Select Committee · Business and Trade Committee

Net zero and UN climate summits

Status: Closed Opened: 6 Mar 2020 Closed: 17 May 2021 7 recommendations 7 conclusions 1 report

The BEIS Committee has launched a standing inquiry on the UK’s ‘Net Zero’ target and the UN Climate Summits. The Committee expects this inquiry to run for the duration of this Parliament. It will consider issues including: Progress in delivering the UK’s 2050 net zero target; Progress in cutting emissions to meet the UK’s five-yearly …

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report - Net Zero and UN Climate Summits: Scrutiny of… HC 1265 5 Mar 2021 14 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

14 items
1 Recommendation Third Report - Net Zero and UN Climate …

We welcome the Government’s headline ambitions for COP26 but note that no details have yet...

We welcome the Government’s headline ambitions for COP26 but note that no details have yet been provided on how success will be measured against each of these goals. We recommend that the headline ambitions be expanded to a clear list of measures, with a set of criteria attached to each …

Government response. 3. In the Written Ministerial Statement that was laid in the House on 18 March the Government set out clearly the goals of the UK Presidency for a successful COP26. a) To ask countries to commit to net zero by …
Department for Business and Trade
2 Conclusion Third Report - Net Zero and UN Climate …

We welcome the assurances from the COP26 President on the level of resourcing that is...

We welcome the assurances from the COP26 President on the level of resourcing that is available to the COP26 Unit. It is vital that, as the largest summit ever organised in the UK and a critical event in the global response to climate change, COP26 is provided the greatest levels …

Government response. 3. In the Written Ministerial Statement that was laid in the House on 18 March the Government set out clearly the goals of the UK Presidency for a successful COP26. a) To ask countries to commit to net zero by …
Department for Business and Trade
3 Recommendation Third Report - Net Zero and UN Climate …

The success of COP26 is dependent on effective diplomacy.

The success of COP26 is dependent on effective diplomacy. It remains unclear whether the COP26 Unit has been assigned a dedicated diplomatic team, nor the extent to which the diplomatic network is engaged further than having received correspondence from the Foreign and Development Secretary. We recommend that the COP26 President, …

Government response. 3. In the Written Ministerial Statement that was laid in the House on 18 March the Government set out clearly the goals of the UK Presidency for a successful COP26. a) To ask countries to commit to net zero by …
Department for Business and Trade
4 Conclusion Third Report - Net Zero and UN Climate …

It is essential that Parliament has sufficient opportunity to question the Government’s preparations for the...

It is essential that Parliament has sufficient opportunity to question the Government’s preparations for the COP26 summit. Opening the process up to scrutiny is key not only to ensure accountability in the planning and preparations to facilitate a successful Presidency, but also to promote public and stakeholder confidence in the …

Government response. We recognise the importance of parliamentary scrutiny and welcome the scrutiny from Parliament through regular Oral Questions and from select committees. The COP26 President has agreed to select committee appearances in line with the proposal from committee chairs. Given his …
Department for Business and Trade
5 Conclusion Third Report - Net Zero and UN Climate …

We welcome the COP26 President’s commitment to appear before the Committee.

We welcome the COP26 President’s commitment to appear before the Committee. We invite him to confirm his willingness to appear before the Committee on the three occasions set out above, and to provide detail on any other approaches to facilitating Parliamentary scrutiny of COP26 preparations that he intends to take. …

Government response. 7. The Government has been clear that the delivery of a successful COP26 is a priority. The COP26 team is supported by the UK’s full diplomatic network. The Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, FCDO ministers, senior officials and our Embassies and …
Department for Business and Trade
6 Conclusion Third Report - Net Zero and UN Climate …

We welcome the fact that questions to the COP26 President are now included on the...

We welcome the fact that questions to the COP26 President are now included on the regular rota of questions to Government Departments on the floor of the House. We welcome the opportunity to have questioned the COP26 President at the despatch box on 24 February, in his first appearance in …

Government response. 7. The Government has been clear that the delivery of a successful COP26 is a priority. The COP26 team is supported by the UK’s full diplomatic network. The Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, FCDO ministers, senior officials and our Embassies and …
Department for Business and Trade
7 Conclusion Third Report - Net Zero and UN Climate …

We welcome the COP26 President’s engagement with APPGs and his plans to explore the potential...

