Recommendation 5

HM Government Accepted in Part

19. We agree that climate change is a growing driver of forced displacement, exacerbating existing drivers of displacement such as conflict and poverty, and increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events which can cause displacement. 20. As the Committee notes in its report, the FCDO has a “strong track record” on investing in climate adaption. Through this work, we are strengthening the resilience of the most vulnerable, including refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and host communities, to the impacts of climate shocks. 21. To do this, the UK is engaging with international sources of climate finance to increase funding to the most fragile and vulnerable settings. For example, we are working with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to increase its investments in places experiencing intersecting vulnerabilities and risks, including fragility and conflict. As Co-Chair the UK worked to support improved access to the GCF, helping secure Somalia’s first single-country project ($94.9m) and increasing work to reach other fragile and conflict affected states. 22. We also actively integrate climate threat modelling into displacement- specific programming. For example, at COP29 we launched the £5.56m “Jahez” programme, which will invest in the resilience of climate-vulnerable refugees and host communities in Jordan, one of the most climate vulnerable countries in the world. (Recommendation 1, Paragraph 49) In its response to this report, the FCDO should set out the measures it is taking to increase the data available to policy teams when planning medium to long-term climate adaptation investments; and whether prevention of climate-induced displacement is one of the criteria that these teams must remain cognisant of. Government response: Agree 23. The FCDO produces Seasonal Climate Outlooks that provide three-to- six-month climate predictions to inform our decision making. These are distributed widely to provide information on likely weather patterns. 24. We have also established a Natural Hazard Science Hub through the Science in Emergencies Centre of Expertise. This Hub will continue to produce and update the climate outlook products in addition to producing data and early warning products for other natural hazard events. 25. These products are available to help inform policy and programme teams across the FCDO, including those planning medium to long-term climate adaptation investments. 26. FCDO programming rules do not require all teams planning medium to long-term climate adaptation investments to consider prevention of climate induced displacement. (Conclusion 5, Paragraph 56) The Government appears to have devised a strategy for influencing multilateral institutions, most notably the World Bank. This is a welcome effort to reinvigorate UK engagement at the multilateral level, given the significant cuts to other parts of the UK ODA budget.