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At the conference, Mr Brown, speaking for the first time as Prime Minister, proposed to ask the new independent climate change committee, which will be established by the Climate Change Act, to investigate whether the government's emissions reduction target of 60 percent by 2050 needs to be increased.

Remarkably little of Mr Brown's speech directly addressed climate change, here is the extent of what he had to say on the subject:
"And I am proud that Britain will now become the first country in the world to write into law binding limits on carbon emissions. But I am not satisfied: so I am asking the new independent climate change committee to report on whether the 60 percent reduction in emissions by 2050, which is already bigger than most other countries, should be even stronger still.

"And by investing in energy efficiency, renewables, carbon capture, clean fuels and new environmental technologies, I want Britain to lead in carbon-free vehicles, carbon-free homes and carbon-free industry. And I want the new green technologies of the future to be the source of British jobs in British businesses.

"And I commit to work tirelessly for a new post-Kyoto UN climate change agreement with - yes - to help the poorest, binding targets for all the richest countries."

Siân Berry said:
"The longer we leave it to get a grip on our emissions, the harder it will be.

"Brown's announcement today shows that deep down he knows that his targets aren't good enough. So it's disappointing that, instead of changing the Climate Change Bill as the Green Party and environmental campaigners have asked, he's chosen to kick it into the long grass by leaving it for the climate change committee when it's eventaully established. We don't have time for yet more commissions and reviews, for more political delay.

"Worse than that, Brown's speech failed to indicate any new, effective policy measures on climate change, which are desperately needed after a decade of inaction and failing policies from his government. Our carbon dioxide emissions are still rising at more than 1 percent a year.

"Brown needs to accept the science, take a lead by setting the correct targets and immediately set up a framework of policies to achieve them. Another review now means yet more inaction. How much longer do we have to wait before we have a government making progress on this issue?"