We welcome the COP26 President’s engagement with APPGs and his plans to explore the potential for further briefings with these groups, which are a key link between parliamentarians and wider stakeholder groups. However, this should not be considered to be a substitute for public scrutiny by Parliament, which will be …

Government response. 7. The Government has been clear that the delivery of a successful COP26 is a priority. The COP26 team is supported by the UK’s full diplomatic network. The Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, FCDO ministers, senior officials and our Embassies and …
Department for Business and Trade
8 Recommendation Third Report - Net Zero and UN Climate …

We recommend that the COP26 President work closely with the Leader of the House to...

We recommend that the COP26 President work closely with the Leader of the House to align the autumn recess with one of the COP26 weeks in November. We note that Net zero and UN climate summits: Scrutiny of Preparations for COP26 – interim report 11 the first week of COP26 …

Government response. The COP26 President is liaising with colleagues in Government and the Leader of the House will inform the House in due course on recess dates.
Department for Business and Trade
9 Recommendation Third Report - Net Zero and UN Climate …

The inclusion of backbench Members within the UK’s COP26 delegation would widen access to UK...

The inclusion of backbench Members within the UK’s COP26 delegation would widen access to UK parliamentarians on a cross-party basis in the year of the UK’s Presidency. We recommend that the Government follows the precedent set by previous COP Presidencies, by expanding its delegation and widening access to parliamentarians. We …

Government response. Second Special Report of Session 2021 3
Department for Business and Trade
10 Recommendation Third Report - Net Zero and UN Climate …

We welcome the assurances that public health is a priority for the COP26 Unit, while...

We welcome the assurances that public health is a priority for the COP26 Unit, while acknowledging the challenges presented by continuing uncertainties. We recommend that the UK Government engages on this issue constructively with the Scottish Government. The Government should share, in response to this report, the proposed health protection …

Government response. The Government is ensuring that the health of participants and the local community is foremost in our planning for COP26. The excellent joint working between the UK Government, Scottish Government and Scottish Delivery partners is key to all planning, and …
Department for Business and Trade
11 Recommendation Third Report - Net Zero and UN Climate …

We welcome the stated aim of delivering an in-person summit and agree that this would...

We welcome the stated aim of delivering an in-person summit and agree that this would allow for the most effective engagement with the widest number of countries— particularly those most at risk of climate impacts. However, the Government must also plan for the distinct possibility that large parts of the …

Government response. 14. The COP26 President is liaising with colleagues in Government and the Leader of the House will inform the House in due course on recess dates.
Department for Business and Trade
12 Conclusion Third Report - Net Zero and UN Climate …

We ask that the COP26 President sets out how the conference procedures will be adjusted...

We ask that the COP26 President sets out how the conference procedures will be adjusted to reflect the possibility that delegations from certain countries (where, for example, covid vaccination roll out has been slower or where new variants of the covid virus are discovered) may not be able to fully …

Government response. 14. The COP26 President is liaising with colleagues in Government and the Leader of the House will inform the House in due course on recess dates.
Department for Business and Trade
13 Recommendation Third Report - Net Zero and UN Climate …

We welcome the Government’s decision to accept the CCC’s advice on the level of the...

We welcome the Government’s decision to accept the CCC’s advice on the level of the UK’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution. In the year of the UK’s COP26 Presidency this sends the right signal about the Government’s commitment to domestic climate policy. However, while we acknowledge the need to fully assess …

Government response. 14. The COP26 President is liaising with colleagues in Government and the Leader of the House will inform the House in due course on recess dates.
Department for Business and Trade
14 Conclusion Third Report - Net Zero and UN Climate …

We further encourage the Government to follow the advice of the CCC in engaging with...

