Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Climate Change: International Co-operation

Tuesday 8 September 2020 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The UK is leading on climate change by legislating for net zero emissions by 2050.
  • The UK has helped 33 million people gain improved access to clean energy and 66 million cope with climate change effects.
  • The UK Government works to tackle deforestation caused by trade in unsustainable agricultural commodities, such as timber.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jerome Mayhew Con Broadland and Fakenham
Climate
Context

No specific background provided, but the question is about progress made through international cooperation on tackling climate change.

Question

What progress has the Government made through international co-operation on tackling climate change?

Answer from James Duddridge

The UK is leading by example on climate change. We are the first major economy to legislate on net zero by 2050. Globally, we have provided 33 million people with improved access to clean energy and helped 66 million people cope with the effects of climate change. As co-host of the conference of the parties and president of the G7 next year, we will bring together accelerated action on the climate change crisis.

Answered
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Q2 Luke Evans Con Hinckley and Bosworth
Climate Environment
Context

The UK is proposing a ban for large businesses from using products that have been grown on illegally deforested places such as in the Amazon. The questioner seeks assurance of workability and success.

Question

With the UK being president of the climate change conference, COP26, I am really pleased to see the Government bring forward proposals that would prohibit large businesses from using products that have been grown on illegally deforested places such as in the Amazon, but what steps is the Minister's Department taking to ensure that this is a workable and successful policy?

Answer from James Duddridge

As a Government, we have worked for many years to tackle deforestation, and specifically deforestation caused by trade in unsustainable agricultural commodities, including timber. For example, in Indonesia, we have worked to improve regulations, improve independent monitoring and improve law enforcement. I am pleased to say to the House today that 100% of timber exports from Indonesia are sourced independently from audited factories and forests.

Answered
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Q3 Andrew Jones Con
Climate Foreign Affairs
Context

The UK will host the UN climate change conference and assume the presidency of the G7 next year.

Question

Next year, the UK will both host the UN climate change conference and assume the presidency of the G7, so does my hon. Friend agree that, at this crucial time for our foreign policy, now is the perfect opportunity to bring together security, foreign and development work and leverage that behind tackling climate change?

Answer from James Duddridge

I do agree with the thrust of the question. The world is looking for the UK to show global leadership in one of the greatest challenges of our time. The creation of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office brings together our diplomatic and development experiences, which means that we can do more to tackle climate change. The Department and I are working very closely with ministerial colleagues to support this agenda. In particular, we are working with Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park, who is known well to Members in this Chamber.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask was for agreement on bringing together security, foreign and development work to tackle climate change, but the response focuses more on the creation of FCDO and its impact without explicitly agreeing or disagreeing with the proposition.

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Q4 Jerome Mayhew Con Broadland and Fakenham
Economy Climate
Context

The question is about achieving carbon net zero by 2050, which may require effective carbon taxation.

Question

If we are to achieve our goal of carbon net zero by 2050, some form of effective carbon taxation that takes account of the challenges of international trade will be necessary. Given that, what negotiations has the Department had with our European partners on the establishment of an effective system of carbon border adjustment payments?

Answer from James Duddridge

I have discussed this incredibly important and technical matter with Treasury officials. I can reassure the House that we remain a global leader on decarbonisation and recognise that, as we cut domestic emissions, it is important to ensure that that does not lead to emissions elsewhere. An active debate is under way on which interventions are going to work, and the Government are monitoring and actively engaging with those discussions.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask was for information on negotiations with European partners, but the response provides general context without concrete details of negotiations.

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Q5 Preet Kaur Gill Labour (Co-op) Birmingham Edgbaston
Economy Climate Parliamentary Procedure
Context

The UK government cut the aid budget by £2.9 billion, around 20% of the total.

Question

To avoid scrutiny, the Secretary of State snuck out cuts of £2.9 billion from the aid budget on the day Parliament rose for the summer recess. That is around 20% of the aid budget, despite the fact that projections of an economic downturn suggested a required fall of something closer to 9%. Can the Secretary of State tell us where those cuts will come from, and how the Government will ensure that they tackle poverty and the climate crisis and deliver value for money for the British people? Will he today commit to ending the use of UK aid and investment to fund fossil fuel projects in the global south?

Answer from James Duddridge

The Government take our responsibilities very seriously. I remind the hon. Lady that we have delivered on 0.7%, but that does mean that the budget goes down as GDP goes down. In our prioritisation process, we have looked at a number of things to protect, including, in particular, the vulnerable, the bottom billion, climate, girls' education and using Britain as a force for good overall. The details of that will be presented to the House in due course.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask was for information on cuts to the aid budget and commitments to certain policies, but the response provides general context without concrete details or specifics about future actions.

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