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BRIEFING PAPER

Number 8868, 2 April 2020

COP 26: the international Climate Change Conference, Glasgow, UK

By Sara Priestley

Contents: 1. Background 2. UK preparations 3. Commentary and

Parliamentary scrutiny

2 COP 26: the 2020 Climate Change Conference, Glasgow, UK

Contents Summary 3

1. Background 4 1.1 Conference of the Parties 4 1.2 UK / Italy hosts 4 1.3 Lead up to COP26 4

COP25 (2019) 5 1.4 Postponement of COP26 5

2. UK preparations 7 2.1 UK Presidency aims for COP26 7 2.2 Government preparations 7

Budget 2020 9 International climate finance 10

2.3 Nationally Determined Contributions 10 UK Nationally Determined Contribution 10

2.4 Private finance 11 2.5 International conferences in lead up to COP26 12

UK approach to other conferences 12 Interactions between climate change and biodiversity 13 Conference on Biological Diversity 14 Global Ocean Treaty 15 UN Ocean Conference - SDG 14 16

3. Commentary and Parliamentary scrutiny 17 3.1 Commentary 17 3.2 Parliamentary scrutiny 18

Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee 18 Environmental Audit Committee 18 Foreign Affairs Committee 18 Lords EU Committee 19

Contributing Authors: Elena Ares, biodiversity and nature

Cover page image copyright Alok Sharma MP by Alok Sharma MP. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 / image cropped.

3 Commons Library Briefing, 2 April 2020

Summary The UK and Italy will jointly host COP26—the international conference on climate change held every year. The UK will host COP; and Italy will host pre-COP events. According to the UK Government, COP26 will be the largest summit the UK has ever hosted, with over 30,000 delegates, including world leaders, experts, campaigners and government officials.

The conference was scheduled to be held in Glasgow, Scotland from 9-20 November 2020. On 1 April 2020, the UNFCCC, the UK Government and the Italian government announced that COP26 had been postponed due to Covid-19. Dates for a rescheduled conference in 2021 will be announced in due course. The Government press release stated:

Rescheduling will ensure all parties can focus on the issues to be discussed at this vital conference and allow more time for the necessary preparations to take place. We will continue to work with all involved to increase climate ambition, build resilience and lower emissions.

Alok Sharma is the COP26 President alongside his position as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

COP26 was to be held five years after the Paris Agreement was agreed. 2020 is effectively when the Paris Agreement comes into effect and is also the year when Parties to the Paris Agreement are expected to put forward enhanced or updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) as part of the so-called “ratchet” mechanism. NDCs set out each Party’s efforts to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Having previously been part of a joint EU-NDC, the Government has confirmed that the UK will be “bringing forward its own, increased NDC well ahead of COP26”.

The Prime Minister officially launched COP26 on 4 February 2020. Delivering success at COP26 has been described as a “top priority” for the UK Government. Alok Sharma has summarised the UK’s aims for COP26 as follows:

• All countries to submit more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions, committing to further cuts in carbon emissions by 2030.

• All countries to commit to reach net zero emissions as soon as possible.

• Developed countries to honour their commitments, including meeting the 100-billion dollar goal for climate finance.

• Seeking to agree a package which takes forward the Paris Agreement.

4 COP 26: the 2020 Climate Change Conference, Glasgow, UK

1. Background

1.1 Conference of the Parties The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted during the 1992 Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It entered into force in 1994 and has been ratified by 196 States (including both the EU and the UK) which constitute the “Parties” to the Convention. The objective of the Treaty, set out in article 2 of the Convention, is to “stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.”

Every year a Conference of the Parties takes place (known as COPs).1

1.2 UK / Italy hosts The UK and Italy were successful in their joint bid to host COP26. The UK will host COP; and Italy will host pre-COP events. According to the UK Government, COP26 will be the largest summit the UK has ever hosted, with over 30,000 delegates, including world leaders, experts, campaigners and government officials.2

The conference was scheduled to be held in Glasgow, Scotland from 9-20 November 2020. The pre-COP Summit and other preparatory events such as a youth event were to be held in Milan, Italy from 28 September-2 October 2020.3 The new dates for the conference are yet to be announced, but it is expected to be held in 2021 (see more in section 1.4 below).

