Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of water supplies for the Sizewell C nuclear facility, in light of the extension of the life of the Sizewell B nuclear facility and the increasing levels of water stress in Suffolk.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
An assessment of water supply formed part of the review of Sizewell C’s DCO application. Development consent was granted by the Secretary of State in June 2022. The company is working with water companies and other stakeholders to ensure a resilient supply of water during construction, both for the project and for local consumers.
Water use and environmental impacts at Sizewell B will remain regulated through the relevant environmental permitting regime; the ONR would not permit Sizewell B to continue operating beyond its current planned life unless it was satisfied that the station could continue to operate safely, including in relation to water supply.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that communities affected by the construction of Sizewell C are kept fully informed of the impacts of the construction and the efforts to ameliorate those impacts; and what opportunities communities have had to co-create mitigation measures.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Sizewell C Ltd is committed to listening to and working with local communities to minimise disruption caused by the project’s construction.
The company undertook extensive consultation with local communities prior to applying for a development consent order (DCO), and since commencing its DCO has established multiple community forums. The company also has a dedicated local engagement team leading a programme of engagement with local communities, and an online works tracker.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to participate in the 2027 Transitioning away from Fossil Fuels conference in Tuvalu; and what other steps they plan to take to support the conference efforts to improve access to finance for mitigation and adaptation activities for Global South nations.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
The UK is fully committed to accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels domestically and internationally and will decide on attendance at the Conference in Tuvalu in due course.
The Government is committed to improving Global South access to climate finance. As co-chair of the Taskforce on Access to Climate Finance, it supports practical solutions to unlock predictable finance. And through the Global Clean Power Alliance and Just Energy Transition Partnerships, the Government supports Global South partners to adopt clean, renewable power.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with the Falkland Islands regarding carbon emissions; and what programmes they are supporting and what other steps they are taking to reduce carbon emissions in the territory.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
The Inventory Agency produces the Falkland Islands’ annual greenhouse gas inventory on behalf of the UK Government and engages with the Falkland Islands Government on emissions data.
We support the ‘Improving Falkland Peatland GHG Data’ Project which seeks to improve knowledge of carbon storage and emissions from Falkland peatland habitats and assess the feasibility of future carbon offsetting to finance peatland restoration.
We support the right of the Falkland Islanders to develop their natural resources. This is an integral part of their right of self-determination.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 15 May 2023 (HL7503), what discussions they have held with the UK Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories (CDOTS) regarding carbon emissions, including extending the UK's ratification of the Paris Agreement to include the CDOTS within the UK's 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
The UK is committed to extending the Paris Agreement to all eligible Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories (CDOTs) that wish to join, bringing them into scope of the UK’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Requests for extension are made at each CDOT’s discretion.
The UK has extended its ratification of the Paris Agreement to the Overseas Territory of Gibraltar (2022) and to the Crown Dependencies of the Bailiwick of Jersey (2022), the Isle of Man (2023), and Guernsey (2023). We welcome interest from other OTs on the extension of the Paris Agreement.
We engage regularly with CDOTs at official and ministerial level on climate-related matters, including through the UK–Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of gas and oil lobbyists at the 30th United Nations climate change conference, and what steps they are taking to prevent those lobbyists from attending future climate conferences.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
The UNFCCC Secretariat, its Presiding officers, and the annually nominated COP Presidency are jointly responsible for upholding the standards that govern participation at COP meetings, relating to impartiality and transparency.
The UK continues to champion a transparent, inclusive, and effective UNFCCC process that supports enhanced ambition and strengthened implementation of the Paris Agreement and COP outcomes.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what lessons they have taken from the report by the Poverty and Environment Trust, Overwhelmed and Oversubscribed, published in August; and what is the timetable for bringing forward legislation to establish local supply rights for community energy schemes.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This Government is hugely ambitious about the role that local energy will play in achieving our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.
Officials read the report with interest and thank the Poverty and Environment Trust for their work on it.
Alongside delivering the 2025/26 Great British Energy Community Fund, Great British Energy is expected to work closely with Community Energy Groups, providing commercial, technical and project-planning assistance to increase their capability and capacity to build a pipeline of successful projects in their local areas, in addition to feasibility funding support.
We recognise the requests to take steps to better enable local energy markets and trading to lower bills, support renewables and increase the resilience of the electricity networks. The Department is currently investigating barriers to local supply, and is working with Ofgem, Great British Energy and relevant stakeholders to find solutions that work in the best interests of local generators and consumers.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of a Cap and Share system for supporting energy transition for the UK, particularly with regard to its fairness and social and climate impacts.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
The UK Emissions Trading Scheme is a cap-and-trade scheme, setting a limit on emissions from power, industry and aviation. Participants must buy and surrender allowances annually to cover their emissions.
The scheme, launched in 2021, is a key part of the Government’s approach to meeting our climate targets. Revenues from the UK ETS are used to support Government priorities including decarbonisation. The UK ETS Authority, made up of the UK Government and Devolved Governments, continues to develop the scheme to ensure it is achieving its aims, supported by thorough public consultation and assessment of its climate, economic and social impacts.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to advocate for a ban on the presence of fossil fuel lobbyists at future United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conferences of the Parties.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
The changing climate is the greatest long-term global challenge our country faces. The UNFCCC remains the most effective global forum for tackling this crisis.
The UK continues to champion a transparent, inclusive, and effective UNFCCC process that supports enhanced ambition and strengthened implementation of the Paris Agreement and COP outcomes, including the Global Stocktake agreement and the new climate finance goal agreed at COP29.
It is the joint responsibility of the UNFCCC Secretariat, their Presiding officers, and the annually nominated Presidency to uphold the rigorous standards which govern each meeting of the Conference of Parties, reflecting the importance of impartiality.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of proposals to reform the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) process outlined in an open letter published on 15 November by the Club of Rome; and what actions they are taking to improve the (1) process and (2) outcomes for future COPs.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
The changing climate is the greatest long-term global challenge our country faces, and the UNFCCC remains the most effective global forum for tackling climate change. We have seen its successes: the Glasgow Climate Pact, COP28’s Global Stocktake agreement to transitioning away from fossil fuels, the historic climate finance goal agreed at COP29. The UK continues to champion a transparent, inclusive, and effective COP process and is engaged in discussions within the UNFCCC on arrangements for COPs, where we advocate for increased efficiency within the process in a way that supports enhanced ambition and strengthened implementation in line with the science.