I share your concerns about climate change and the effects it is having on our world. I would like to assure you that tackling climate change and protecting the environment for future generations is a top priority for the Government.
You are right that we must all work together to address climate change. Ministers engage extensively with stakeholders, NGOs and businesses about climate change and many other issues. Excellent progress has been made to strengthen global cooperation in the fight against climate change. Following COP26 in the UK in 2021, I understand that 90 per cent of the world’s economy is now following the UK’s lead by committing to net zero emissions, ending their contribution to climate change.
Further, biodiversity loss is a global problem that needs a global solution, and the UK played a leading role in developing an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework at COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity in December 2022. A new deal was agreed by almost 200 countries, with a global commitment to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and also to protect 30 per cent of land and oceans by 2030.
The UK was the first major economy to commit in law to reaching net zero by 2050. The British Energy Security Strategy and Net Zero Strategy set out how the UK will secure 480,000 well-paid jobs and unlock £100 billion in investment in 2030 on its path to ending its contribution to climate change by 2050. The England Trees Action Plan sets out how the UK will treble tree planting rates. The £750 million Nature for Climate Fund is the main delivery vehicle and is focussed on peat restoration, woodland creation and management.
Finally, the Environment Act 2021 includes targets to clean up the country’s air, restore natural habitats, increase biodiversity, reduce waste and make better use of our resources. It also includes a target to halt the decline in species by 2030, as well as require new developments to improve or create habitats for nature and tackle illegal deforestation overseas.