Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the recommendation on page 26 of the Committee on Climate Change's 2020 Progress Report to Parliament, published in June 2020, what plans he has to develop a plan to address the scale of climate risk that the UK faces from climate change overseas.

Climate change is one of the most urgent and pressing challenges we face today. The UK is committed to tackling climate change, which is why we bid to host COP26 in Glasgow in partnership with Italy. COP 26 must persuade a domestic and global audience that the zero carbon economy is the growth story of the next ten years, that this transition is irreversible and accelerating, and that it will be fair and inclusive. As the first country to legislate to end our contribution to global warming, the UK is leading by example as a global force for good.

COP26 is an international priority for FCO. The FCO is contributing to a strongly coordinated cross-Government approach to ensure ambitious climate action across the world, which protects the most vulnerable, while also addressing the scale of climate risk that the UK faces from climate change overseas. The FCO and Cabinet Office COP Unit are well integrated to ensure a coherent, well-coordinated diplomatic effort. The FCO has also recently appointed four Regional Ambassadors to support global engagement. The UK has c180 diplomats engaged globally on climate issues and FCO Climate and Energy Attaché Network has expanded by 50 local staff in FY19/20 to help deliver COP26.

Through this extensive diplomatic effort, bilateral and multilateral fora, working with governments, businesses, and civil societies, we are calling for all countries to: enhance greenhouse gas emissions reduction commitments (known as "Nationally Determined Contributions"); and bring forward long-term climate strategies. We are also seeking to deliver campaigns on Adaptation and Resilience, Nature, Energy Transition, Zero Emissions Vehicles, and Finance.