Charities say next UK government must bring forward climate targets

Groups including Greenpeace, WI and Oxfam call for faster action in letter to all parties

The next government must bring forward the target for reaching net-zero carbon emissions by five years to 2045, phase out diesel and petrol cars by 2030 instead of 2040, and start devoting at least 5% of all government spending to the climate and the restoration of the UK's natural environment, a broad coalition of civil society groups has demanded.

They have written to the leaders of all the UK's main political parties, citing the UK's hosting of next year's UN conference on the climate, known as COP26, as the catalyst for strengthening existing goals in line with scientific advice.