Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the impact of commercial fishing is planned to be on the agenda at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties.

As incoming president of COP26 in partnership with Italy, the UK is committed to showcasing ambitious action on climate change and inspiring others to do the same. We are placing a priority on Nature at COP26, championing the protection, restoration and sustainable use of marine ecosystems, to improve the ocean’s resilience to climate change and support the restoration of habitats critical for adaptation.

The agenda for COP26 will be based on mandates agreed at previous COPs. We are committed to enabling progress across all the mandates we have been given, and to securing an outcome that respects and reflects the interests of all Parties, including the poorest and most climate vulnerable. This includes the outcomes from the Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue, mandated at COP25 in Decision 1/CP.25.

Looking beyond COP26, we will use our status as a newly independent coastal State to expand and enhance our international efforts to sustainably manage fisheries, protect ecosystems and combat illegal fishing.