Recommendations & Conclusions
16 items
2
Recommendation
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Accepted in Part
We are concerned about the extent to which the priorities and knowledge of marginalised groups are factored into measures tackling climate change. Ensuring that the voices of the most marginalised, local communities are fully taken on board will improve the quality and sustainability of adaptation programmes. We urge the FCDO …
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We are concerned about the extent to which the priorities and knowledge of marginalised groups are factored into measures tackling climate change. Ensuring that the voices of the most marginalised, local communities are fully taken on board will improve the quality and sustainability of adaptation programmes. We urge the FCDO to apply the Principles for Locally-Led Adaptation in order to address the root causes of social vulnerability in its programmes and to reduce the scope for maladaptation and unintended consequences of Nature-based Solutions. By 31 January 2022, the FCDO should present us with their pathway of how they will apply and promote the Principles for Locally-Led Adaptation in support of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) during the COP26 Presidency.
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees, announcing £45 million in new support for The Community Resilience Partnership Program (CRPP) to fund projects empowering local communities and women's groups in locally-led adaptation. They also cite events at COP26 designed to amplify the voices of marginalised groups, but do …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
4
Recommendation
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Accepted in Part
Access to climate finance remains a significant challenge for LDCs, SIDS and grassroots organisations. For Global Britain to be a credible “force for good”, we urge the Government to use its COP presidency and position as a key donor to the multilateral climate funds to accomplish the following: • Firstly, …
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Access to climate finance remains a significant challenge for LDCs, SIDS and grassroots organisations. For Global Britain to be a credible “force for good”, we urge the Government to use its COP presidency and position as a key donor to the multilateral climate funds to accomplish the following: • Firstly, to champion the introduction of simplified criteria for the accreditation process of multilateral funds and for assessing applications from LDCs and SIDS in line with their limited capacities. • Secondly, to encourage other donors to make direct access a priority in their investments in LDCs and SIDS. • Thirdly, the Government should tell us in their response the date on which they are finally going to publish their International Climate Finance strategy. • Finally, to present us by 31 January 2022 with the measures that the Government is proposing to multilateral organisations to shorten the length of the approval process as announced by the Rt Hon Lord Goldsmith during our oral evidence session. The Government should set out how these measures address the full range of issues raised by LDCs and SIDS at the Climate and Development Ministerial in March 2021.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees, establishing the UK/Fiji co-chaired Taskforce on Access to Climate Finance with £100m commitment to transform access. While supporting streamlined accreditation, it reports that agreement on an enhanced Simplified Approvals Process at the GCF Board was not reached in 2021 and will be …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
5
Recommendation
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Accepted in Part
We believe that the current level of international climate finance is fundamentally over-reported, reducing the credibility of declarations and scope for achieving climate adaptation and resilience. We are calling for full transparency in the reporting of climate finance to enhance the ability of third parties to track funding from start …
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We believe that the current level of international climate finance is fundamentally over-reported, reducing the credibility of declarations and scope for achieving climate adaptation and resilience. We are calling for full transparency in the reporting of climate finance to enhance the ability of third parties to track funding from start to finish. To reach the UK-backed goal of channelling 70% of climate finance directly to local communities, we urge the FCDO to report in full transparency how much climate finance is reaching the local level through its main reporting channels—such as the UK’s Development Tracker and the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)—and to encourage other donors to do the same. Further, the UK Government should host regular meetings between fund-recipient institutions from LDCs and SIDS, bilateral and multilateral donors during its COP presidency to devise a functional definition of climate finance as well as a clearer definition of the term ‘new and additional’ for use by donors. The Government should provide a progress report by 31 March 2022 . (Paragraph 62) Reinforcing policy coherence across UK climate action
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees, emphasizing its commitment to robust climate finance reporting and transparency through existing mechanisms like the Development Tracker and UNFCCC reporting. It will encourage other donors to be transparent and notes the Enhanced Transparency Framework finalized at COP26, but does not commit …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
6
Recommendation
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Accepted in Part
We are concerned about the broad list of exemptions in the Government’s new fossil fuel policy as it raises questions about the UK’s credibility as a “force for good” and its commitment to net zero. We therefore urge the Government by 31 October 2022 to drastically scale up its investment …
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We are concerned about the broad list of exemptions in the Government’s new fossil fuel policy as it raises questions about the UK’s credibility as a “force for good” and its commitment to net zero. We therefore urge the Government by 31 October 2022 to drastically scale up its investment in renewable energy abroad and to end all exemptions for direct and indirect investment in fossil fuel projects abroad through CDC and other channels apart from support for clean cooking methods for people Global Britain in demand: UK climate action and international development around COP26 5 living in poverty. The Government should also instruct CDC to publish a full list of its existing investments in coal, oil and gas and how they intend to divest from fossil fuels by 31 October 2022.