UK Presidency On 13 February 2020, the Prime Minister appointed Alok Sharma as the COP26 President alongside his position as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.4 This followed the Government’s announcement on 31 January 2020 that former energy and clean growth Minister (Claire O’Neill) would no longer be COP26 President.5

1.3 Lead up to COP26 In December 2015, agreement was reached at COP21 in Paris to keep a global temperature rise this century well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5°C. The Paris Agreement entered into force on November 2016 and 189 Parties have ratified the agreement.6

1 See: UNFCCC pages on Conference of the Parties [accessed 19 March 2020] 2 Gov.uk press release, Alok Sharma appointed COP26 President, 13 February 2020 3 UN Climate Change Conference UK 2020, the UK-Italy Partnership [accessed 11

March 2020] 4 Gov.uk press release, Alok Sharma appointed COP26 President, 13 February 2020 5 Gov.uk press release, An update on the Presidency of UK COP26, 31 January 2020 6 UNFCCC, Paris Agreement – status of ratification [accessed 24 March 2020]

5 Commons Library Briefing, 2 April 2020

COP26 will be held five years after the Paris Agreement was agreed. It is effectively when the Paris Agreement comes into effect. 2020 is also the year when Parties to the Paris Agreement are expected to put forward enhanced or updated Nationally Determined Contributions as part of what is known as the so-called “ratchet” mechanism (see more in section 2.2 below).

There has been a number of key developments since 2015, including the publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related greenhouse gas emissions pathways in 2018.7 The IPCC press release noted that limiting warming to 1.5°C is possible but would require “rapid and far-reaching” transitions across multiple sectors. This report was discussed at COP24 in the same year.

More information on the Paris Agreement and the IPCC Special Report is available in the Library Briefing on the Climate change conference (COP24), Katowice, Poland (9 January 2019).

COP25 (2019) COP25 was held in Madrid, Spain under the Presidency of Chile in December 2019. Its key aim was to finalise the “rulebook” of the Paris Agreement by agreeing rules for carbon markets and other forms of international cooperation. However, the talks did not reach consensus or achieve many of the outcomes that were hoped for, instead pushing decisions into COP26 in the UK. More information on COP25 is available in the Library Briefing Paper on the Chile Madrid climate change conference: COP25 (23 December 2019).

1.4 Postponement of COP26 On 1 April 2020, the UNFCCC, the UK Government and the Italian government announced that COP26 had been postponed due to Covid-19. Dates for a rescheduled conference in 2021 will be announced in due course. The Government press release stated:

Rescheduling will ensure all parties can focus on the issues to be discussed at this vital conference and allow more time for the necessary preparations to take place. We will continue to work with all involved to increase climate ambition, build resilience and lower emissions.8

Following the outbreak of Coronavirus, there were some media reports of a possible delay to COP26.9 On 6 March, the UNFCCC secretariat announced it would not host any further physical meetings until the beginning of May at the earliest.10 The announcement stated that “the

7 IPCC Special Report, Global Warming of 1.5C [accessed 19 March 2020] 8 Gov.uk, COP26 postponement, 1 April 2020 [accessed 2 April 2020] 9 See: Financial Times, Travel clampdown threatens Glasgow climate summit, 18

March 2020 [subscription needed]; The Guardian, COP26: Boris Johnson urged to resist calls to posptone climate talks, 18 March 2020 [accessed 23 March 2020]; Business Green, COP26: Fears frown over UN climate summit amid coronavirus fallout, 17 March 2020 [subscription needed]

10 UNFCCC announcement, Information on the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) – Implications for Meetings, 6 March 2020 [accessed 23 March 2020]

6 COP 26: the 2020 Climate Change Conference, Glasgow, UK

secretariat is now working with the elected officials, members and registered observers of constituted bodies and other mandated events to find suitable alternative arrangements to meetings scheduled during March and April, such as virtual meetings, or postponement.”11

In oral evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 19 March 2020, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Dominic Raab, said whether or not COP26 would be held in November would depend on the trajectory for the Covid-19 outbreak, and that it would be kept under review:

I cannot give you a cast-iron guarantee, because things are moving so quickly. Obviously it is not until November, so we will have to see. We will keep it under close review. We would of course want it to go ahead, but I cannot give you a guarantee.12

11 UNFCCC announcement, Information on the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) –

Implications for Meetings, 6 March 2020 [accessed 23 March 2020] 12 Foreign Affairs Committee, oral evidence on the Work of the Foreign and

Commonwealth Affairs Office, 19 March 2020, HC253, Q36 and Q37; Evening Standard, COP26 climate change talks may be delayed due to coronovirus, government warns, 20 March 2020 [accessed 23 March 2020]

7 Commons Library Briefing, 2 April 2020

2. UK preparations The information in this section of the paper focuses on preparations for the conference itself. For information on the Government’s approach to net zero and other climate change-related policies, please see Box 1 below.

