UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres

A global deal in 2015 will be impossible unless there is already enough domestic legislation to back up what is agreed.

That’s the view of the UN climate chief, who is in London for the GLOBE climate legislation conference, which brings together 90 lawmakers from 25 countries around the world.

“I see this contributing in an important way, I do have the conviction that a universal agreement will not be reached until and unless there is enough domestic legislation implemented,” Figueres told RTCC.

“This is the bottom up approach, and at the same time we have to understand there has to be a global agreement with top down pressure, so they are able to mutually reinforce each other.

“This is not about cut and paste cookie cutter approach, it means each country needs to adopt the climate legislation that is appropriate for its national reality, because the legislation needs to be out of its own national interests,” she said.