Alok Sharma, the president of the Cop26 climate summit, has indicated that he does not support a carbon tax on high polluting food production, such as red meat.

       “I’m someone who believes very much in carrot rather than stick, trying to move people in the right direction,” he told Andrew Marr at the start of the Cop26 international climate summit.

       His comments came after George Eustice, the Environment Secretary, told The Telegraph the Government was considering carbon taxes on high polluting food production, including meat.

       Mr Eustice said the measure would enable the UK to extend border taxes on imports from countries such as New Zealand and Brazil, as British farmers switched to making more environmentally friendly food.

       He acknowledged that more expensive meat could encourage people to eat less, though rejected any suggestion the Government could influence people’s choices as “whistling in the wind”.

       Mr Eustice said he was “far from being a vegan or vegetarian” but suggested people should eat “less, but better” meat.

       Cutting down meat is a 'personal choice'

       Earlier this year Mr Sharma told The Telegraph he had become vegetarian after his daughter persuaded him to make the move to become more environmentally friendly.

       But he told Mr Marr that cutting down on meat was a “personal choice” and he would not try to persuade others.

       Mr Sharma said it was more important to focus on helping people to “make the right decisions,” to move to green technology such as heat pumps or electric cars, with grants and other incentives.

       Mr Sharma also put distance between himself and the Government’s long-awaited decision on the Cambo oil fields off the Shetland islands, insisting that it was “not in my power”.

       Green groups have criticsed the Government for refusing to block the development of the oilfields, which will have the capacity for 150 million barrels of oil, arguing that it undermines the UK’s diplomatic role as a climate leader.

       Mr Sharma’s speech at the closing ceremony of a youth conference on Saturday was interrupted after a group of attendees accused the minister of being a “hypocrite” over the claims.

       But Mr Sharma argued that “even in a net zero scenario, there is some element of oil and gas”, but said it was important to “wait and see” what decision was made over the development.