Recommendation 5

HM Government Acknowledged

5.1 The FCDO is working to deliver on the Government’s commitment to make tackling climate change and biodiversity loss the UK’s number one international priority in 2021 and beyond, as set out in the Integrated Review. 5.2 With our world-leading legally binding commitment to achieve ‘net zero’ domestically by 2050 and our Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution to catalyse a green, 6 First Special Report of Session 2021–22 inclusive and resilient recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK is uniquely placed to demonstrate in practice how tackling climate change and delivering economic growth can—and must—go hand in hand. 5.3 As Presidents of both COP26 and the G7 this year, we are working to deliver progress on these challenges on a global scale. At the G7 Summit in Cornwall, Leaders agreed to develop a new partnership to build back better for the world, through a step change in our approach to investment for infrastructure, including through an initiative for clean and green growth. They agreed to develop a new strategic partnership with developing countries designed to provide a scaled, attractive additional infrastructure financing offer to support clean and green growth. Leaders committed to protect the planet by supporting a green revolution that creates jobs, cuts emissions and seeks to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees. Leaders committed to the global mission to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. They agreed to build on the G7 Metz Charter on Biodiversity and the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature, championing their delivery, to help set the necessary trajectory for nature to 2030. 5.4 Together with partners across Government, the FCDO is pursuing action across our Presidencies, as well as working closely with our Italian partners to engage the G20. We are championing this agenda in other multilateral fora, too, notably at the UN where the UK hosted the first ever UN Security Council discussion on climate security in February, as well as with the International Financial Institutions. 5.5 We are committed to ensuring the UK’s official development assistance (ODA) delivers for people and the planet. The livelihoods of 70% of people worldwide living in poverty depend directly on the environment, its biodiversity and natural resources. The effects of climate change are already impacting on the world’s poorest and, without urgent action, climate impacts could push up to 129 million people into poverty by 2030. The achievement of the Global Goals for Sustainable Development will only be possible through properly integrating climate and environment considerations into development. We will set out what this means for the UK’s international development offer in our forthcoming international development strategy. 5.6 That is why we are committed to doubling the UK’s international climate finance (ICF), to £11.6 billion by 2025/26, to aligning all UK ODA with the Paris agreement, and to doing more to protect and restore nature. The FCDO, as the majority spender of the UK’s ODA and, within that, of the UK’s ICF, has a major role to play in achieving these aims. The FCDO has reflected the prioritisation of climate change and the environment in our internal prioritisation of resources: In April, the Foreign Secretary confirmed, the FCDO will deliver more than £941m of activities this year, across all themes that count towards the UK’s flagship £11.6bn International Climate Finance target. And we will be prioritising climate and biodiversity in our planning for the forthcoming multiyear Spending Review. 5.7 We recognise the importance of embedding climate and environment objectives into UK trade and we have done so in our strategic approach to continuing negotiations for new trade agreements with the US, Australia and New Zealand for example. In the UK’s public documents outlining our approach to Free Trade Agreements with these partners, published prior to negotiations, we have undertaken to secure provisions that support and help further the Government’s ambition on climate change and achieving Net Zero First Special Report of Session 2021–22 7 carbon emissions by 2050, including promoting clean growth, trade in low carbon goods and services, supporting research and development collaboration, maintaining both parties’ right to regulate in pursuit of decarbonisation and reaffirming commitment to international standards on the environment. 5.8 As stated in the Integrated Review, the UK will seek to promote green trade as part of the solution to climate change and biodiversity loss. Our mission in Geneva actively contributes to discussions at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on trade, climate and environment issues, such as on environmental goods and services which we are also promoting through the UK G7’s Presidency. Our core principles of free and fair trade include promoting and protecting our environmental standards in our trade deals.