Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the Government's aims are for the forthcoming Paris Climate Summit; and if she will make a statement.

The Government is committed to securing an ambitious, legally binding, global deal on climate change at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP) 21 in Paris in December.

The UK is working with other countries to secure ambitious mitigation commitments from all parties that together keep the global goal of limiting global warming to below 2°C within reach. We also want an agreement that includes a regular review of targets to increase ambition over time, a global long term goal and a robust, legally binding rules framework to ensure transparency and accountability of commitments to help the world track progress, improve competitiveness and provide business certainty.

It will also be important that the Agreement supports the most vulnerable countries to build climate resilience. I am pleased that my rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced a significant uplift in funding through the International Climate Fund (ICF) providing at least £5.8 billion over the next five years. This complements commitments from other countries such as France and Germany and should help build momentum for climate action beyond Paris.

However, there remains a lot of work to do and we are working closely with international counterparts to help secure an ambitious deal.

Following the outcome in Paris, my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State will lay a statement in the House.