Recommendations & Conclusions
8 items
12
Conclusion
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Not Addressed
Dr Lisa Schipper also told us that staff at the FCDO faced pressure to deliver results swiftly.26 She added that the FCDO officers to whom she presented her paper on maladaptation were “fully aware” of the risks of maladaptation but were “operating within a structure that does not allow them …
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Dr Lisa Schipper also told us that staff at the FCDO faced pressure to deliver results swiftly.26 She added that the FCDO officers to whom she presented her paper on maladaptation were “fully aware” of the risks of maladaptation but were “operating within a structure that does not allow them to step away from these kinds of problems”.27 17 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Glossary of key terms, accessed 26 October 2021 18 Q7 [Dr Lisa Schipper], Q19 [Cecília da Silva Bernardo] Q34 [Julius Ng’oma] 19 British Red Cross (CDC0028) 20 Q7 [Dr Lisa Schipper] 21 Q8 [Dr Lisa Schipper] 22 Q6 [Dr Lisa Schipper] 23 Q7 [Dr Lisa Schipper] 24 Reference to the “The Villagisation Programme targeting pastoralists and the Ethiopian Agricultural Development Led Industrialisation (ADLI) strategies”. See: Eriksen et al, Adaptation interventions and their effect on vulnerability in developing countries: Help, hindrance or irrelevance?, World Development, Volume 141, p.4, May 2021 25 Eriksen et al, Adaptation interventions and their effect on vulnerability in developing countries: Help, hindrance or irrelevance?, World Development, Volume 141, p.4, May 2021 26 Q10 [Dr Lisa Schipper] 27 Q8 [Dr Lisa Schipper] Global Britain in demand: UK climate action and international development around COP26 11 UK’s response—maladaptation
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Government response AI summary
The government response acknowledges the importance of indigenous and local community leadership in climate solutions and details initiatives like the Glasgow Leaders Declaration and £45 million for the CRPP. However, it does not address the committee's observation about FCDO staff facing internal pressure and structural …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
37
Conclusion
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Not Addressed
In September 2019, the Government announced that it would double the amount of UK ICF to £11.6 billion for the period of 2021/22–2025/26.73 The Government referred to UK ODA as a means to increase its impact as a “force for good” in the Integrated Review.74 On 13 July 2021, however, …
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In September 2019, the Government announced that it would double the amount of UK ICF to £11.6 billion for the period of 2021/22–2025/26.73 The Government referred to UK ODA as a means to increase its impact as a “force for good” in the Integrated Review.74 On 13 July 2021, however, the House of Commons backed the Government’s decision to reduce UK ODA to 0.5% of GNI.75 While UK ICF will be protected from cuts, contributors told us that they were concerned about the consequences of the cuts on climate action. The countries which are most in need of development finance are also most at risk of the impacts of climate change.76 In order to achieve the best possible results for vulnerable groups in terms of climate change and development, the UK should at least match the 0.7% of GNI,77 and in effect “lead, not retreat”.78 A ringfencing of UK ICF amid a cut to UK ODA is considered a mismatch resulting in a less comprehensive response to the climate emergency.79 Indeed, speaking for many contributors to this inquiry, one witness asked: What is it [climate finance] going to influence if the development finance is not there to address development deficits?80 Access to funds The difficulty has been access. The money is there and we hear from different Governments, “But we did provide the money.” No, to write a cheque and put it in the World Bank or the GCF is not enough. You have to guarantee access so that we can get ready on time. H.E. Diann Black-Layne, Lead Negotiator on Climate Change, Alliance of Small Island States81
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Government response AI summary
The government's response focuses on global achievements under the UK's COP26 Presidency, including significant progress towards the $100 billion climate finance goal and the doubling of adaptation finance pledges by 2025. It does not directly address the committee's concern about the coherence of UK's climate …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
48
Conclusion
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Not Addressed
The UK is a top contributor to the four multilateral climate funds including the GCF.102 As such, it has influence on their policies and procedures. The UK was also instrumental in the establishment of the Least Developed Countries Initiative for Effective Adaptation and Resilience (LIFE-AR), whose goal is to channel …
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The UK is a top contributor to the four multilateral climate funds including the GCF.102 As such, it has influence on their policies and procedures. The UK was also instrumental in the establishment of the Least Developed Countries Initiative for Effective Adaptation and Resilience (LIFE-AR), whose goal is to channel 70% of climate finance directly to 94 Q41 [Gebru Jember] 95 British Red Cross (CDC0028) 96 Q41 – Q44 [Gebru Jember, Questions 41 to 44] 97 Q31 [Julius Ng’oma] 98 Q31 [Julius Ng’oma] 99 Q45 [Eileen Mairena Cunningham] 100 Q45 [Eileen Mairena Cunningham] 101 Q48 [Eileen Mairena Cunningham] 102 Of the estimated £21.4 billion held by the four main multilateral climate funds - the Adaptation Fund, the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the UK is responsible for almost one-eighth of all pledges made by donor countries. Source: International Development Committee calculations (as of 8 October 2021). 20 Global Britain in demand: UK climate action and international development around COP26 local levels in LDCs.103 Yet, we heard that the UK had only provided funding to LIFE-AR on an annual basis to date, as opposed to the 10-year partnership funding requested by the LDC Group.104
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Government response AI summary