Box 1: Selected library briefings on climate change and decarbonising policy areas

• Library Briefing on Net Zero in the UK (16 December 2019)

• Library Briefing on Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (11 March 2020)

• Library Briefing on Electric vehicles and infrastructure (31 January 2020)

• Library Briefing on Plastic waste (7 January 2020)

• Library Briefing on Housing and net zero (25 February 2020)

• Library Briefing on UK carbon budgets (9 July 2019)

2.1 UK Presidency aims for COP26 Box 2 sets out a summary of the UK’s key aims of COP26 explained by the UK President of COP26 (Alok Sharma) in March 2020.13

Box 2: key aims of COP26

• All countries to submit more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions, committing to further cuts in carbon emissions by 2030.

• All countries to commit to reach net zero emissions as soon as possible

• Developed countries to honour their commitments, including meeting the 100-billion dollar goal for climate finance

• Seeking to agree a package which takes forward the Paris Agreement.

2.2 Government preparations The Government announced on 17 October 2020 that the Prime Minister would chair a new Cabinet Committee on Climate Change to “drive further action across government to protect our environment, reduce emissions and improve air quality”. Amongst other things, the Committee will oversee the UK’s preparations to host COP26.14 In response to a PQ in January 2020, the Prime Minister stated that, in line with the approach by successive governments, information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees is not disclosed.15

13 Gov.uk speech, COP26 President Alok Sharma’s briefing to UN member states,

published 8 March 2020 14 Gov.uk press release, PM to chair new Cabinet Committee on Climate Change, 17

October 2019 15 PQ 224 [on climate change] 7 January 2020

8 COP 26: the 2020 Climate Change Conference, Glasgow, UK

The Prime Minister officially launched COP26 on 4 February 2020.16 Delivering success at COP26 has been described as a “top priority” for the Government.17

A PQ response on 13 February provided the following update regarding preparations for COP26 relating to the negotiations timetable, the budget and the security plans:

[…]

The negotiations timetable for COP26 will be set by the UK, as President of COP26, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat. The timetable will be informed by the outcome of negotiations, including at the intersessional meeting in Bonn in June. Details of the timetable for high level and public events will be announced by the Government in due course.

The UK Government is working closely with the Scottish Government and with operational delivery partners, including Police Scotland and Glasgow City Council, to ensure the successful delivery of COP26 in Glasgow. The security plan for the COP26 venue will be jointly developed and agreed on by the United Nations security team and UK counterparts. Discussions with delivery partners regarding costs for COP26 are ongoing, and final budgets and details are yet to be confirmed.

The UK Government is committed to working with the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive to deliver an ambitious and successful summit for the whole of the UK. Details of Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on GOV.UK. 18

On 6 March, Alok Sharma made his first speech as COP26 President at the UN. He confirmed the meetings he had held in his first three weeks:

In my first 3 weeks as COP26 President I have met with the Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa.

Other former COP Presidents, such as Laurent Fabius.

Civil society organisations.

Corporate leaders and finance executives.

Encouragingly, there has been a strong level of agreement that we must act now to tackle climate change.

[…] permanent representatives of the Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries and others who are on the frontline of climate impacts.19

In relation to the UK’s aims for COP26 he explained:

So, we want all countries to submit more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions, committing to further cuts in carbon emissions by 2030.

16 Gov.uk, PM speech at COP26 Launch, 4 February 2020 17 PQ 20511 [on climate change convention] 2 March 2020 18 HL 1368 [on climate change convention] 13 February 2020 19 Gov.uk speech, COP26 President Alok Sharma’s briefing to UN member states,

published 8 March 2020

9 Commons Library Briefing, 2 April 2020

With all nations committing to reaching net zero emissions as soon as possible.

I want to re-emphasise, this shift must be fair.

The people most affected by climate change are those who have contributed the least and have the fewest resources to adapt.

Developed countries must honour their commitments. Including meeting the 100-billion-dollar goal for climate finance.

At COP26, the world must seek to agree a package which takes forward the Paris Agreement and powers the UN climate process onwards.

