The UK must act urgently to meet its international climate commitments, the independent climate watchdog has warned, after sending “mixed messages” to other countries at the Cop28 UN climate summit in December.

While carbon reduction from electricity generation has shown progress, the rate at which all other sources of emissions are being cut must quadruple to meet the UK’s target under the Paris agreement of 68% reductions in emissions by 2030, according to the Climate Change Committee.

Piers Forster, the interim chair of the committee, said: “We must rapidly replace fossil fuels with low-carbon alternatives to get back on track to meet our 2030 goal. The UK could set a powerful example of tackling climate change and reducing our insecurity to climate impacts.”