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees, stating that BII already publishes investment details and its energy portfolio, and plans to repeat this. While BII does not intend to offload emissions, it will actively support companies to adapt and is developing a carbon budget to achieve net-zero by …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
7
Recommendation
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Accepted in Part
We understand the call of many contributors to create a separate funding stream for loss and damage from climate events, such as from sea-level rise, and acknowledge the challenges in accomplishing this at this time. Nonetheless, we urge the Government to ensure the operationalisation and adequate funding of the Santiago …
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We understand the call of many contributors to create a separate funding stream for loss and damage from climate events, such as from sea-level rise, and acknowledge the challenges in accomplishing this at this time. Nonetheless, we urge the Government to ensure the operationalisation and adequate funding of the Santiago Network for Loss and Damage by 31 January 2022 and thus keep the momentum on formulating policies and interventions to tackle loss and damage during its COP presidency. Further, the FCDO should work closely with LDCs and SIDS in developing practical measures to address loss and damage, especially where people are forced to migrate or change livelihoods to reduce risks to their livelihoods and lives.
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees, highlighting the prominence of Adaptation, Loss and Damage at COP26 and its commitment to take forward related measures through the Climate and Development Pathway. It details progress on workstreams like establishing the Taskforce on Access to Finance, but does not explicitly …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
18
Conclusion
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Accepted in Part
Vel Gnanendran, Head of the Climate and Environment Directorate (CED) at the FCDO, added that the Department followed a “do no harm” principle and that “every business case has to have a gender equality assessment, and social development advisers are involved in some of the social implications of all programmes”.38 …
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Vel Gnanendran, Head of the Climate and Environment Directorate (CED) at the FCDO, added that the Department followed a “do no harm” principle and that “every business case has to have a gender equality assessment, and social development advisers are involved in some of the social implications of all programmes”.38 Nature-based Solutions (NbS)
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees, recognising the importance of indigenous and local community leadership in climate solutions and committing £45 million to the Community Resilience Partnership Program and new support for Congo Basin forest protection involving indigenous peoples.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
19
Conclusion
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Accepted in Part
Nature-based Solutions are: actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits.39
Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees with the concept, outlining initiatives like the Glasgow Leaders Declaration and new funding for community-led adaptation and indigenous peoples' forest protection, which align with the principles of Nature-based Solutions.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
21
Conclusion
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Accepted in Part
The Institute of Development Studies stated that NbS are neither a “silver bullet” nor a substitute for phasing out fossil fuels and warned against the expansion of tree planting to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere instead of the protection of existing, intact ecosystems, of biodiversity, of land rights of …
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The Institute of Development Studies stated that NbS are neither a “silver bullet” nor a substitute for phasing out fossil fuels and warned against the expansion of tree planting to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere instead of the protection of existing, intact ecosystems, of biodiversity, of land rights of local populations and of access to natural resources.42 In its words: Technical fixes will not take us very far, and in most cases will perpetuate the systems of inequity and injustice in the form of displacement and resource grabs, something we are already witnessing with green energy solutions.43 UK’s response—Nature-based Solutions
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the fundamental importance of indigenous and local community leadership, knowledge, and rights in developing effective, rights- and nature-based climate solutions. It highlights the Glasgow Leaders Declaration and new funding for the Community Resilience Partnership Program to empower local communities, which implicitly addresses …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
25
Recommendation
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Accepted in Part
