The British government yesterday agreed to include aviation and shipping in a law setting targets to cut greenhouse gases.

An amendment to climate change legislation tabled by ministers will compel the independent Climate Change Committee to take emissions from planes and tankers into account when it calculates carbon budgets, after more than 50 Labour MPs demanded the legislation be changed.

Britain is the first country to introduce legally binding targets to cut gases contributing to climate change. It has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.

The government had resisted calls to include the transport sectors because of what it saw as difficulties in splitting cross-border emissions between countries.

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