In his party conference speech on Tuesday, Labour’s Shadow
Foreign Secretary, MP, will announce a new ‘Green
dimension’ to Labour’s foreign policy, echoing Robin Cook’s call
for an ‘ethical dimension’ in foreign policy 25 years ago.
It comes after has faced strong criticism for comments in relation to
climate action during the Conservative leadership contest and the
latest Climate Change Committee (CCC) said "tangible progress is
lagging the policy ambition" to meet Net Zero. The Government has
also cut back on its international climate commitments due to its
manifesto-breaking cut to development spending, while urging
other countries around the world to increase their own, leading
to charges of hypocrisy.
Alongside Labour’s comprehensive domestic plans to tackle the
climate crisis and generate clean, secure home-grown energy, in
government Labour will commit to:
- Working with international partners at the ICC to agree a new
international law of ecocide, creating international criminal
responsibility for large-scale, wanton, and unlawful destruction
of the environment.
- Putting the environment at the top of the international
agenda by pushing for climate action to become a fourth pillar of
the UN.
- Recommit to 0.7% development spending, to support developing
countries addressing climate change and meet the UK’s commitments
to international climate finance following government cuts.
- Making the climate crisis a standing item on the agenda of
the National Security Council, reflecting the gravity and urgency
of the challenge.
- Never again allowing the UK’s energy security to be tied to
the whims of fossil fuel autocrats.
In his speech on Tuesday 27 September, MP, Labour’s Shadow Foreign
Secretary, is expected to say:
"The climate crisis is the biggest challenge the world faces. It
is not a distant threat. It is here today, devastating the lives
of millions of people. From the horrific wildfires in Australia
and California to the suffocating sandstorms of Baghdad and the
horrendous floods in Pakistan.
"While tries to row back on our Net Zero commitments, Labour’s
foreign policy will be Green. Just as Robin Cook was right to
introduce an ‘ethical dimension’ to our foreign policy in the
1990s, it is right that the next Labour government introduces a
‘Green dimension’.
"Alongside Labour’s plan to deliver Britain’s energy security by
investing in home-grown, clean, and green energy, we will make
the climate emergency a standing item on the agenda of the
National Security Council. We will push for climate action to
become a fourth pillar of the work of the UN. And we will seek to
work with allies and partners to create a new international law
of ecocide that will criminalize the wilful and widespread
destruction of the environment."
Ends
Notes to editors:
- The three founding pillars of the UN are peace and security,
human rights and development. It is increasingly clear that the
climate crisis, which Secretary-General António Guterres has
referred to as the top priority for the 21st Century, is one of
the greatest barriers to the achievement of the goals. The UK at
the UN should therefore promote climate action as if it is a
fourth pillar of the institution.
- The National Security Council (NSC) is the main forum for
collective discussion of the Government’s objectives for national
security and about how best to deliver them.
- International legal experts, chaired by Philippe Sands QC,
have drawn up a historic definition of ecocide, intended to be
adopted by the international criminal court to prosecute the most
egregious offences against the environment. The draft law,
unveiled last year, defines ecocide as “unlawful or wanton acts
committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood
of severe and widespread or long-term damage to the environment
being caused by those acts”.
