COP26
The President of COP26 was asked—
(Fylde)
(Con)
What steps he is taking to help ensure that climate action
contributes to the post covid-19 economic recovery.
(Meon
Valley) (Con)
What steps he is taking to help ensure that climate action
contributes to the post covid-19 economic recovery.
(Bradford East) (Lab)
What steps the Government are taking to promote (a) climate
action and (b) a green recovery from the covid-19 pandemic ahead
of COP26.
The President of COP26 ()
We are determined to build back better and greener as we recover
from covid-19. The Prime Minister’s 10-point plan for a green
industrial revolution sets out the Government’s blueprint to grow
the sunrise sector, support 250,000 green jobs and level up
across the country.
[V]
The north-west, as you are well aware, Mr Speaker, is the heart
of the UK nuclear industry, including Westinghouse nuclear fuels
in my constituency. With the world increasingly focused on
utilising low carbon energy sources, what steps is my right hon.
Friend the President taking ahead of COP26 to promote UK-based
nuclear energy production satisfying our future energy needs and
supporting countless high-skilled jobs across the north-west?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Nuclear power clearly has a
part to play in our clean energy mix, and he will know that in
the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan we have committed to backing
large-scale nuclear advanced modular reactors and small modular
reactors—AMRs and SMRs. Of course, the sites such as the ones in
my hon. Friend’s constituency are vital in terms of creating jobs
and investment in the north-west.
Mrs Drummond [V]
I welcome my right hon. Friend to his new appointment. Does he
agree that the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan will not only help
places such as Meon Valley to build back better and greener from
covid but level up all regions across the country?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The 10-point plan will be a
catalyst to unleash innovation and jobs across the country. We
are going to have a green industrial revolution, which is going
to be powered by wind turbines in Scotland and the north-east,
propelled by electric vehicles made in the midlands and, of
course, supported by carbon capture clusters across our
industrial heartlands.
[V]
Public transport is one of the cleanest modes of transport we
have, as it helps to get thousands of carbon-emitting vehicles
off our roads, but our public transport infrastructure,
particularly rail, is woefully outdated in the north of England
and simply not fit for purpose. Will the right hon. Gentleman
therefore back my calls for the northern powerhouse rail scheme
to be built in full, including a Bradford city centre station, to
prove that we are taking this climate emergency seriously by
getting more people on to public transport and more cars off our
roads in the north and by providing good, green, sustainable
jobs?
I certainly agree that we should be encouraging people to take
public transport where that is possible. I come in from Reading
to Paddington every day by train myself. The hon. Gentleman has
raised a policy issue relating to the Department for Transport
and I will ensure that I make representations on his behalf to
the Secretary of State.
(Greenwich and Woolwich) (Lab)
Next week, the Government will co-host a summit of the Powering
Past Coal Alliance to boost international co-operation on the
phasing out of coal, yet at the same time, Ministers are refusing
to intervene here at home to prevent the opening of a new deep
coal mine in Cumbria. The president knows full well that the
proposed mine is not purely a local matter, that it will not help
to secure the future of UK steel and that it will not provide the
long-term secure jobs that Cumbrians need. However, it will
increase emissions, undermine progress to our net zero target and
damage our credibility as COP26 host. My question to him,
therefore, is a simple one: in this critical year, why on earth
are he and his Cabinet colleagues content to see this mine
approved?
I note the hon. Gentleman’s point about the Powering Past Coal
Alliance, and I am very proud that the UK is part of leading it.
Of course, we have made significant progress in reducing coal as
part of our energy mix over the last decade. It has come down
from 40% to just under 2%, and I set out my detailed views on
this issue at the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Committee hearing, as he will know. This is now a local matter;
it is a local issue. Cumbria County Council is considering the
application and, like him, I wait to see the outcome.
COP26: UK’s Objectives
(West
Bromwich East) (Con)
What discussions he has had with (a) business owners and (b)
other stakeholders on the UK’s objectives for COP26.
(Ynys Môn)
(Con)
What steps he is taking to consult businesses in preparation for
COP26.
The President of COP26 ()
Businesses have a vital role to play in tackling climate change
through the COP26 business leaders group and, indeed, through
other engagements in the UK and internationally. I have spoken
directly with many hundreds of global businesses, and of course
we are calling on businesses, investors and other non-state
actors to sign up to the Race to Zero campaign and commit to
achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
[V]
We are hugely proud of our diverse communities in West Bromwich
East, and many of my constituents place great importance on the
role of our allies across the world, especially in India, in
working with the UK to tackle these global issues. Can my right
hon. Friend update the House on the success of his recent
international engagement?
