Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many and what proportion of UK diplomats have been directly tasked with encouraging strong Nationally Determined Contributions from countries participating in COP 26 in November 2021.

Tackling climate change in collaboration with international partners is a high priority for this government, and COP26 will require a whole-of-government effort, including strong diplomatic engagement. All Heads of Mission have been instructed by the Foreign Secretary to make climate change a top priority and, supported by around 180 diplomatic staff in embassies around the world, four regional COP26 ambassadors and the 24 staff in the Climate Diplomacy Team in FCO, encouraging strong Nationally Determined Contributions from countries is a major part of that work.