In a letter published today, the cross-party Environmental Audit
Committee has urged the Government to go further on its
deforestation commitments ahead of the COP30 climate summit in
Belém, Brazil later this month.
Today the Chair of the Committee has written to , Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net
Zero, urging the Government to contribute to the Tropical Forests
Forever Facility (TFFF), a new anti-deforestation financial
mechanism led by Brazil, at COP30.
The TFFF aims to combine $25 billion in contributions from
countries and philanthropic donors with $100 billion from private
investors. Witnesses to the Committee stressed the importance of
the UK making a financial commitment to the TFFF.
The Committee also repeats its call for the Government to bring
forward new rules that would prohibit UK businesses from trading
or using commodities linked to deforestation. Witnesses said it
was important to bring forward this legislation as soon as
possible, particularly in light of the EU Deforestation
Regulation which is due to come into force at the end of this
year.
Additionally, the UK's current international climate finance
commitment is due to end next year. The Committee calls for the
Government to set out a new and ambitious multi-year
International Climate Finance commitment at the Autumn Budget in
a few weeks' time. It should signal its intention to do this at
COP30, to encourage other countries to take similar action.
The letter is available on the Committee's
website.
ENDS
Further information
The Committee recently heard evidence on the UK's ambitions for
COP30 in a session on 22 October. The transcript of the session
is available here.
The Committee recently received a letter from Nature Minister
on the UK's contribution to
tackling deforestation. This is available here.