I can tell my hon. Friend and, indeed, the House that, over the
past few weeks, I have had productive discussions with Government
Ministers on visits to Ethiopia, Gabon, Egypt, Nigeria, Nepal and
India. She mentions India, and I met Prime Minister Modi in
Delhi. I have also spoken to a range of other Governments,
including the US special envoy, John Kerry, and China’s special
envoy for climate change, Minister Xie Zhenhua, and I stressed
the importance of the three key pillars of the Paris agreement:
mitigation, adaptation and finance.
[V]
I am delighted that, on 1 July, the Minister responsible for
science, research and innovation, my hon. Friend the Member for
Derby North (), will be coming to Anglesey to open an innovation
jobs fair I am organising alongside the Menai science park. This
event will bring together innovative green businesses such as
Moorlights and Beacon biocomposites to showcase their work. The
event offers a perfect opportunity to put a spotlight on COP26
for the communities and businesses here in my Ynys Môn
constituency. Will the COP President ensure that there will be
resources available to help me do this?
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend’s excellent work in supporting
green jobs in her constituency. Of course, as host of the G7 and
COP26, we want to showcase innovative British green businesses,
such as those housed by the Menai science park in her
constituency. I am delighted that the science Minister is opening
her innovation jobs fair, and I know they will work closely
together to ensure it is a success.
(Edinburgh North and Leith) (SNP) [V]
In those discussions with interested parties, did they ask why
the UK’s objectives are so vague and so unambitious? Did they
point out that the UK Government have missed a slew of targets on
the climate change emergency and that there appears to be little
to no effort being made to catch up? How can the UK Government
pretend to any world leadership on this issue when they show such
a marked reluctance to act at all?
I respectfully suggest to the hon. Lady that she look at the
record of this Government in cutting emissions. We were the first
major economy in the world to legislate for net zero and, of
course, I hope she is pleased not just with the 10-point plan but
with the very ambitious, nationally determined contribution that
the Prime Minister set out last year.
Climate Change: UK as a Global Leader
(Glasgow Central) (SNP)
What recent assessment he has made of the UK’s progress on
becoming a global leader on tackling climate change in
preparation for COP26.
The Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth ()
The UK is leading from the front and has made significant
commitments under all three pillars of the Paris agreement,
which, as the President set out, are: mitigation, finance and
adaptation and resilience. We are continuing to press for
ambition internationally, and we are discussing climate action
with world leaders. Our nationally determined contribution, of
course, sets the highest level of emission reductions by 2030 of
any major economy.
[V]
Angel Gurría, the outgoing secretary-general of the OECD, has
urged countries to attach environmental conditions to bail-outs,
to prioritise a green recovery with environmental jobs and to
“put a big fat price on carbon.”
So will the UK Government take his advice?
We are leading the way in making sure that we do that as part of
our building back better and greener. I am co-chairing, with the
Department for Education, a green jobs taskforce, to make sure we
are able both to upskill and to train all the new skills that are
going to be needed for those new industries.
(Portsmouth South) (Lab) [V]
Improving air quality is an essential part of our work to tackle
the climate emergency, yet the Government refused to back
Labour’s call to make sure that air quality targets meet World
Health Organisation guidelines by 2030. What will the Minister do
to ensure that we are truly world-leading in our efforts to
reduce emissions?
As President Sharma has set out, we are absolutely world-leading
in tackling our carbon dioxide emissions, and part of the work
with our landmark Environment Bill will be in getting to grips
with this and leading again worldwide, so that others can follow
on air quality.
Paris Agreement Long-term Strategy
(North East
Hertfordshire) (Con)
If the Government will (a) submit their Paris agreement long-term
strategy in preparation for COP26 and (b) meet the UK nationally
determined contribution by 2030.
The Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth ()
Ahead of COP26, the Government will publish a comprehensive net
zero strategy, which will form the basis of our next long-term
strategy. The UK’s NDC commits to an least 68% reduction in
emissions by 2030 compared with 1990 levels, consistent with our
legally binding commitment to net zero by 2050.
[V]
Nature can be a great ally in tackling climate change; as we
restore salt marshes, peat bogs and other natural habitats, we
can really make progress. However, at the moment only 3% of
global climate finance is invested in nature-based solutions. So
will the Minister try to establish, through COP26, a reliable
market in carbon credits that have been generated by nature-based
activity in restoring habitats?
We are promoting the restoration and protection of natural
ecosystems through several different elements of COP26.
Facilitating agreement on article 6, which relates to carbon
markets, at COP26 is one of our top negotiating priorities. It
can provide a framework for finance to be invested in climate
action, including nature-based solutions, through international
carbon markets and co-operation. We are indeed world-leading, in
the fact that the Prime Minister has set £3 billion to be
allocated to nature-based solutions from the UK’s spending.
