COP28

Question

The Shadow Secretary asked four questions: 1) How can the UK persuade other countries to leave fossil fuels in the ground when it plans to extract all of its own? 2) Given that the Climate Change Committee says we are way off track for our 2030 targets, how does the Minister expect to persuade others to have policies meeting their targets? 3) With concerns about the UK's climate finance promises, how can he ensure other Governments will keep theirs? 4) How does describing net zero as a burden help persuade others of its benefits?

Question

Miliband questions the Minister about the UK's commitment to transitioning away from fossil fuels, pointing out that despite COP28 agreements, the UK is opening a new coalmine and seeking to drill every last drop of oil in the North Sea. He also challenges the minister on missed targets for 2030 and whether the Government would meet their £11.6 billion climate finance promise.

Question

Sharma asks the Minister to review the plan for issuing annual oil and gas licences, questioning whether they are consistent with international commitments. He also requests a review of the tax regime that gives significant subsidies to new oil and gas projects.

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Highlights the success of the loss and damage fund but also notes that it falls short of what is required. Asks how the UK will push for more funding and contributions now.

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Asks about how UK's plans to increase oil production in the North Sea align with the transition away from fossil fuels.

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Praises the Minister for his work on securing COP28 agreements, particularly highlighting the mangrove breakthrough moment.

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Asks about changes expected in UK domestic policy as a result of COP28 agreements on food system transformation.

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Highlights the need to close the gap between science and promises made, stressing the importance of local, national, and international efforts.

Question

Compliments the Minister's statement but expresses concern over the tone in some responses, stressing the need for cross-party consensus.

Question

The commitment that 24 countries have made to triple nuclear energy capability by 2050 shows the world has woken up to the most powerful, least land-taking, reliably proven net-zero energy provision. Without the world-class skills and blue-collar workers working on UK sites, we would not be in a position to back atomic energy.

Question

What proposals does the Minister have for workers dependent on oil and gas jobs now, who could power our clean energy future? Offshore Energies UK estimates that if we get the transition right, the workforce could swell by 50%. Where is his plan?

Question

Would it be wise to start introducing annual targets—a yearly roadmap—so that we can see incrementally how we will meet long-term objectives?

Question

What does the Government believe the implications are for the UK to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems? Will it mean accelerating action to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels this decade?

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May I congratulate the UK Government on signing the statement on civil nuclear fuel co-operation with the US, Canada, France, and Japan? The $4.2 billion of external investment will go a long way to securing our energy side.

Question

How can he go to developing countries saying that they must seize these opportunities provided by net zero, given his Prime Minister’s message at home?

Question

May I start by thanking the Minister? Politics aside, there is much we can all agree on in the deal at COP. However, it is about not just what we do, but what we say and how we say it. Does the Minister not get that these messages are heard across the globe? Will he go back to No. 10 and ask the Prime Minister to be just a bit more careful in his language and how he says things so that we can get net zero over the line?

Question

The Minister said that we have to ensure we are not inflexible. The reality is that a number of the policies and issues we are discussing will have an impact on the next generation and the one after that. Whenever I go into schools in my constituency, the young people raise climate change with me. Does the Minister agree with UNICEF on the need to build towards a climate change action plan for children and young people by calling for an expert dialogue on children and climate change to be held mid-year at the session of the subsidiary bodies in 2024?

Question

I dare say that it might seem slightly implausible to people here in the Chamber when I say that I worked in oil fabrication, but I did, and the yard where I worked built some of the mightiest structures in the North sea today. What the Minister says about transitioning and redeploying skills is music to my ears and those of my electorate. However, there is a problem, which is that since the auction, some costs have risen by almost 40%. Does the Minister recognise that, and does he have any thoughts as to how it might be addressed?

Question

I thank the Minister very much for the positives in his statement and the significant targets that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is setting to achieve our goals. Some of the figures he has referred to are encouraging. I wholeheartedly support help for poor countries, as he will be aware. Will he outline the parameters of the loss and hardship fund that has been mentioned as they pertain to ensuring that the fulfilment of human rights obligations is in the requirements for any award?