Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the notification of the two year trigger on deep sea mining at the International Seabed Authority.
Answered by James Duddridge
The UK recognises the growing pressure to extract deep sea resources, and is deeply concerned about the potential impacts of mining activities on the fragile marine environment. We therefore continue to press for the very highest environmental standards to be agreed and activated by the International Seabed Authority. Until there is sufficient scientific evidence about the potential impacts on deep sea ecosystems and strong and enforceable environmental regulations in place, the UK has committed not to sponsor or support the issuing of any exploitation licences for deep sea mining projects.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the Brazilian Government on recent protests in Brasilia by representatives of indigenous peoples in the Amazon region of that country.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to promoting and defending the human rights of all individuals, and we regularly discuss issues affecting indigenous people with Brazilian authorities. The UK continues to support work with indigenous communities across Brazil, including in the Amazon region. UK programmes on building back better after the COVID-19 pandemic include a focus on vulnerable groups, including in the Amazon region, and work on issues such as solar energy, primary healthcare, and skills development. The UK has also supported local and indigenous people in the Amazon through our International Climate Finance Programmes, with nearly £120 million invested since 2012.
The Foreign Secretary, and the Secretary of State for International Trade have regular discussions with their Brazilian counterparts on a range of issues. They have raised the crucial importance of combatting illegal deforestation at the UK-Brazil Strategic Dialogue in October 2020, and at the Joint Economic and Trade Committee in November 2020. More recently, the Foreign Secretary discussed climate and environment matters with the Brazilian Foreign Minister in June 2021. The UK stands ready to support Brazil's efforts to counter increasing deforestation rates, and we welcome the recent reduction of approximately 25% in areas under deforestation alerts.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with representatives of indigenous peoples in Brazil on deforestation in their territory and the Amazon region.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to promoting and defending the human rights of all individuals, and we regularly discuss issues affecting indigenous people with Brazilian authorities. The UK continues to support work with indigenous communities across Brazil, including in the Amazon region. UK programmes on building back better after the COVID-19 pandemic include a focus on vulnerable groups, including in the Amazon region, and work on issues such as solar energy, primary healthcare, and skills development. The UK has also supported local and indigenous people in the Amazon through our International Climate Finance Programmes, with nearly £120 million invested since 2012.
The Foreign Secretary, and the Secretary of State for International Trade have regular discussions with their Brazilian counterparts on a range of issues. They have raised the crucial importance of combatting illegal deforestation at the UK-Brazil Strategic Dialogue in October 2020, and at the Joint Economic and Trade Committee in November 2020. More recently, the Foreign Secretary discussed climate and environment matters with the Brazilian Foreign Minister in June 2021. The UK stands ready to support Brazil's efforts to counter increasing deforestation rates, and we welcome the recent reduction of approximately 25% in areas under deforestation alerts.