Climate Change: Raising International Ambition
(Tiverton and Honiton) (Con)
What progress the Government have made on raising international
ambition to tackle climate change as part of preparations for
COP26.
The President of COP26 ()
We have made progress over the past year, with net zero
commitments from countries collectively accounting for 70% of
global GDP and 75 world leaders announcing climate commitments at
the climate ambition summit that the UK hosted last December with
the UN and France. However, as I said at the time, we still have
some way to go and 2021 will need to be a critical year for
climate action.
[V]
I congratulate the President of COP26 on his new role and wish
him well.
Stopping deforestation in the tropics is crucial to reducing
global carbon emissions, and to protecting biodiversity and the
lands of local indigenous communities. However, UK firms,
including several high street banks, have been found to be
investing heavily in businesses directly causing deforestation.
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the Government should seek
to expose and prevent these funding streams, and encourage our
COP26 partners to follow suit?
My hon. Friend knows a great deal about these matters, and he
makes a vital point about the incredibly valuable role of
tropical forests. He will be aware that the UK is championing a
new global taskforce on nature-related financial disclosures to
tackle nature-related risks in investments.
(Bristol North West) (Lab) [V]
With many developing nations further behind in the roll-out of
their covid vaccinations, what steps is the COP President taking
to ensure that every nation on earth is able to fully participate
at COP26 in November?
The hon. Gentleman raises an incredibly important point. We want
this to be the most inclusive COP ever and, of course, we are
planning for it to be an in-person COP, while taking into account
contingencies. The point about vaccines is important, because
access to vaccines is not consistent globally. We will work very
hard to ensure that we have a safe and inclusive COP for all.
I should point out that, more generally, the UK is supporting the
COVAX facility and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness
Innovations, and the Prime Minister has recently made it clear
that we will send the majority of any future surplus of vaccine
doses that the UK has to the COVAX scheme to support developing
countries.
Consultation with Civil Society and Youth Groups
(High Peak) (Con)
What steps he is taking to consult with (a) civil society and (b)
youth groups in preparation for COP26.
The President of COP26 ()
This is the first COP ever for which we have set up an
international civil society and youth advisory council—indeed,
the next meeting of the group is later today. It is co-chaired by
two young climate activists, one from the global north and one
from the global south. I have committed to meet civil society
groups and youth groups in every country that I visit, because I
really want their voices to be front and centre and at the heart
of COP26.
[V]
I welcome the appointment of my right hon. Friend to his role,
which underlines how seriously the Government are taking their
efforts to find international agreement on tackling climate
change. The scale of the challenge ahead requires us to be
innovative and to think outside the box. I pay tribute to the
work done by local groups such as Hope Valley Climate Action,
Transition Buxton, Sustainable Hayfield, Acclimatise Whaley and
Transition New Mills. Is the President prepared to meet me and
those groups to hear their ideas on how we can work together to
tackle climate change?
My hon. Friend raises an important point, because local groups
are vital to the delivery of many initiatives, not just in the UK
but around the world. I pay tribute to him for his work in
promoting climate action in his constituency and more widely. I
will of course ensure that either I or members from the COP unit
for civil society and the youth team will meet the organisations
in his constituency to which he referred, particularly to hear
their views.
Tackling Climate Change: Covid-19
(Truro and
Falmouth) (Con)
What steps he has taken to maintain tackling climate change as a
Government priority during the covid-19 pandemic.
The President of COP26 ()
Domestically, the Government have set out their 10-point plan,
their energy White Paper and an ambitious nationally determined
contribution. Over the past year, the Prime Minister and I, and
other Ministers and officials, have regularly engaged with
counterparts around the world to raise climate action ambition.
[V]
I welcome the President of COP26 to his new position and wish him
every success. This year, 2021, is a key year in our battle
against climate change, as we host COP26 and the G7 in Cornwall.
Climate change is such an important issue for constituents in
Truro and Falmouth, so will my right hon. Friend assure me that
all areas of the UK, including Cornwall, will benefit from the
developments that come from these two significant events, as we
recover from the covid shock in a green and sustainable way?
Absolutely. It is of course very good news that the G7 is to be
held in Cornwall, which is, as we know, a powerhouse for green
innovation. It is home to pioneering offshore renewables
technology, as well as the first geothermal plant in the UK, and
I am sure it will play an important role as we seek to build back
better and greener throughout the whole of our country.
Topical Questions
(Dwyfor Meirionnydd) (PC)
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
The President of COP26 ()
Climate change is the biggest challenge faced by humanity. The
world is, on average, already 1.2° C warmer than pre-industrial
levels, and if we are to deliver on limiting temperature rises to
below 2°—indeed, closer to 1.5°—we must collectively act with the
utmost urgency. Countries must commit to ambitious near-term
emissions reductions and set net zero targets, and donor
countries must fulfil their commitments to the most
climate-vulnerable nations.
