| Tonight's Readout comes to you via the Wi-Fi on Keir Starmer's plane somewhere in the sky somewhere over eastern Europe as we return from COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Starmer put in a lot of effort to show his face at COP for less than 24 hours — we flew out yesterday morning, and are already on the long flight back. Many other world leaders didn't bother: the summit is taking place under something of a cloud after Donald Trump's election victory, given the President-elect's climate skepticism. But that was exactly the point of Starmer's effort. While others are leaning out of climate engagement, the British prime minister chose to lean in. While being careful not to comment on Trump's recent comments that climate change is a "hoax," Starmer has been strident in owning his own position. "I'm not going to comment on his views," he told us on the plane yesterday. "I am very clear in mine, which is that the climate challenge is something that we have got to rise to. That's why I've repeatedly said we've got to show leadership."  Starmer in Baku today Photographer: Hollie Adams/Bloomberg Today he did just that, announcing that the UK will adopt a more ambitious target to cut greenhouse gas emissions: a reduction of 81% on 1990 levels by 2035. That's a step up from the previous 78% cut the country was targeting, and brings policy in line with the recommendations of the government's adviser, the Climate Change Committee. It's also a soft way of pressuring other countries to adopt their own targets that limit warming to 1.5C. So there he was, turning up, and making the case that climate leadership by the UK is not just "an obligation, it's a huge opportunity." After seeing the Democrats fail to turn green investment into election success, Labour is trying hard not just to lead the way on climate internationally, but to argue that tackling climate change is good news for British jobs, and a key means of attracting investment into the UK. But as you'll see in the Big Take below, the outlook for meeting emissions targets globally is not quite so rosy. Want this in your inbox each weekday? You can sign up here. | 
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