We will seek to progress all issues mandated for discussion and I have already heard from many of the countries I have spoken to about their priorities for the negotiations.20

Mr Sharma also highlighted the following areas as needing particular action in 2020:

• Adaptation and resilience to climate change. The governments of UK and Egypt, in partnership with Malawi, Bangladesh, St Lucia, the Netherlands, UNDP and others launced a Call for Action on resilience and adaptation in September 201921

• Nature

• Energy transition

• Accelerating the move towards zero carbon road transport

• Unleashing finance to support the goals of the Paris Agreement

See below for further information and see Box 1 for Library briefings on many of these topics.

The latest information from Government is available on the dedicated Gov.uk COP26 pages.

Budget 2020 Budget 2020 stated:

In the year that the UK hosts the COP26 UN climate summit, the Budget takes steps to decarbonise the economy and protect the UK’s natural habitats, ensuring that every part of the UK economy is ready for the challenges of decarbonisation, and ready to capitalise on the opportunities to become leaders in the green markets of the future.22

Budget 2020 included funding announcements on decarbonising a number of policy areas including: decarbonising power, industry and heat; reducing vehicle pollution; establishing a Nature for Climate Fund; introducing a new plastic packaging tax; and establishing a new carbon capture and storage Infrastructure Fund. See Box 1 for briefings on these topics.

20 Gov.uk speech, COP26 President Alok Sharma’s briefing to UN member states,

published 8 March 2020 21 See: Global Resilience Partnership, UN Climate Action Summit Call to Action:

Resilience and Adaptation Inistiatives, 16 September 2019 [accessed 12 March 2020] 22 HM Treasury, Budget 2020, 11 March 2020

10 COP 26: the 2020 Climate Change Conference, Glasgow, UK

Budget 2020 also stated that “further climate policy measures will follow in the coming months”.23

International climate finance International climate finance (ICF) is a UK Government commitment to support developing countries to respond to the challenges and opportunities of climate change. As part of the Paris Agreement commitment to mobilise $100bn per year in climate finance to developing countries from public and private sources internationally, the UK Government has pledged to provide at least £5.8bn of ICF between 2016 and 2020. More information is available on the Gov.uk pages on International climate finance.

2.3 Nationally Determined Contributions The Paris Agreement requires each Party to prepare, communicate and maintain successive (every five years) nationally determined contributions (NDCs) that it intends to achieve.24 NDCs set out each Party’s efforts to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. More information is available on the UNFCCC pages on nationally determined contributions.

NDCs were first submitted by Parties in 2015. Parties are expected to put forward enhanced or updated NDCs in 2020.

According to Climate Watch: 36 countries have stated their intention to update an NDC by 2020 (including the EU); 107 countries have stated their intention to enhance ambition or action in an NDC by 2020; and four countries have submitted a 2020 NDC.25 The four counties to have submitted a 2020 NDC are: Moldova; Marshall Islands; Norway; and Suriname.26

UK Nationally Determined Contribution The UK is a party to the UNFCCC and has ratified the Paris Agreement separately to the EU. However, the EU has an overall NDC on behalf of its Members States (including the UK), acting jointly.

The following PQ confirms that the UK will be “bringing forward its own, increased NDC well ahead of COP26” following the UK’s departure from the EU:

Following our departure from the EU, the UK will be bringing forward its own, increased NDC well ahead of COP26. The UK NDC will be built on the foundations of well-established UK analysis and policy development for domestic climate change mitigation, used to set the UK’s fifth carbon budget (2028-32) and described in the Clean Growth Strategy. In its Net Zero advice, the Committee on Climate Change was clear that the Clean Growth Strategy continues to offer the right framework for the ambitious action needed to deliver net zero.27

23 HM Treasury, Budget 2020, 11 March 2020, para 1.236 24 Article 4, para 2 25 Climate watch data, 2020 NDC tracker [accessed 12 March 2020] 26 Climate watch data, 2020 NDC tracker [accessed 12 March 2020] 27 PQ 12820 [on climate change] 14 February 2020

11 Commons Library Briefing, 2 April 2020

As discussed further in an Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) blog the timing of the UK’s submission of its own NDC could be critical.28 The UK will be required to submit its own NDC as it will no longer be part of the EU’s NDC, and as host to COP26 there will be additional focus on the UK to show leadership by submitting an early and ambitious NDC.

However, in relation to the UK’s domestic commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050, the Government has yet to set the UK’s sixth carbon budget which will take account of this new target. The Committee on Climate Change will provide its advice to the Government on the sixth carbon budget in September 2020 following which the Government will legislate for the budget, taking into account that advice. As discussed in the ECIU blog, this might not be early enough for the COP26 negotiations:

However, the government can’t know exactly what the net-zero-compatible 2030 number is until the Committee has calculated and published it. But September is far too late to begin using an ambitious NDC as a calling-card to entice other governments to step up. To make matters worse, ministers could prolong the agony by deciding they need to discuss and debate the number and run their own calculations before accepting it.

