Britain will no longer be forced by the European Union to build wind and solar farms under a climate change deal which gives member states flexibility over how they cut emissions.

The agreement means that all 28 member states have accepted emissions targets for 2030 which are similar in scope to the target Britain had already set itself.

Under the deal, agreed by European leaders in Brussels yesterday, countries agreed to cut emissions collectively by 40 per cent compared with 1990 level by 2030