We further encourage the Government to follow the advice of the CCC in engaging with the public and other stakeholders early to ensure that necessarily detailed delivery plans accompany legislative targets in a timely fashion, building in the considerations of Climate Assembly UK. (Paragraph 35) Net zero and UN climate …

Government response. 14. The COP26 President is liaising with colleagues in Government and the Leader of the House will inform the House in due course on recess dates.
Department for Business and Trade

Oral evidence sessions

6 sessions
Date Witnesses
23 Jun 2021 Andrew Griffith MP · COP26, Matt Toombs · COP26 Unit, Cabinet Office, Nigel Topping · COP26 View ↗
27 Apr 2021 Anna Brown · Teach the Future, Emily Hickson · We Mean Business, Jamie Clarke · Climate Outreach, Jamie Peters · Friends of the Earth, Josh Tregale · Teach the Future, Michelle McGinty · Glasgow City Council, Miranda Barker · British Chamber of Commerce, Sam Peacock · SSE, Stephanie Maier · ClimateAction100+ View ↗
19 Jan 2021 Archie Young · Cabinet Office, Ashley Ibbett · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Joanna Whittington · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Jo Shanmugalingam · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Peter Hill · Cabinet Office, Ros Eales · Cabinet Office, Rt Hon Alok Sharma · Cabinet Office, Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy View ↗
12 Jan 2021 Chris Stark · Committee on Climate Change, Deirdre Michie OBE · Oil and Gas UK, Emma Pinchbeck · Energy UK, Frank Aaskov · Manufacturers' Climate Change Group, Frank Aaskov · UK Steel, Nina Skorupska CBE · The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology, Richard Leese · Mineral Products Association, Richard Woolley · Chemical Industries Association, Sam French · Decarbonised Gas Alliance View ↗
1 Dec 2020 Claire O'Neill · World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Dr Emily Shuckburgh OBE · Cambridge Zero, University of Cambridge, Dr Jennifer Allan · University of Cardiff, Farhana Yamin · Track 0, Pete Betts · Chatham House View ↗
2 Jul 2020 Andrew Large · Energy Intensive Users Group, Eliot Whittington · Prince of Wales Corporate Leaders Group, James Diggle · Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Jim Skea · Just Transition Commission, Jim Watson · Climate Assembly UK, Mike Thompson · Committee on Climate Change, Sarah Allan · Involve, The Baroness Brown of Cambridge DBE FREng FRS · Committee on Climate Change, The Rt Hon. the Lord Deben · Committee on Climate Change View ↗

Correspondence

29 letters
DateDirectionTitle
1 Mar 2022 To cttee Letter from the Environment Committee of the New Zealand Parliament on climate …
1 Mar 2022 To cttee Letter from German Bundestag Member Dr. Lukas Köhler on climate scrutiny
1 Mar 2022 To cttee Letter from the German Bundestag CDU/CSU parliamentary group on climate scrutiny
1 Mar 2022 To cttee Letter from the Australian Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Co…
1 Mar 2022 To cttee Letter from the Brazilian Senate's Foreign Affairs and National Defence Committ…
13 Jan 2022 To cttee Letter from the COP President on UK reporting to the UNFCCC
15 Sep 2021 To cttee Letter from the COP President Designate on the role of business, the public and…
26 Jul 2021 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the COP26 President-Designate on participation at COP2…
13 Jul 2021 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Education in response to th…
8 Jul 2021 To cttee Letter from the UK Net Zero Business Champion relating to UK business participa…
24 Jun 2021 To cttee Letter from the Secretary of State for Education in relation to climate educati…
17 May 2021 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State on preparations for COP26
14 May 2021 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Education relating to clima…
5 Feb 2021 To cttee Letter from the Secretary of State to the Chair clarifying statements made to t…
21 Jan 2021 To cttee Letter from the Secretary of State to the Chair responding to the Committee’s F…
23 Dec 2020 To cttee Letter from the Secretary of State to the Chair regarding the UK's Nationally D…
23 Dec 2020 To cttee Letter from the Secretary of State to the Chair regarding the publication of th…
4 Dec 2020 To cttee Letter from the Convenor of the Scottish Parliament's Environment, Climate Chan…
4 Dec 2020 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Convenor of the Scottish Parliament's Environment,…
26 Nov 2020 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State on the Committee's Special Repo…