So as things stand, the UK risks heading into the year, close up to the climate summit and possibly even beyond, asking others to rally behind a ‘climate leadership’ banner while touting an NDC, the most important international measure of leadership, which is demonstrably un-leader-like.29

The impact of the postponement of COP26 on the timing of the submission of NDCs is not yet clear.

Further information on net zero and UK carbon budgets is set out in the Library Briefing Paper on Net Zero in the UK.

2.4 Private finance The former Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, was appointed the Finance Adviser to the Prime Minister for COP26 and UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance on 16 January 2020.30

On 27 February 2020, the Bank of England launched the COP26 agenda to help private finance support the whole economy transition to net zero. The accompanying press release explained:

The objective is that every professional financial decision will need to take climate change into account. The right framework for reporting, risk management and returns will embed these considerations and help finance a whole economy transition. To

28 ECIU, For COP26 credibility, Sharma needs a plan for his plan, 26 February 2020, by

Richard Black, Director 29 ECIU, For COP26 credibility, Sharma needs a plan for his plan, 26 February 2020, by

Richard Black, Director 30 Bank of England, Mark Carney appointed by Prime Minister as finance adviser for

COP26, 16 January 2020 [accessed 23 March 2020]

12 COP 26: the 2020 Climate Change Conference, Glasgow, UK

achieve net zero, every company, bank, insurer and investor will need to adjust their business models for a low carbon world.31

2.5 International conferences in lead up to COP26

There were a number of other key international conferences planned for 2020, including:

• Global Ocean Treaty on biodiviersty and sustainablity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (Postponed. No new date as yet)

• UNFCCC intersessional conference (Bonn, Germany. Postponed until 4-12 October). Information as it comes available will be published on the UNFCCC pages on the Bonn Climate change conference

• UN Ocean Conference High-Level UN Conference to Support the Implementation of SDG 14 (2-6 June in Lisbon, Portugal)

• UN and City of New York Climate Week (New York, USA, 15-30 September)

• 2020 UN Biodiversity Conference (15-28 October 2020, Kunming, Yunnan, China.)

It is not yet known if these conferences will go ahead as scheduled due to the impact of Covid-19. Where postponement has been announced it is noted above. In relation to the 2020 UN Biodivesity conference, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD, the organisers) has said that it is “keeping the situation under review” and “will continue to apply all the science-based guidance and advice that is received from the World Health Organisation, the UN Environment Programme and all relevant national authorities” and will do its best to maintain the momentum of the process.32

UK approach to other conferences As President of COP26, Alok Sharma has stated that the UK will work with other host countries of the UN Oceans Conference and the Conference on Biological Diversity (CBD):

The UN Oceans Conference in Lisbon, the 15th Conference on Biological Diversity hosted by China, and of course COP26, offer an opportunity to bend the curve of greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss.

And we will work with China, the United Nations and others to make sure that these global summits complement and support each other.33

31 Bank of England, COP26 Private Finance Agenda launched, 27 February 2020

[accessed 12 March 2020] 32 CBD press release, Arrangements for meetings of the UN Convention of Biological

Diversity, 17 March 2020 [accessed 23 March 2020] 33 Gov.uk speech, COP26 President Alok Sharma’s briefing to UN member states,

published 8 March 2020

13 Commons Library Briefing, 2 April 2020

Interactions between climate change and biodiversity Writing about climate change and biodiversity loss, the Chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), Sir Robert Watson, stated that we either solve both climate change and biodiversity losss, or we solve neither:

The IPBES assessment has shown the strong interrelationship between climate change, the loss of biodiversity and human wellbeing. Climate change has been identified as a primary driver of biodiversity loss, already altering every part of nature. Likewise, the loss of biodiversity contributes to climate change, for example when we destroy forests we emit carbon dioxide, the major “human-produced” greenhouse gas.

We cannot solve the threats of human-induced climate change and loss of biodiversity in isolation. We either solve both or we solve neither.34

There is a view amongst organisations working on both climate change and biodiversity loss that this year presents an opportunity to bring these two areas of international policy together to increase the benefit of any action in both areas, as set out in an ECIU blog by Bernadette Fischler Hooper, Head of International Advocacy at WWF UK in February 2020:

I call 2020 the ‘super year’ because for nature, and therefore for us humans, this is the year it could all change. International agreements have slowed the rate at which we’re losing nature and slowed the march of climate change. But not enough to stave off the twin crises.

