Oral Answers to Questions

Johanna Baxter Excerpts

Tuesday 17th December 2024 Commons Chamber

[Dr Roz Savage (South Cotswolds) (LD)]

11. Whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on nature-based solutions to help tackle climate change.

[Johanna Baxter (Paisley and Renfrewshire South) (Lab)]

25. Whether he is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to support nature-based solutions to climate change.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Kerry McCarthy)]

We know that nature-based solutions have a key role to play in climate mitigation and keeping to 1.5°C at home and abroad. I have met the Minister for Nature, my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry East (Mary Creagh), and the Government have appointed two special representatives for climate and for nature, who will be working closely together too.

[Kerry McCarthy]

We are not convinced that the Bill is necessary as a well-developed legislative framework with legally binding targets is already in place, including, of course, the Climate Change Act 2008 and the carbon budgets. However, I appreciate the action on both climate and nature and the hon. Member’s commitment to both. I believe that our offices are already trying to find a date for us to meet.

[Johanna Baxter]

My constituency of Paisley and Renfrewshire South is home to the beautiful RSPB Lochwinnoch nature reserve. In addition to supporting our biodiversity, the reserve serves as a natural carbon sink. Globally, wetlands hold approximately 20% to 30% of the Earth’s soil carbon despite covering only 5% of the land surface. Will the Minister outline how the Department is integrating wetland and peatland restoration into its strategy for meeting the UK’s carbon capture and storage targets?