Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Climate Change: International Co-operation

Tuesday 24 November 2020 · 4 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 3 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Simon Fell asked about the Government's focus on renewable energy and the need for global cooperation on climate change, to which the Minister responded that the UK is leading efforts and pressing for greater action at the climate ambition summit.
  • The Minister acknowledged that climate change will be a critical factor in the foreign policy of all countries, affecting food production and resource scarcity, and potentially leading to conflicts.
  • Alyn Smith questioned the Government on its progress in international cooperation to tackle climate change, noting that the UK should maintain development at the heart of climate mitigation efforts, to which the Minister responded by emphasizing the UK's commitment to being one of the most generous aid donors in the world, focusing on the poorest populations and the implications of climate change.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Simon Fell
Climate
Context

The question arises from the Government's focus on renewable energy in Barrow and Furness, highlighting the need for a global approach to address climate issues.

Question

My constituents in Barrow and Furness have welcomed the Government's focus on renewable energy, but it is clear that a global approach is required to deal with this crisis. Can my right hon. Friend reassure the House that the Department is working flat out on COP26 and the climate ambition summit to make it a success?

Answer from James Cleverly (Minister of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

My hon. Friend is absolutely right that the answer to this lies in global co-operation. The United Kingdom is leading from the front, and we are pressing foreign Governments for greater action and higher commitments at the climate ambition summit on 12 December. Our posts across the globe have engaged with host Governments, businesses and civil society on climate change issues ahead of COP26, and we will continue to do so in the run-up to the climate ambition summit this December.

Answered
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Q2 Simon Fell
Climate Foreign Affairs
Context

The Scottish National Party submitted suggestions to the integrated review of foreign and defence policy, emphasizing the importance of addressing climate change as a global crisis.

Question

Climate change is going to drive the future crisis that humanity is facing. Parts of the world will get wetter and parts drier, with all the world more climatically unstable, population growth and resource scarcity. Climate change is going to be at the heart of every crisis that we are going to face. The UK is undertaking the integrated review of foreign and defence policy right now. I would be grateful for an assurance from the Minister that climate change will be high on the agenda of that review, and that he will take good note of the Scottish National party's suggestions.

Answer from James Cleverly (Minister of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The hon. Member is right to highlight the fact that climate change is going to be an important factor in the foreign policy of all countries around the world. We recognise that in terms of pressure on food production and resources, the potential implications and the conflicts that may come about because of that. That is why climate change and our response to it, development and diplomacy will all go hand in hand through the integrated review.

Answered
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Q3 Alyn Smith
Climate Foreign Affairs
Context

The SNP submission to the integrated review included suggestions such as maintaining development at the heart of climate mitigation and properly funding it. The Government previously stood on a manifesto commitment to maintain 0.7% of GNI for official development assistance.

Question

I am grateful to the Minister for that reassurance. I suggest that he has a read of the SNP submission to the integrated review. There are some very good ideas in there, not least to maintain development at the heart of climate mitigation and to fund it properly. If I were a Minister in a Government who stood on a manifesto in December to maintain 0.7%, I would be considering my position were that to be walked back upon. Is he considering his?

Answer from James Cleverly (Minister of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I am very proud of the fact that the United Kingdom is and will remain one of the most generous aid donors in the world. We have focused relentlessly on ensuring that the work of the United Kingdom Government across all Departments focuses on addressing the poorest in the world, as well as the implications of climate change.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The questioner's direct inquiry about reconsidering his position on the 0.7% commitment was not directly answered.

How: Focusing On Current Commitments Without Addressing Potential Changes

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Q4 Alyn Smith
Climate Foreign Affairs
Context

The UK is set to host COP26 and the Prime Minister has appointed Anne-Marie Trevelyan as the international champion on adaptation and resilience for COP26.

Question

What recent progress the Government have made through international co-operation on tackling climate change.

Answer from James Cleverly (Minister of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As the host of COP26 and the president of the G7 next year, securing greater global ambition on climate change is a diplomatic priority for this Government. Ministerial colleagues in the FCDO and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary regularly raise this subject, and he has done so, including with Japan and South Korea earlier this year. This strategy is working. China has pledged to become a carbon-neutral country by 2060 and Japan and South Korea have committed to become net zero by 2050. On 7 November, the Prime Minister appointed my right hon. Friend the Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Anne-Marie Trevelyan) as the international champion on adaptation and resilience for COP26.

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