Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether at the UN General Assembly the Government discussed the open letter to participating nations from scientists and academics calling on governments to negotiate a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty for the managed global phase out of coal, oil and gas published on 13 September; and if he she make a statement.

On 31 March 2021, the UK Government implemented its new, world leading policy to no longer provide new direct financial or promotional support for the fossil fuel energy sector overseas. At the G7 Leader’s Summit in June, leaders agreed to phase out new direct government support for international carbon-intensive fossil fuel energy as soon as possible, and to end new direct government support for unabated international thermal coal power generation by the end of 2021.

The UK, as COP26 President, welcomes President Xi’s announcement at the UN General Assembly that China will stop building coal fired power projects abroad and increase support for renewable energy in developing countries, and the Republic of Korea’s April commitment to end its international public finance for coal power plants.