What’s different is that for the first time this year, many in science, politics and civil society are seeing nature loss and climate change as two sides of the same coin and asking what do we need to do to tackle them together.

And there is now a lot of scientific evidence showing that they can and should be tackled together. For example, restoring an eroded peat bog will protect the plants and microbes living in it, and lock carbon back in the ground.

Nature-based solutions to climate change could possibly provide up to a third of the emissions reduction we need to halt global warming.35

As a result of the range of conferences covering climate change, marine and terrestial biodiviersty, the UN Environment Programme has called 2020 the “super year for nature” stating that “nature-based solutions offer the best way to achieve human well-being, tackle climate change and protect our living planet”.36

A February 2020 PQ response set out the Government position as follows:

34 The Guardian, Loss of biodiversity is just as catastrophic as climate change, 6 May

2019 [accessed 19 March 2020] 35 ECIU, 2020: the natural year for climate action, Bernadette Fischler Hooper, 11

February 2020 [accessed 24 March 2020] 36 UNEP, 2020 is a super year for nature and biodiversity, 10 February 2020 [accessed

24 March 2020]

14 COP 26: the 2020 Climate Change Conference, Glasgow, UK

As part of this post-2020 global biodiversity framework, the Government wants to see new targets agreed that are both ambitious and implementable, and it will be important that they are measurable. We recognise the major role nature-based solutions play in climate change mitigation and adaptation and are working to ensure the Convention on Biological Diversity framework and agreements at COP 26 reinforce this message that both need to be tackled together to deliver the necessary step change at the national and global levels.37

For more information on the potential cross over between these two areas see POST note on Climate Change-Biodiveristy interactions (February 2020).

Conference on Biological Diversity In August 2019, HM Treasury commissioned a Review of the Economics of Biodiversity. The Review’s aim is to publish before the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) conference to be held in China in October. It will assess the risks of global biodiversity loss, and “identify actions to enhance biodiversity and deliver economic prosperity” in a similar way to the ground-breaking 2006 Stern Review on climate change.

A March 2020 PQ response set out the Government’s view on the negotiations for the Convention on Biological Diversity, calling for targets that were ambitious, implementable and measurable:

At the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP15, to be held in Kunming, China in October 2020, the 196 Parties to the CBD are set to adopt a post-2020 global biodiversity framework.

The UK is seeking an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework to spur global action, recognising the transformative change needed to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. The Government wants to see new targets agreed that are ambitious, implementable and measurable.

We are proactively engaging in the CBD process in the lead up to CBD COP15. UK officials are currently attending the second CBD Open Ended Working Group in Rome where negotiations on the proposed post-2020 framework are beginning. The UK is holding an extensive program of meetings with member countries to form ongoing working partnerships, to secure agreement for an ambitious post-2020 framework.

Outside of the formal CBD process ministers, officials and our diplomatic network will continue to press to raise ambition and secure ambitious outcomes and delivery, notably with China as the host of CBD COP15.

We are focusing, among other topics, on the contribution of nature-based solutions to climate change mitigation and on effective and supportive communications to spur global ambition in the time leading to CBD COP15. The UK is also leading the Global Ocean Alliance in support of a new global target of protecting at least 30% of the global ocean within Marine Protected Areas by 2030.

The UK-led Global Ocean Alliance is currently made up of 12 countries (Belgium, Belize, Costa Rica, Finland, Gabon, Kenya,

37 PQ 12423 [on UN Convention on Biological Diversity] 11 February 2020

15 Commons Library Briefing, 2 April 2020

Nigeria, Palau, Portugal, Seychelles, Sweden, Vanuatu) and we are proactively lobbying many more countries to join.38

Global Ocean Treaty In addition to the CBD that is due to take place in Ocotober 2020 there are also two ongoing processes focused on protecting ocean biodiversity.

The first is the Intergovernmental Conference on an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea [UNCLOS] on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. This is also being referred to by NGOs as the Global Ocean Treaty. A meeting was due to take place in New York between 23 March and 3 April 2019 but was postponed as a result of Coronavirus.

The discussions will cover Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) which cover more thant two thirds of the world’s oceans as set out by the Global Environment Fund:

Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ), commonly called the high seas, are those areas of ocean for which no one nation has sole responsibility for management. In all, these make up 40 percent of the surface of our planet, comprising 64 percent of the surface of the oceans and nearly 95 percent of its volume.

