Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with international partners to assess the risk and reduce the effect of climate change (a) globally and (b) on the UK.

The Integrated Review which was launched on 16 March by the Prime Minister, states that in 2021 and beyond, Her Majesty's Government will make tackling climate change and biodiversity loss its number one international priority and the Foreign Secretary will take the necessary steps to deliver on this. The UK is working closely with international partners to assess and reduce the risk of climate change both globally and in the UK. The Foreign Secretary and FCDO ministers regularly raise the subject in engagements with international partners. In December the UK co-hosted the Climate Ambition Summit where 75 leaders, as well as businesses pledged new and more ambitious commitments to tackle climate change. On 31 March, COP President-Designate Alok Sharma and the Foreign Secretary will host the Climate Development Ministerial which will bring together countries and partners to identify practical solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing vulnerable countries.

Domestically the Prime Minister's 10 Point Plan accelerates the UK's transition to Net-Zero. On 4 December 2020 we announced an ambitious new Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 68% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. This target commits the UK to the fastest rate of emissions reductions of any major economy. In 2019, we legislated for net zero emissions by 2050 - the first of the major economies to set such a legally binding target.