Climate change (August 2015)

Climate change is one of the most serious threats that this country and this world faces.

The UK is taking a leading role on the world stage, working towards a binding global deal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit climate change to manageable levels. British Ministers led the push to achieve agreement within Europe on a historic deal to cut greenhouse gas emissions. EU countries agreed a new 2030 energy and climate policy framework that includes a domestic emissions reduction target of at least 40 per cent.

This represents a big victory for the UK and is a vital step towards achieving an international climate agreement at the key Paris conference later this year, where all the world's leaders will gather.

The Government also set up the International Climate Fund to provide £3.87 billion between 2011 and 2015 to help the world's poorest adapt to climate change and promote cleaner, greener economic growth. Through it, the UK works in partnership with developing countries to:

Reduce carbon emissions through promoting low carbon development;  

Help poor people adapt to the effects of climate change;

Reduce deforestation.  

In addition, the UK supports efforts to integrate climate change policies into international development plans.

Britain is leading by example and the Government's flagship Energy Act is based on the premise that the UK needs to decarbonise its energy sector. Everything in the Act works towards achieving this goal at the lowest possible cost to the consumer. It puts Britain firmly on track to meet the 2050 target to reduce emissions of all greenhouse gases by 80 per cent.

I sit on the Environmental Audit Committee that looks across Government to ensure that all departments are doing all they can to meet this challenging targets.

August 2015