Select committee: Foreign Affairs Committee
Conclusion 1
Seventh Report: A climate for ambition: Diplomatic preparations for COP26
Published 19 Apr 2021
Paragraph 9
Addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Foreign Affairs Committee Environmental diplomacy All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
COP26 will be a key moment for global climate action. We have been encouraged by the number of countries that have expressed the importance of the climate agenda in international fora; COP26 must now translate these words into actions. The UK Presidency will need to mobilise public engagement so that as countries come forward with ambitious climate targets, those promises are backed by people around the world. COP26 will not be considered a success unless the UK Presidency sets the world on a path to net zero, secures an ambitious green finance package, and helps to build resilience to the impacts of climate change.
From: Foreign Affairs Committee, Seventh Report: A climate for ambition: Diplomatic preparations for COP26 (HC 202), paragraph 9, 19 April 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 25 June 2021 (deadline 19 June 2021).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government's response sets out its work towards COP26 and makes a number of specific commitments, while stating that carbon pricing "is not a mandated discussion for COP26, and so will not be an outcome".
- On integrating climate into wider foreign policy, the government says "We agree about the need to take a holistic approach" and cites a Fossil Fuels Policy from 31 March 2021 and a new rule on aligning ODA with the Paris Agreement.
- On future presidencies and the African COP27 Presidency, it will "continue to use the UK's diplomatic convening power after COP26", but "Specific decisions on resourcing and structures beyond this year will be taken as part of the next Spending Review".
- On the international development strategy, it will "set out what this means for the UK's international development offer in our forthcoming international development strategy", without giving a date.
- On Covid-19, its "intent remains to hold the main conference in person"; it will provide vaccines for delegates unable to access them, and will give further details on contingency planning to Parliament "in due course".