We are concerned about the extent to which the priorities and knowledge of marginalised groups are factored into measures tackling climate change. Ensuring that the voices of the most marginalised, local communities are fully taken on board will improve the quality and sustainability of adaptation programmes. We urge the FCDO …
Read more
We are concerned about the extent to which the priorities and knowledge of marginalised groups are factored into measures tackling climate change. Ensuring that the voices of the most marginalised, local communities are fully taken on board will improve the quality and sustainability of adaptation programmes. We urge the FCDO to apply the Principles for Locally-Led Adaptation in order to address the root causes of social vulnerability in its programmes and to reduce the scope for maladaptation and unintended consequences of Nature-based Solutions. By 31 January 2022, the FCDO should present us with their pathway of how they will apply and promote the Principles for Locally-Led Adaptation in support of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) during the COP26 Presidency. Challenges in capacity-building
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees, recognizing the importance of locally-led adaptation and detailing significant commitments like £300 million for the IPLC Forest Tenure Facility and £45 million for the Community Resilience Partnership Program to empower local communities. However, it does not explicitly commit to presenting a …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
51
Recommendation
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Accepted in Part
Access to climate finance remains a significant challenge for LDCs, SIDS and grassroots organisations. For Global Britain to be a credible “force for good”, we urge the Government to use its COP presidency and position as a key donor to the multilateral climate funds to accomplish the following: • Firstly, …
Read more
Access to climate finance remains a significant challenge for LDCs, SIDS and grassroots organisations. For Global Britain to be a credible “force for good”, we urge the Government to use its COP presidency and position as a key donor to the multilateral climate funds to accomplish the following: • Firstly, to champion the introduction of simplified criteria for the accreditation process of multilateral funds and for assessing applications from LDCs and SIDS in line with their limited capacities. • Secondly, to encourage other donors to make direct access a priority in their investments in LDCs and SIDS. • Thirdly, the Government should tell us in their response the date on which they are finally going to publish their International Climate Finance strategy. • Finally, to present us by 31 January 2022 with the measures that the Government is proposing to multilateral organisations to shorten the length of the approval process as announced by the Rt Hon Lord Goldsmith during our oral evidence session. The Government should set out how these measures address the full range of issues raised by LDCs and SIDS at the Climate and Development Ministerial in March 2021. 103 International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) (CDC0048) 104 International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) (CDC0048) 105 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (CDC0016) 106 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (CDC0016) 107 Q109 [Vel Gnanendran] 108 Q109 [Vel Gnanendran] 109 Q109 [Lord Goldsmith] Global Britain in demand: UK climate action and international development around COP26 21 Definition of terms & transparency
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees, outlining the creation of the UK/Fiji co-chaired Taskforce on Access to Climate Finance, committing £100m to support a new approach. They are also championing an enhanced Simplified Approvals Process at the Green Climate Fund Board to improve LDC and SIDS' access, but …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
52
Conclusion
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Accepted in Part
Despite its omnipresence in climate negotiations, there is no officially agreed definition of climate finance.110 In November 2020, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reported that the level of climate finance was US$78.9 billion in 2018.111 Yet, the OECD itself acknowledged that official reporting by higher income countries …
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Despite its omnipresence in climate negotiations, there is no officially agreed definition of climate finance.110 In November 2020, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reported that the level of climate finance was US$78.9 billion in 2018.111 Yet, the OECD itself acknowledged that official reporting by higher income countries contains “significant inconsistencies in terms of methodologies, categorisations and definitions adopted across countries”.112
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees, acknowledging the need for transparency and predictability in climate finance. They outline initiatives like the DAC declaration to improve statistical reporting and data compatibility by the end of 2022, and the UNFCCC's Enhanced Transparency Framework for reporting by December 2024, to …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
54
Conclusion
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Accepted in Part