Next month, the UK will host a climate and development
international ministerial meeting to make progress on key climate
finance-related issues. We want to ensure that the green thread
of climate action runs through every international event on the
road to COP26.
[V]
I, too, welcome the right hon. Gentleman to his position as
President of COP26.
With Wales possessing the oldest housing stock in the UK, what
lessons has the right hon. Gentleman learned from Welsh
retrofitting schemes about the challenge of reducing residential
emissions globally ahead of COP26?
Retrofitting will play an important role. The right hon. Lady
will know that, as part of the 10-point plan, we have also set
out plans for greening our buildings and making them more energy
efficient. She has raised a very specific point, and I will
ensure that the Secretaries of State for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy and for Housing, Communities and Local
Government are made aware of it.
(Norwich South) (Lab) [V]
The UK’s credibility as COP president rests on demonstratable
climate action at home, yet much like the Government’s failed
pandemic response, which has left 130,000 people dead, the
Government are acting too slowly, prioritising profit over public
wellbeing. The Government’s boasts of our road building, and
their plans of cutting £1 billion from the public rail
infrastructure budget and allowing the Cumbria coalmine to go
ahead are simply not compatible with achieving net zero. Will the
Minister therefore admit that the Government’s stated ideological
beliefs are incompatible with even their own meagre climate
goals?
I had always thought that climate action was an area that we
could collectively coalesce around without the need for political
name calling and fighting, but, unfortunately, that does not seem
to be possible for the hon. Gentleman. I just point him to the
record of this Government and say that, over the past 30 years
across a range of Governments, the UK has managed to grow our
economy by 75% and yet cut emissions by 43%. Green growth is
possible, and that is what we are pursuing.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow President, .
(Doncaster North) (Lab)
I have never been called that before.
I warmly welcome the President of COP26 to his full-time role. It
is in all our interests that he should succeed, and we want to do
everything that we can to help. The central judgment of COP26’s
success is whether it keeps alive the Paris target of limiting
global warming to 1.5°. To make that happen, the UN says that we
need to more than halve global greenhouse gas emissions from 52
gigatonnes today to 25 gigatonnes by 2030. Will he assure us that
he recognises the scale of this challenge and the need for
maximum ambition, and tell the House how close to that target he
thinks we can get at COP26?
The shadow President raises a vitally important point. We did
make progress towards the end of last year—70% of global GDP is
now covered by the net zero target—but he is absolutely right
when he alludes to the fact that what we need is near-term
targets to 2030 to cut emissions. We are working very hard on
that, and I am very happy to hear his thoughts on how we may be
able to go faster.
A crucial issue for the success of the COP is international
finance for developing countries, as the right hon. Gentleman
knows, and they are facing poverty, the pandemic and climate
change. Yet the Government have shamefully chosen this moment to
cut £25 billion to £30 billion from overseas aid over the course
of this Parliament. They say that they are protecting climate
aid, but they have not set out what that means year on year, so
will he guarantee today that, in the coming financial year when
the COP takes place, there will be no cut to the level of the
UK’s climate finance budget or to the climate programmes that we
fund?
What I would say to the right hon. Gentleman is that, like him, I
am very proud of the work that successive Governments have done
in supporting the most vulnerable around the world. At 0.5% of
gross national income, the UK will still remain a leading
international aid donor. On the issue of international climate
finance, he will know that, over a five-year period, our
commitment is £11.6 billion, which is indeed a doubling of the
last figure.
(South West
Wiltshire) (Con)
Will there be an opportunity in Glasgow to debate so-called
energy from waste? In this COP presidency year, surely we should
be doing nothing to encourage old-style great incinerators that
pump effluent into the great landfill in the sky in places such
as Westbury in my constituency. Surely to goodness the waste
hierarchy demands better than that.
The Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth ()
I note and support my right hon. Friend’s concern and I will pass
it on—particularly in terms of the UK leadership—to the
Environment Minister. The work that we have done already in
setting resources and waste strategy is leading the way and we as
a country are looking to implement all avoidable waste by 2050.
With so much of COP, it is about our leadership and proving that
we are walking the walk by making these policy changes here at
home. I will make sure that the Minister continues to work on
that with him.
(Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle) (Lab) [V]
Zero Carbon Humber is a partnership that aims to build the
world’s first net zero carbon industrial cluster while creating
high-quality green jobs. My question simply is: will the COP
President look kindly on its submission of interest to be part of
COP26?
Of course, I am very positive about all these initiatives around
the country, but the hon. Lady refers to a matter that I think
sits under the Business Secretary. I am sure that when
submissions come in they will be looked at very carefully.
