his longstanding commitment to development. But today, realism must not give way to resignation. We are not doomed to fail. We can't afford failure, and with the right leadership a fairer and more prosperous society for all is there to grasp.
David King was chief scientific adviser to the UK government under Tony Blair, and is founder and chair of the global Climate Crisis Advisory Group