Oral Answers to Questions

Mark Pawsey Excerpts

Tuesday 20th July 2021 Commons Chamber

[Steve Double (St Austell and Newquay) (Con)]

What diplomatic steps his Department is taking with its counterparts in G7 countries to tackle global climate change challenges.

[Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con)]

What diplomatic steps his Department is taking to promote international co-operation on tackling climate change.

[Ian Levy (Blyth Valley) (Con)]

What diplomatic steps his Department is taking to promote international co-operation on tackling climate change.

--- Later in debate ---

[James Duddridge]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right: tackling climate change and biodiversity loss will require a global effort. We are asking all countries to agree ambitious nationally determined contributions that align with net zero and to invest in policies that will phase out coal, which will turn these targets into a reality. We have already made great progress, as has been seen by last month’s first ever net zero G7, which I believe he part-hosted.

[Mark Pawsey]

We have already heard this morning about emissions from China. Following up on the point from my hon. Friend the Member for St Austell and Newquay (Steve Double), I should say that China generates 60% of its electricity from coal, which compares with a figure of just 2% in the UK. As well as being a major contributor to global climate change, that gives Chinese manufacturers a competitive advantage, because it makes their energy costs lower. What discussions have been held with the Chinese authorities to encourage them to speed up their transition to carbon free sources of energy?

[James Duddridge]

The Foreign Secretary raised this issue with Wang Yi, and at the US climate leaders’ summit President Xi made the commitment that China would reduce its coal use. That is a positive sign, but more information is needed, so we look forward to hearing more about how China will strictly control and then reduce coal consumption, to make sure that its commitments are Paris-compatible.