We heard that another challenge was the different interpretation of the term ‘new and additional’. At COP15 in Copenhagen (2009), high-income countries agreed to provide new and additional funding “approaching US$30 billion” for 2010–2012 for climate adaptation and mitigation.116 Although reiterated at subsequent COPs in 2010 and 2015, it remains …
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We heard that another challenge was the different interpretation of the term ‘new and additional’. At COP15 in Copenhagen (2009), high-income countries agreed to provide new and additional funding “approaching US$30 billion” for 2010–2012 for climate adaptation and mitigation.116 Although reiterated at subsequent COPs in 2010 and 2015, it remains unclear what is meant by ‘new and additional’ and how it should be recorded in statistics on ODA.117
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agreed with the concern about clarity on 'new and additional' funding, outlining actions to improve overall transparency and predictability of climate finance. These include commitments from DAC members by end of 2022 to enhance tracking, statistical reporting, data compatibility, and CRS harmonisation, …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
55
Conclusion
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Accepted in Part
In its biennial progress report (December 2020), the Government stated that: Our funding will be new and in addition to our previous £5.8 billion ICF commitment.118 Many contributors criticised this statement for its interpretation of ‘new and additional’.119 The NGOs that wrote to us would prefer climate finance to be …
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In its biennial progress report (December 2020), the Government stated that: Our funding will be new and in addition to our previous £5.8 billion ICF commitment.118 Many contributors criticised this statement for its interpretation of ‘new and additional’.119 The NGOs that wrote to us would prefer climate finance to be in the form of new and additional financial resources by high-income countries above the commitment to 0.7% ODA. The Government’s broader interpretation of ‘new and additional’ has become 110 Q17 [Diann Black-Layne], Q41 [Gebru Jember], Q60 [Catherine Pettengell]. In line with the United Nations, we define climate finance in quite broad terms as “the money which needs to be spent on a whole range of activities which will contribute to slowing down climate change and which will help the world to reach the target of limiting global warming to an increase of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels”. See: UN News, The trillion dollar climate finance challenge (and opportunity), 27 June 2021 111 OECD, Climate finance for developing countries rose to USD 78.9 billion in 2018, 6 November 2020 112 OECD, Climate Finance Provided and Mobilised by Developed Countries in 2013–18, p.42, 6 November 2020 113 Roberts, J.T. et al, Rebooting a failed promise of climate finance, Nature Climate Change, Volume 11, p.1, 18 February 2021 114 Roberts, J.T. et al, Rebooting a failed promise of climate finance, Nature Climate Change, Volume 11, p.1, 18 February 2021 115 Roberts, J.T. et al, Rebooting a failed promise of climate finance, Nature Climate Change, Volume 11, p.1, 18 February 2021; Shakya, C. and Smith, B., Trust in climate finance requires meaningful transparency, IIED, January 2021 116 UNFCCC, Report of the Conference of the Parties on its fifteenth session, held in Copenhagen from 7 to 19 December 2009, Addendum, Part Two: Action taken by the Conference of the Parties at its fifteenth session, p.7, 30 March 2010 117 UNCTAD, https://unctad.org/system/files/official-docu
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Government response AI summary
The government's response focused on improving overall transparency and predictability of climate finance flows. It detailed commitments from DAC members to enhance tracking and reporting by end of 2022, including the UK's Development Tracker updates and the Enhanced Transparency Framework, which addresses aspects of the …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
62
Recommendation
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Accepted in Part
We believe that the current level of ICF is fundamentally over-reported, reducing the credibility of declarations and scope for achieving climate adaptation and resilience. We are calling for full transparency in the reporting of climate finance to enhance the ability of third parties to track funding from start to finish. …
Read more
