Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 17
17
Acknowledged
Integrate Antarctic scientific and environmental significance into international climate and nature negotiations.
Conclusion
These environmental changes are accelerating and have global consequences for climate stability and biodiversity. While the Antarctic Treaty System provides important protections, it cannot address climate change and biodiversity loss in isolation. Antarctica’s scientific and environmental significance must be better integrated into international climate and nature negotiations. The UK has a key role in ensuring that Antarctic issues, including the protection of its fragile biodiversity, are consistently represented in global forums such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity processes. (Conclusion, Paragraph 106)
Government Response Summary
The government accepts this conclusion, articulating its view on the necessary outcomes for UNFCCC COP30 regarding climate action. It also highlights existing commitments from Antarctic Treaty Parties to share climate change research and confirms the UK's ongoing commitment and past participation in global forums to communicate the threat and implications of climate change for Antarctica.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Government accepts this recommendation. 24. The UK’s view is that this year’s United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (UNFCCC COP30) must acknowledge remaining gaps to 1.5C and ideally pledge additional mitigation action to close this gap, whilst also highlighting the progress that has been made since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, and the economic opportunities of the green transition. COP30 must also accelerate the implementation of the Global Stocktake inside and outside of negotiations, including action on existing goals of tripling renewables and doubling energy efficiency. 25. Antarctic Treaty Parties are committed to the comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment and to sharing the findings of research on climate change. At their meeting in Paris in 2021, Treaty Parties agreed a Resolution which recommended that governments ensure delegations to that year’s UNFCCC Conference of the Parties were aware of the implications of climate change for Antarctica; considered the implications of climate change for Antarctica; and supported ongoing efforts to undertake research on climate change and to communicate the implications for Antarctica, both within the Antarctic Treaty system and internationally. The UK remains committed to communicating the threat of climate change to Antarctica both globally and within the Antarctic Treaty system. The UK has participated in, or supported activities at, recent COPs to highlight Antarctic climate change impacts and implications.