Urgent action is needed to improve management of many ABNJ fisheries and strengthen protection of related ecosystems. In this way, we can prevent devastating impacts on marine biodiversity, socio-economic well-being and food security for millions of people directly dependent on those fisheries.39

The International Union for Conservation of Nature, of which the UK Government is a member, has a useful webpage on Governing areas beyond national jurisdiction40 setting out what the issues are and what is being considered in the discussions to create a new intenational instrument under UNCLOS to cover ABNJ. The aim will be to address, amongst other issues, how the degradation of biodiversity in ABNJs “affects the ocean’s capacity to provide resources necessary for human survival”.41

The Government set out its position on the proposed agreement in a written response in January 2020, calling it an important step forward in addressing the challenges the ocean faces:

My Department and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have been closely involved in the negotiation of a new Implementing Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction – the BBNJ Agreement - as an important step forward in addressing the challenges that the ocean faces. The UK

38 PQ 20513 [on UN Convention on Biological Diversity] 4 March 2020 39 GEF, Areas Beyond National Jurisdictions [accessed 24 March 2020] 40 IUCN Issues Brief, Governing areas beyond national jurisdiction [accessed 24 March

2020] 41 IUCN Issues Brief, Governing areas beyond national jurisdiction [accessed 24 March

2020]

16 COP 26: the 2020 Climate Change Conference, Glasgow, UK

is pressing for an ambitious Agreement to be concluded in 2020. It will be a key mechanism in enabling the designation of at least 30 per cent of the global ocean as Marine Protected Areas by 2030.42

UN Ocean Conference - SDG 14 The High-Level UN Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 on life below water, also called the Ocean Conference, is scheduled to take place in Lisbon in June 2020. The themes for the conference were announced in February 2020 and include the aim of protecting biodiversity, and preventing ocean acidification caused by climate change. There are eight themes in total:

• addressing marine pollution;

• managing, protecting, conserving and restoring marine and coastal ecosystems;

• minimizing and addressing ocean acidification, deoxygenation and ocean warming;

• making fisheries sustainable and providing access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets;

• promoting and strengthening sustainable ocean-based economies, in particular for small island developing States (SIDS) and least developed countries (LDCs);

• increasing scientific knowledge and developing research capacity and transfer of marine technology;

• enhancing the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law, as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); and

• leveraging interlinkages between SDG 14 (life below water) and other Goals towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.43

42 PQ 8343 [on Seas and Oceans: Treaties] 30 January 2020 43 IIED, Co-Facilitators Announce Themes for 2020 UN Ocean Conference, 20 February

2020

17 Commons Library Briefing, 2 April 2020

3. Commentary and Parliamentary scrutiny

3.1 Commentary The Committee on Climate Change wrote to the Prime Minister following the election urging action on climate change and stating that as hosts of COP26, the steps the UK takes “in the next 12 months will also have a lasting global impact”.44

An Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit blog argues that the approach of the host government and its Prime Minister is absolutely key to the success of the conference:

By common consent, there are two things his government has to get right to deliver a summit outcome that meets the demands of science and public opinion: diplomacy and leadership.

‘Diplomacy’ to build the international alliances we’ll need to advance against the regressive forces of Trumpism and the Gulf petrostates; and leadership, because if we’re asking the rest of the world to come with us on the journey to a net zero future, we have to show that the UK genuinely is making the journey.45

When she was President of COP26, Claire O’Neill was reported to say that the UK had “one shot” at making the conference a success, going on to tell a BBC documentary that if Glasgow fails, people will question the whole UN approach.46

An FT opinion piece in early February noted that “COP26 offers post-Brexit Britain a chance to lead the world in climate change, boost our science base and enhance our reputation” but flagged that, following the departure of Claire O’Neill as President and widely reported clashes between the UK and Scottish governments, the UK had instead “descended into petty squabbling”.47

In response to Budget 2020, environmental campaigners said that the Chancellor had missed a key opportunity to show leadership ahead of the conference. COP26 director of the Climate Coalition, Ed Matthew, was reported to comment:

This budget fails to put the UK on track to net-zero emissions, which is a major concern ahead of COP26

If the UK cannot get its own house in order it is at risk of crashing the climate talks before they have begun.48

44 CCC, Letter to Prime Minister Johnson, 18 December 2019 [accessed 20 March

2020] 45 ECIU, For a good Glasgow outcome, get net zero done, 6 February 2020, Paul

