Oral Answers to Questions

Caroline Lucas Excerpts

Wednesday 1st December 2021 Commons Chamber

The President of COP26 was asked—

[Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion) (Green)]

1. What steps he plans to take to help ensure that COP27 delivers finance for loss and damage.

[Christine Jardine (Edinburgh West) (LD)]

10. Whether he plans to have discussions with the President of COP27 on continuing negotiations for a loss and damage facility.

[The COP26 President (Alok Sharma)]

COP26 was the first COP where a section of the cover decisions was devoted to loss and damage. We agreed a new Glasgow dialogue on loss and damage, which will discuss the arrangements for the funding of activities to avert, minimise and address loss and damage.

[Caroline Lucas]

The COP26 President will know of the extraordinary anger and sense of betrayal that was felt by the climate-vulnerable countries, in particular, when they saw the finance facility that they had proposed downgraded to just a dialogue. Will he say more about how practically he will use that dialogue to create momentum for a finance facility to be agreed at COP27? Given that from day one of that COP, the UK returns to being a negotiating party, not having the presidency, will he guarantee that the Government will support the creation of that facility in Egypt and that they will follow Scotland’s example by contributing new and additional funding specifically for loss and damage?

[Alok Sharma]

I note the hon. Lady’s point, but the fact that we have established a formal dialogue on loss and damage for the first time does demonstrate progress. Ultimately, this will be a party-driven process, as she knows. Parties will have to decide, based on consensus, what the outcome of the dialogue will be.