The Prime Minister is announcing today, Thursday 17
October, that he will chair a new Cabinet Committee on
Climate Change. This will drive further action across
government to protect our environment, reduce emissions and
improve air quality.
The first government committee of its kind, it will bring
together ministers responsible for domestic and
international climate change policy and provide a forum to
hold departments to account for their actions to combat
climate change.
This will ensure that the action we take here in the UK to
deliver on our net zero commitment and our wider
international effort to tackle climate change properly
support and reinforce each other.
Getting to net zero emissions by 2050 will require profound
change across government, and across society, and the
Committee will play an essential role in co-ordinating this
strategy.
The Committee will also oversee the UK’s preparations to
host the UN’s major climate summit COP26, in November 2020.
The Committee will include representation from the
departments responsible for taking this agenda forward
including the Foreign Secretary, the Chancellor, the
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Business
Secretary, the Environment Secretary, the Transport
Secretary, the International Development Secretary and the
Housing Secretary.
The Prime Minister said:
I want us to become the cleanest, greenest society on
earth, and inspire countries around the world to follow
our lead so that our children can breathe clean air and
benefit from the wonderful flora and fauna of this earth.
We know that people across the UK are passionate about
protecting our planet, and we need to continue building
on the excellent progress this government has made in
tackling climate change and improving our environment.
That’s why I’m announcing today that I will personally
chair a new cross-government Committee on Climate Change,
bringing together my ministers to galvanise action to
tackle the great environmental challenges we face.
