​The UK's official ratification of the Paris deal must send a message to climate change denier Donald Tump

The world has sent a message to US president-elect Donald Trump: no backsliding on crucial climate commitments.

British ministers today (Thursday) officially tied the UK to a deal aimed at curbing global warming.

The Paris climate agreement, settled last December, saw 195 nations committing to do what they can to hold global temperature rises to less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels – with a goal of 1.5°C set.

However, the process has been placed in doubt by the election of Trump – a notorious climate change denier and soon to be leader of one of the planet’s biggest polluters.

This sends a clear message to Donald Trump that the world’s nations will continue to act together on climate

The US has already ratified the Paris agreement – but Trump has claimed he will pull his government out of it.

Scottish environmental charities said the UK ratifying the deal should send a strong message to Trump that the world is united in seeing the deal implemented.

They also said that the UK and other signatories must urgently make moves to turn pledges into action.

Dr Richard Dixon, director of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: "This good news and sends a clear message to Donald Trump that the world’s nations will continue to act together on climate, and that he should reaffirm the USA’s commitment on this issue too.

"Signing the treaty must now be followed by action, with the UK off track to meet its own climate targets.

“The UK government should ban new fossil fuel exploration such as fracking, and reverse cuts to support for renewable energy as first steps towards doing its fair share of keeping global temperatures below 1.5 degrees.”

WWF Scotland director Lang Banks added: "With its action on renewable electricity and climate justice, Scotland has played a strong leadership role in helping to ensure the UK and other nations commit to global action to reduce carbon pollution.

“However, with global pledges for action so far only sufficient to keep average temperature change to around three degrees, well above the safe levels agreed in Paris, all nations need to step up their action.

“It’s been good to hear from Scottish ministers that they want to maintain Scotland’s leadership role, and that’s why the forthcoming Climate Action Plan must contain transformative new policies, especially in areas like transport and heat where there has been comparatively little progress so far.”