Whole Day Download the Hansard
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Wednesday Volume 696 9 June 2021 No. 14 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 9 June 2021 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2021 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 937 9 JUNE 2021 938 in November. I understand the difficulties related to the House of Commons pandemic, but can the President give the House an update today on when guidance will be provided to Wednesday 9 June 2021 stakeholders about online versus offline and whether presence will be allowed in Glasgow? The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Alok Sharma: I have always been clear, and I reiterated in a speech I gave in Glasgow with six months to go to PRAYERS COP, that we want this to be a physical event. That is the basis on which we are planning, and we are ensuring that we are exploring all measures to ensure this is covid- [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] secure—safe for the people of Glasgow and, of course, safe Virtual participation in proceedings commenced (Orders, for participants as well. 4 June and 30 December 2020). [NB: [V] denotes a Member participating virtually.] Deidre Brock (Edinburgh North and Leith) (SNP) [V]: The recent G7 agreement on an international minimum BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS corporation tax shows the significant progress that can be made at such forums. What can the President-designate MONKEN HADLEY COMMON BILL tell us about the environmental Marshall plan the Prime Bill, as amended, considered. Minister reportedly intends pursuing at the G7, and how Bill to be read the Third time tomorrow. will that impact on the discussions he is currently having with other countries in his capacity as COP President? Oral Answers to Questions Alok Sharma: Matters related to what G7 leaders are discussing will of course come forward in the communiqué at the end of that process, and that is up to the Prime COP26 Minister and his fellow leaders. What I can tell the hon. Member is that we had a successful Climate and The President of COP26 was asked— Environment Ministers meeting of the G7, which I co-chaired together with the Secretary of State for Climate Change: International Engagement Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. In that meeting, we made commitments on overwhelmingly decarbonising Stuart C. McDonald (Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and power systems in the 2030s in the G7 countries, but also Kirkintilloch East) (SNP): What discussions he has had commitments on phasing out fossil fuel support overseas. with Cabinet colleagues on increasing international engagement on climate change ahead of COP26. [900910] Climate Action and Green Recovery The COP26 President (Alok Sharma): I am in regular Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab): What contact with Cabinet colleagues on COP26, including steps the Government are taking to promote climate on co-ordinating our international engagement. The action and a green recovery from the covid-19 pandemic Prime Minister and Ministers across Government are ahead of COP26. [900911] raising climate change with international counterparts to secure ambitious climate commitments by November this year. Matt Western (Warwick and Leamington) (Lab): What steps the Government are taking to promote climate Stuart C. McDonald: Does the President agree that action and a green recovery from the covid-19 pandemic diplomatic efforts ahead of COP will need to be more ahead of COP26. [900919] than discussions with other states, and with non-state actors as well? What discussions is he having with TheCOP26President(AlokSharma):ThePrimeMinister’s non-governmental organisations—in particular, with the 10-point plan sets out our blueprint for a green industrial Under2 Coalition—ahead of COP, and what role does revolution. The plan invests in green technologies and he envisage their playing in November? industries. It leverages billions of pounds of private sector investment to create and support up to 250,000 Alok Sharma: The hon. Gentleman raises a very highly skilled green jobs and level up across the UK. important point. We want this to be the most inclusive COP ever. As he will know, we have set up a civil society and youth advisory group, which is an opportunity for Andrew Gwynne: And that is very welcome, but building groups from the global south and the global north to back better after covid cannot just apply to us here in come together and discuss issues. I can say to him that, the United Kingdom; there absolutely has to be a ahead of the climate and development ministerial meeting global approach. So is the President frustrated that the we had on 31 March, we took a lot of feedback from big emitters such as Australia, Japan, South Korea and this grouping in deciding what we needed to discuss. Russia have only resubmitted their previous climate pledges, and worse, that Brazil has backtracked on its Darren Jones (Bristol North West) (Lab): Many stake- climate pledge? What is he doing to convince them that holders that would normally engage at COP26—civil meeting their fair share is important so that we can society groups, NGOs, politicians, business leaders—still achieve the 45% reduction in emissions to keep our do not have clarity about how they will engage at COP climate change within 1.5° C? 939 Oral Answers 9 JUNE 2021 Oral Answers 940 Alok Sharma: I would just say to the hon. Member youth advisory council, allowing a regular dialogue with that when the UK took on the COP26 presidency, less those groups as we plan for COP26, and the Department than 30% of the global economy was covered by a net for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has also zero target; that is now 70%. All the G7 countries have launched this week the “Plant for our Planet” campaign committed to 2030 NDCs that are aligned with net zero to encourage all our constituents, and perhaps my hon. by 2050. Of course, he is right that we want all countries, Friend, to think about the natural world and how we particularly the big emitters, to come forward with can live and work better within it. ambitious emissions reduction targets. Anthony Mangnall: May I ask the President, and indeed Matt Western: The credibility of the COP presidency theVice-President,of COP26toengagewithmyconstituents rests on demonstrable climate change action at home. and the sustainability groups we have? It is incredibly However, the decision by the Government back in 2015 welcome to hear the steps they are already taking, but to scrap the Labour Government’s zero carbon homes we would really like to see a Devonian perspective on legislation has meant that we have lost 1 million zero carbon COP26 this year. homes in the past five years. It is a simple question: why do this Government seem to want to allow non-zero Anne-Marie Trevelyan: Well managed agriculture will carbon homes to continue to be built? be a critical contributor to our planet’s climate solutions, and the UK wishes to use its COP26 presidency to drive the global transition to sustainable agriculture and land Alok Sharma: I would point out to the hon. Member use. We are committed to using our presidency platform that the UK is the country in the G20 that has decarbonised to amplify local climate action, so I am delighted to its economy fastest since the year 2000. He will know hear about the activity being led in my hon. Friend’s that the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and constituency, and COP unit officials would be very happy Industrial Strategy is working on a heat and housing to follow up and meet with them. decarbonisation strategy as well. That will come forward, and of course we will set out our net zero strategy ahead Philip Dunne (Ludlow) (Con): Devon is not the only of COP26. area that is leading the way in developing community action plans, and indeed South Shropshire Climate Engagement with North African Partners Action has produced the first constituency-wide action plan, which I will be delighted to present both to the Damien Moore (Southport) (Con): What steps he has President and the Vice-President following this session. taken to engage with international partners in north Will there be scope for such community groups that are Africa on preparations for COP26. [R] [900912] leading the way in finding practical means for communities to help get to net zero to attend COP26 in Glasgow in The COP26 President (Alok Sharma): First, can I thank order to spread this great practice? my hon. Friend for the work that he does as a trade envoy in north Africa? Of course, I and fellow Ministers Anne-Marie Trevelyan: We are really fortunate in the speak to—and, indeed, our whole diplomatic network UK to have, as my right hon. Friend has demonstrated, speakstoandengageswith—Governmentsacrosstheworld, a passionate civil society that is among the world leaders including in north Africa. In recent months, I have spoken in climate action. The UK launched the domestic “Together to Ministers in a range of countries, including Morocco, for Our Planet” campaign to celebrate climate initiatives Sudan and Egypt, which I visited in February. across the UK and to inspire the public—and clearly they are already inspired—to be more engaged in climate action in the run-up to COP26. So I would be delighted Damien Moore: What plans are there to sustain to receive further information on climate action from engagement in this region in the forthcoming months? Ludlow, as well as any other constituency that wishes to submit it, because to be able to share that is absolutely Alok Sharma: Weare working proactively with countries what COP26 is all about.