The Prime Minister updated Cabinet on the upcoming COP29 Summit
in Baku next week. He said the summit would provide the UK with
another opportunity to deliver our domestic Growth and Clean
Energy Missions, while restoring international climate leadership
– to tackle shared global challenges that rebound on people at
home.
The Energy Secretary outlined that the UK's clean energy mission
supports energy security, lower bills, growth and jobs. He said
that since the election the government has consented over 2GW of
solar power, removed the ban on onshore wind, held a
record-breaking renewables auction, established Great British
Energy, and invested in CCUS, hydrogen and nuclear projects that
will boost growth. He went on to say that our domestic ambition
and international leadership, including at COP, go hand in hand
with the 2008 Climate Change Act - the first of its kind which
resulted in many countries following suit. Climate change is a
threat to national security and growth, given climate change
could force more than 200 million people globally to migrate, the
global economy could be 19% smaller in 2049 than it would be
otherwise, and it could put an additional 600,000 people in the
UK at risk of flooding.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster then provided an update
on cross-government work as part of responsible preparations for
winter, thanking Cabinet colleagues for their engagement and work
on this whole government approach. He added that recent events in
Spain were a reminder of the impact that for example extreme
weather can have on local communities.
The Health and Social Care Secretary outlined the steps the
department was taking to prepare for winter pressures on the NHS,
but that the Government had acted swiftly in the first days of
the Government to end the biggest threat to NHS winter resilience
– industrial action. He added that there are now more GP
appointments available than this time last year, and vaccination
rates are up after a focus on flu, RSV, and Covid.
Finally, the Health and Social Care Secretary provided an update
on mpox, pointing to UKHSA's statement that two further cases of
Clade Ib mpox have been confirmed, both household contacts of the
first case, and that the overall risk to the UK public remains
low.