McNamee (head of Politics, Green Alliance) 46 BBC News, Climate change: UK has ‘one shot’ at success at Glasgow COP26, 27

January 2020 [accessed 12 March 2020] 47 Financial Times, With COP26, Britain has a change to take the lead on climate

change, Camilla Cavendish, 7 February 2020 [subscription only] 48 The Guardian, Budget: missed chance to lead on climate crisis, Fiona Harvey, 11

March 2020 [accessed 20 March 2020]

18 COP 26: the 2020 Climate Change Conference, Glasgow, UK

Fatima Ibrahim, co-executive director of Green New Deal UK was reported to comment:

Ahead of COP26 we were hoping today would see a credible and comprehensive plan set out for how the British economy could reach net-zero as soon as possible. Instead, it’s been pushed back – an indication of how seriously this government is taking the climate crisis.49

Other commentary, such as an article in the New Scientist, highlighted that with the UK hosting COP26 in November, Budget 2020 had a focus on cutting carbon emissions.50 The new measures were also welcomed by the Committee on Climate Change as a “small step in the right direction”.51

3.2 Parliamentary scrutiny The following Parliamentary select committees have announced inquiries or scrutiny relating to COP26.

Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Select Committee launched an inquiry on net zero and the COP26 summit on 6 March 2020, with its first evidence session scheduled to be with former President of COP26, Claire O’Neill.

The BEIS Committee summarise the inquiry as follows:

[the] inquiry on net zero will run for the duration of this Parliament, initially focussing on scrutiny of the Government’s preparations for November’s UN climate summit (COP 26) in Glasgow. The Committee’s work on net zero is also likely to include regular evidence hearings with BEIS Ministers and follow-up sessions on events such as the Committee on Climate Change’s annual Progress Report on the actions needed to meet UK emissions targets.52

More information is available on the BEIS Committee webpages.

Environmental Audit Committee The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) held a one-off evidence session on the UK’s preparedness to host COP26 on 13 March 2020.53

Foreign Affairs Committee The Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) launched an environmental diplomacy inquiry on 3 March 2020. The Committee heard evidence on 10 March on the importance of COP26 and how the UK can ensure it is a success.54

49 The Guardian, Budget: missed chance to lead on climate crisis, Fiona Harvey, 11

March 2020 [accessed 20 March 2020] 50 See: New Scientist, Budget 2020: UK pledges cash to tackle coronavirus and climate

change, 11 March 2020[accessed 23 March 2020] 51 CCC, Climate change measures in Budget 2020 a small step in the right direction,

11 March 2020 52 BEIS, Committee launches inquiry on COP26 and net zero, 6 March 2020 53 EAC, UK’s preparedness to host COP26 examined, 13 March 2020 54 FAC, Oral evidence: environmental diplomacy, HC 202, 10 March 2020

19 Commons Library Briefing, 2 April 2020

More information is available on the FAC inquiry webpages.

Lords EU Committee Five House of Lords sub-committees55 together examined some of the ways climate change will affect specific policy areas, and what action the Government is taking to prepare for COP26. Each of the EU sub-committees held evidence sessions including as follows:

• EU energy and environment sub-committee: hearing evidence on international carbon markets;56

• EU internal market sub-committee: hearing evidence on the level playing field and state aid;57

• EU external affairs sub-committee: hearing evidence on how climate change is affecting developing countries, and what actions government should take;58

• EU financial affairs sub-committee: hearing evidence from Mark Carney, the Finance Adviser to the Prime Minister for COP26 and UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance;59 and

• EU home affairs sub-committee: hearing evidence on how climate change is affecting migration.60

See the Lords Committees inquiry page on Climate change and COP26 for further information.

55 EU energy and environment sub-committee; EU internal market sub-committee; EU

external affairs sub-committee; EU financial affairs sub-committee; and EU home affairs sub-committee

56 EU energy and environment sub-committee, uncorrected oral evidence: climate change and COP 26, 11 March 2020

57 EU internal market sub-committee, uncorrected oral evidence: the level playing field and state aid, 12 March 2020

58 EU external affairs sub-committee, How is climate change affecting developing countries and what action should the government take?, 12 March 2020

59 EU financial affairs sub-committee, Mark Carney questioned on green finance and COP26, 13 March 2020

60 EU home affairs sub-committee, Climate change experts meet to discuss impact on migration, 11 March 2020

BRIEFING PAPER Number 8868 2 April 2020

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