The government's response focused on broader efforts to streamline access to climate finance for developing countries, including co-chairing a Taskforce and committing £100m to a new approach. However, it did not address the committee's specific concern about the UK providing only annual funding to LIFE-AR …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
63
Conclusion
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
The volume of greenhouse gas emissions has a significant impact on the capacity of LDCs and SIDS to adapt to climate change. On 9 August 2021, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its Sixth Assessment report, which the UN Secretary General referred to as a “a code red …
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The volume of greenhouse gas emissions has a significant impact on the capacity of LDCs and SIDS to adapt to climate change. On 9 August 2021, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its Sixth Assessment report, which the UN Secretary General referred to as a “a code red for humanity” with the alarm bells “deafening” and the evidence “irrefutable”.136
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
66
Conclusion
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Not Addressed
We also heard concerns about CDC’s level of transparency in its reporting. Dario Kenner told us that although the level of information provided on CDC’s website had improved “a great deal”, third parties sought more disclosure of data especially in the area of CDC’s work with financial institutions and intermediaries.143 …
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We also heard concerns about CDC’s level of transparency in its reporting. Dario Kenner told us that although the level of information provided on CDC’s website had improved “a great deal”, third parties sought more disclosure of data especially in the area of CDC’s work with financial institutions and intermediaries.143 Mr Kenner told us that: It is important where CDC money is still invested because it could be undermining that same transition that CDC could play a role in being part of. It really matters what is happening with all of the portfolio, not just what is happening in the future.144
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Government response AI summary
The government's response details its efforts on clean energy transition and its fossil fuel policy, but does not address the specific concerns raised about the transparency of CDC's full investment portfolio, particularly concerning financial institutions and intermediaries.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
82
Conclusion
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
As a “stress multiplier”,172 climate change could increase the number of people living in poverty by an additional 100 million by 2030,173 while covid-19 and its secondary impacts have significantly slowed down the economic and social development of particularly marginalised groups in the Global South.174
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As a “stress multiplier”,172 climate change could increase the number of people living in poverty by an additional 100 million by 2030,173 while covid-19 and its secondary impacts have significantly slowed down the economic and social development of particularly marginalised groups in the Global South.174
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
83
Conclusion
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
COP26 is the starting point of a one-year opportunity for the UK to shape the direction of climate action and development in this decade significantly. As COP President, the UK 168 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (CDC0016) 169 Q125 [Lord Goldsmith] 170 Q125 [Lord Goldsmith] 171 Q126 [Lord Goldsmith] 172 …
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COP26 is the starting point of a one-year opportunity for the UK to shape the direction of climate action and development in this decade significantly. As COP President, the UK 168 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (CDC0016) 169 Q125 [Lord Goldsmith] 170 Q125 [Lord Goldsmith] 171 Q126 [Lord Goldsmith] 172 Institute of Development Studies (CDC0015) 173 UN News, The trillion dollar climate finance challenge (and opportunity), 27 June 2021 174 United Nations News, Global economy projected to show fastest growth in 50 years, 15 September 2021 Global Britain in demand: UK climate action and international development around COP26 29 will play an important role in increasing the resilience of climate-vulnerable countries and trust between stakeholders as the Parties seek ambitious commitments on climate action and volume as well as access to climate finance.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
84
Conclusion
Second Report - Global Britain in deman…
Not Addressed
Contributors told us, however, that the cuts to ODA reduce the scope for the UK to support vulnerable countries to address climate change alongside the impact of the covid-19 pandemic and high levels of public debt.175 We were also told that the aid cuts might damage the trust of climate-vulnerable …
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Contributors told us, however, that the cuts to ODA reduce the scope for the UK to support vulnerable countries to address climate change alongside the impact of the covid-19 pandemic and high levels of public debt.175 We were also told that the aid cuts might damage the trust of climate-vulnerable countries.176 Cecília da Silva Bernardo told us that: Right now, somehow the UK’s leadership is lacking. […] For example, we did not hear from the UK a strong commitment on continued support and provision of funding to LDCs or to the most vulnerable. We also saw that there was a cut from 0.7% to 0.5% in development assistance from the UK. Those things that happened do not provide us with a good sense of confidence. I believe the UK is in a good position to change the way we are seeing it and really become the leader in this fight.177
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees, reiterating that tackling climate change and biodiversity loss are key UK priorities. However, it does not directly address the committee's specific concerns about how ODA cuts reduce the UK's ability to support vulnerable countries or damage international trust, instead focusing on …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office