Source · Select Committees · Foreign Affairs Committee
Recommendation 4
4
Paragraph: 18
Environmental diplomacy can enhance the UK’s global leadership in line with the UK’s vision for...
Conclusion
Environmental diplomacy can enhance the UK’s global leadership in line with the UK’s vision for ‘Global Britain’ set out in the Integrated Review. Covid-19 has delayed international progress on climate action but has provided more time for the UK to prepare the ground for a successful COP26. Every foreign engagement the 20 A climate for ambition: Diplomatic preparations for COP26 UK undertakes in the lead up to COP26 can be an opportunity for environmental diplomacy. Environmental negotiations will need to take place within UN frameworks, in bilateral talks with countries, during trade negotiations, at the G7 and the G20, and in the UK’s engagement with NGO’s and the private sector. The UK will also need to ensure that climate objectives are effectively integrated into other foreign policy decisions, including decisions on international security, global health, and overseas aid.
Paragraph Reference:
18
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
4.1 As set out in the Integrated Review, tackling climate change and biodiversity loss is this Government’s number one international priority. COP26 is a critical step and the Foreign Secretary is working with the COP President-Designate to help deliver an ambitious set of outcomes. 4.2 Tackling climate change and biodiversity loss is a priority for our diplomatic network and FCDO Ministerial engagement. The Ministerial team is supported by the COP26 Unit and our Heads of Mission, who are in turn supported in their climate work by our overseas network of Climate, Energy and Environment Attachés, which numbers around 462 UK diplomatic staff and Country Based Staff (190 Full Time Equivalents). They are additionally supported by four senior COP26 Regional Ambassadors. The CEO of COP26, Peter Hill, UK COP26 Envoy, John Murton, and Lead Negotiator, Archie Young, are all seconded from the FCDO, so diplomatic expertise and engagement is at the heart of the team. 4.3 FCDO Ministers regularly raise climate issues in a range of fora—including bilateral engagements, negotiations, multilateral summits, and in engagements with NGOs and the private sector. For example, the Foreign Secretary has recently raised climate issues during bilateral engagements with the US, Canada, Australia, France, South Africa, and Japan; in engagements with the Confederation of British Industry and International Financial Institutions; and through co-hosting the Climate & Development Ministerial (C&DM), which was attended by Ministers from 35 climate vulnerable and donor countries. The UK is also using its G7 Presidency in 2021 to advance our climate agenda and harness the G7’s strength, providing crucial momentum in the run up to COP26. At the G7 Summit in Cornwall, leaders held a bespoke session on climate and nature, building on substantive Sherpa negotiations, which continue throughout the year. The UK is pursing climate and nature objectives across several G7 Ministerial Tracks (Foreign & Development, Finance, Climate and Environment and Trade), including the Foreign Secretary hosting the G7 Foreign & Development Ministers on 4–5 May, and with the Climate and Environment Ministerial on 20–21 May. The G20, hosted this year by our COP26 partners Italy, provides another forum for demonstrating climate leadership, including through the Foreign Affairs and Development Ministerial on 29 June and the Climate and Energy Ministerial on 23 July. 4.4 We are making progress. The 22 April US Leaders’ Summit saw new commitments from the US, Canada, Japan, South Korea and Brazil (all are G20 Members), with all First Special Report of Session 2021–22 5 G7 members having now committed to deep cuts to their emissions over the next decade, aligning with their net zero commitments. At May’s G7 Climate & Environment Ministerial, it was agreed to take concrete steps towards an absolute end to new direct government support for unabated international thermal coal power generation by the end of 2021. At the meeting of the G7 Foreign & Development Ministers, there was a commitment to make people safer from climate disasters through early warning, better preparedness and early action, and an agreement to scale up finance to help countries adapt to climate impacts. At the C&DM we saw consensus about the importance of practical action to help tackle climate impacts and the international community working together to improve access to climate finance. 4.5 The COP President Designate has briefed all UN Member States three times and had productive discussions with numerous Government Ministers and climate negotiators on visits to Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ethiopia, Egypt, France, Gabon, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Nigeria, Nepal, Spain, Qatar, UAE and Vietnam. He has raised climate with Indian Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi, Prime Minister Suga in Tokyo, US climate envoy John Kerry and several European Commissioners. 4.6 We agree about the need to take a holistic approach to integrating climate objectives into other foreign policy decisions and Official Development Assistance (ODA) spending. Our Climate and Environment Board, chaired at Director-General level with senior level engagement from across the FCDO, is a mechanism for ensuring policy coherence. The introduction of the UK’s Fossil Fuels Policy from 31 March 2021 will end support to the fossil fuels energy sector overseas, and a new rule in the FCDO’s Programme Operating Framework will ensure we deliver on our commitment to align our ODA spending with the 2015 Paris Agreement.