We believe that the current level of ICF is fundamentally over-reported, reducing the credibility of declarations and scope for achieving climate adaptation and resilience. We are calling for full transparency in the reporting of climate finance to enhance the ability of third parties to track funding from start to finish. To reach the UK-backed goal of channelling 70% of climate finance directly to local communities, we urge the FCDO to report in full transparency how much climate finance is reaching the local level through its main reporting channels—such as the UK’s Development Tracker and the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)—and to encourage other donors to do the same. Further, the UK Government should host regular meetings between fund- recipient institutions from LDCs and SIDS, bilateral and multilateral donors during its COP presidency to devise a functional definition of climate finance as well as a clearer definition of the term ‘new and additional’ for use by donors. The Government should provide a progress report by 31 March 2022 . 130 International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) (CDC0048) 131 E3G, 2021 Climate and Development Agenda Stocktake, pp.5–6, 17 September 2021 132 CARE International, Hollow Commitments: An Analysis of developed countries’ climate finance plans, p.15, 1 June 2021 133 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (CDC0016) 134 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (CDC0016) 24 Global Britain in demand: UK climate action and international development around COP26 4 Reinforcing policy coherence across UK climate action Fossil fuel policy The best thing you can do for us is to cut your emissions […]. H.E. Ms Diann Black-Layne, Lead Negotiator on Climate Change, Alliance of Small Island States135
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Government response AI summary
The government recognises the need for transparency and states its commitment to a robust reporting approach, including adding an ICF tag to its Development Tracker website to identify climate finance programmes and provide country-level information. It will also continue to encourage other donors and highlights …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
74
Recommendation
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Accepted in Part
We are concerned about the broad list of exemptions in the Government’s new fossil fuel policy as it raises questions about the UK’s credibility as a “force for good” and its commitment to net zero. We therefore urge the Government by 31 October 148 Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Annex …
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We are concerned about the broad list of exemptions in the Government’s new fossil fuel policy as it raises questions about the UK’s credibility as a “force for good” and its commitment to net zero. We therefore urge the Government by 31 October 148 Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Annex A) (CDC0052) 149 Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Annex A) (CDC0052) 150 CDC Group, Climate Change Strategy, accessed 26 October 2021 151 CDC Group (CDC0053); 152 CDC Group (CDC0053); CDC Group, Annual Review 2020: Rising to the Challenge, p.22, 6 July 2021 153 CDC Group, Annual Review 2020: Rising to the Challenge, p.22, 6 July 2021 154 International Development Committee, Oral evidence: The Philosophy and Culture of Aid, Question 71, 9 March 2021 155 CDC Group, Our corporate governance, accessed 26 October 2021 156 International Development Committee, Oral evidence: The Philosophy and Culture of Aid, Question 71, 9 March 2021 157 International Development Committee, Oral evidence: The Philosophy and Culture of Aid, Question 72, 9 March 2021 158 Q95 [Dr Amal-Lee Amin] Global Britain in demand: UK climate action and international development around COP26 27 2022 to drastically scale up its investment in renewable energy abroad and to end all exemptions for direct and indirect investment in fossil fuel projects abroad through CDC and other channels apart from support for clean cooking methods for people living in poverty. The Government should also instruct CDC to publish a full list of its existing investments in coal, oil and gas and how they intend to divest from fossil fuels by 31 October 2022. Loss and damage
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees, detailing existing efforts like the Energy Transition Council and BII's transparency on investments via its website and TCFD reporting. It states BII is developing a carbon budget for net-zero by 2050 and will share it in due course, but does not …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
91
Recommendation
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Accepted in Part
We welcome the Government holding a Climate and Development Ministerial meeting in March 2021 to capture the concerns of climate-vulnerable countries in the run-up to COP26. We recommend that the FCDO hosts a Climate and Development Ministerial with climate-vulnerable countries every year starting in 2022 to follow up on the …
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We welcome the Government holding a Climate and Development Ministerial meeting in March 2021 to capture the concerns of climate-vulnerable countries in the run-up to COP26. We recommend that the FCDO hosts a Climate and Development Ministerial with climate-vulnerable countries every year starting in 2022 to follow up on the measures listed in the “Climate & Development Pathway” of March 2021 and to keep the momentum gained from that first Climate and Development Ministerial. Climate and Development Minister
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees, highlighting its COP26 Presidency's focus on Adaptation, Loss and Damage and the creation of the Taskforce on Access to Climate Finance, but does not explicitly commit to an annual Climate and Development Ministerial meeting.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office