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Written Question
Global Partnership for Education
Tuesday 2nd March 2021

Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

What plans he has to ensure that the UK and other donors contribute funding to the Global Partnership for Education replenishment in 2021.

Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK helped found the GPE and we have been its largest donor, having contributed $1.6 billion since 2002. Since its creation, the GPE has contributed to the largest expansion of primary and lower secondary schooling in history.

Global education will be a key focus of the UK’s G7 Presidency and we call on all donors to step up with ambitious pledges to help the GPE secure its target of up to $5 billion. No decision has been taken yet on the UK’s next contribution to GPE, and details will follow in due course.

Written Question
Biodiversity and Climate Change: International Cooperation
Thursday 23rd July 2020

Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans the Government has to [demonstrate global leadership] at the (a) UN General Assembly Leader’s Biodiversity Summit, (b) over the next year and (c) during the UK's presidency of COP26.

Answered by James Duddridge

The UK is committed to tackling climate change, which is why we bid to host COP26 in Glasgow in partnership with Italy. Through diplomatic effort, in both bilateral and multilateral fora, and working with governments, businesses, and civil societies, we are calling for all countries to bring forward long-term climate strategies and are leading the world's response to tackle climate change. As the first country to legislate to end our contribution to global warming, the UK is leading by example as a global force for good. We have also committed to doubling the UK's International Climate Finance funding to at least £11.6 billion between 2021/22 and 2025/26. Humanity faces the twin threats of climate change and biodiversity loss. These are two sides of the same coin; it is impossible to solve one without fixing the other. The conventions on biological diversity (COP15) and climate (COP26) provide excellent opportunities to take effective action on climate change and biodiversity loss and deliver a step change on both of these global crises.

We will support the adoption of ambitious and practical targets on nature at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity Summit (COP15) in China next year, strengthened by coherent implementation mechanisms that will deliver a new global biodiversity framework that is commensurate with the scale of the challenge. Nature is also a top priority for our upcoming Presidency of COP26 next year and we are pushing for tangible and ambitious commitments from partner governments to champion nature and nature-based solutions. Given this, and the multi-faceted benefits of nature-based solutions, we are working with the Chinese Government, who are hosting COP15, to press for mutually reinforcing outcomes at the two Conferences. In addition, we will continue leading global ambition on conserving endangered species, following our hosting of the international Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference in 2018.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 15 Oct 2019
Britain's Place in the World

"Does the right hon. and learned Gentleman see the absurdity of his position? He said he would do anything to avoid a no deal, yet every single time he has had a chance to vote for an agreement he has refused to do so. Does he recognise the absurdity of …..."
Bim Afolami - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 15 Oct 2019
Britain's Place in the World

"You should have voted for it...."
Bim Afolami - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 15 Oct 2019
Britain's Place in the World

"Many speakers in the debate have made the point that this whole Queen’s Speech is unusual because this is a minority Government who do not have an automatic majority for their proposals—indeed that is arithmetically correct. However, when I was pondering the absurdity I just had to look at the …..."
Bim Afolami - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 15 Oct 2019
Britain's Place in the World

"No, I will not.

Then we have the Scottish National party Members, who argue for a referendum on Scottish independence—that has been their long-standing position and it is a perfectly legitimate thing to argue for—but I do not know why they bother, because they refuse to accept the referendum that …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 25 Jun 2019
Oral Answers to Questions

"15. What diplomatic steps the Government are taking to lead the international effort to tackle climate change. ..."
Bim Afolami - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 25 Jun 2019
Oral Answers to Questions

"I welcome the fact that, yesterday, this House of Commons voted to make the UK carbon-neutral by 2050. That is a great achievement for this Parliament. The Foreign Secretary is fully aware that the UK accounts for only a very small percentage—about 2%—of global emissions, so for the change to …..."
Bim Afolami - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 22 Jan 2019
Oral Answers to Questions

"Recently, the former US Secretary of State, John Kerry, remarked on the fact that the British Government are working closely with other European Governments on the Iran nuclear deal. Could the Foreign Secretary give the House further detail on how that will continue after we leave the European Union on …..."
Bim Afolami - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 22 Jan 2019
Oral Answers to Questions

"T10. Will the Foreign Secretary update the House on his assessment of our relationship with China, particularly in respect of financial services in the City of London?..."
Bim Afolami - View Speech

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