Protect our planet by leaving fossil fuels in the ground, says Robinson

Governments must leave fossil fuel reserves in the ground unburned and unexploited to protect the planet, according to the former Irish President Mary Robinson.

Mrs Robinson, also a former UN high commissioner for human rights, is spearheading a global attempt to break the stalemate on international climate talks and to counter claims made by climate change sceptics.

Mrs Robinson said governments must get used to the idea of leaving fossil fuels alone so emissions don’t threaten global climate. She was speaking in advance of a report to be unveiled tomorrow by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.