UK Inquiry Tracker

Net zero and UN climate summits

Business and Trade Committee Closed Inquiry

Opened: 6 Mar 2020 Closed: 17 May 2021 Parliament page

The BEIS Committee has launched a standing inquiry on the UK’s ‘Net Zero’ target and the UN Climate Summits. The Committee expects this inquiry to run for the duration of this Parliament. It will consider issues including: Progress in delivering the UK’s 2050 net zero target; Progress in cutting emissions … Read more The BEIS Committee has launched a standing inquiry on the UK’s ‘Net Zero’ target and the UN Climate Summits. The Committee expects this inquiry to run for the duration of this Parliament. It will consider issues including: Progress in delivering the UK’s 2050 net zero target; Progress in cutting emissions to meet the UK’s five-yearly Carbon Budgets; The role of BEIS in leading climate change mitigation policy across Government; The potential role of business and industry in the net zero agenda; Preparations for the 2021 Climate Summit in Glasgow, and the UK’s performance as Summit host; The ongoing role of the UK in international climate talks and initiatives to tackle climate change. Background On 27 June 2019 the UK’s ‘Net Zero’ target came into force, setting a new goal to reduce the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 100% (compared to 1990 levels) by 2050. The Net Zero target replaces the UK’s previous goal to reduce UK emissions by 80% by 2050, established by the Climate Change Act 2008. The net zero target aligns UK legislation with the ambitions of the Paris Agreement, as agreed by the world’s nations at the 2015 UN Climate Summit (COP21). The Paris Agreement sets an aim to limit global temperature rise to "well below 2°C" above pre-industrial levels and to "pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C". In September 2019 the UK was awarded the Presidency of the next UN Climate Summit (COP26), in partnership with Italy. The Summit will now take place in Glasgow in November 2021. Calls for evidence The Committee is working with the Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology (POST) on a survey of priorities for COP26, the results of which will feed into this inquiry. As part of this exercise POST is also creating a database of COP26 experts. This is an invitation to anyone with expertise in areas relating to COP26 to provide feedback. For more information and to take the survey please visit https://post.parliament.uk/horizon-scanning/cop26-expert-database/ . Show less

7 Recommendations

7 Conclusions

1 Report

6 Oral sessions

29 Letters

8 Events

Activity timeline 45 events

1 Mar
2022

Correspondence

Letter from German Bundestag Member Dr. Lukas Köhler on climate scrutiny

1 Mar
2022

Correspondence

Letter from the Brazilian Senate's Foreign Affairs and National Defence Committee on climate scrutiny

1 Mar
2022

Correspondence

Letter from the Environment Committee of the New Zealand Parliament on climate scrutiny

1 Mar
2022

Correspondence

Letter from the Australian Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee on climate scrutiny

1 Mar
2022

Correspondence

Letter from the German Bundestag CDU/CSU parliamentary group on climate scrutiny

13 Jan
2022

Correspondence

Letter from the COP President on UK reporting to the UNFCCC

15 Sep
2021

Correspondence

Letter from the COP President Designate on the role of business, the public and civil society at COP26

26 Jul
2021

Correspondence

Letter from the Chair to the COP26 President-Designate on participation at COP26 and the role of business

13 Jul
2021

Correspondence

Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Education in response to their reply on climate change in education

8 Jul
2021

Correspondence

Letter from the UK Net Zero Business Champion relating to UK business participation in the Race to Zero

24 Jun
2021

Correspondence

Letter from the Secretary of State for Education in relation to climate education

23 Jun
2021

Oral evidence

Committee on COP26: The role of business at COP26 and preparations in Glasgow

Oral evidence sessions 6 sessions

23 Jun 2021

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Committee on COP26: The role of business at COP26 and preparations in Glasgow

Andrew Griffith MP · COP26 Matt Toombs · COP26 Unit, Cabinet Office Nigel Topping · COP26

27 Apr 2021

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Oral evidence session; Oral evidence

Anna Brown · Teach the Future Emily Hickson · We Mean Business Jamie Clarke · Climate Outreach Jamie Peters · Friends of the Earth Josh Tregale · Teach the Future Michelle McGinty · Glasgow City Council Miranda Barker · British Chamber of Commerce Sam Peacock · SSE Stephanie Maier · ClimateAction100+

19 Jan 2021

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Oral evidence session; Oral evidence

Archie Young · Cabinet Office Ashley Ibbett · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Joanna Whittington · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Jo Shanmugalingam · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Peter Hill · Cabinet Office Ros Eales · Cabinet Office Rt Hon Alok Sharma · Cabinet Office Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

12 Jan 2021

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Energy White Paper; Oral evidence

Chris Stark · Committee on Climate Change Deirdre Michie OBE · Oil and Gas UK Emma Pinchbeck · Energy UK Frank Aaskov · Manufacturers' Climate Change Group Frank Aaskov · UK Steel Nina Skorupska CBE · The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Richard Leese · Mineral Products Association Richard Woolley · Chemical Industries Association Sam French · Decarbonised Gas Alliance

1 Dec 2020

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COP and Net Zero; Oral evidence

Claire O'Neill · World Business Council for Sustainable Development Dr Emily Shuckburgh OBE · Cambridge Zero, University of Cambridge Dr Jennifer Allan · University of Cardiff Farhana Yamin · Track 0 Pete Betts · Chatham House

2 Jul 2020

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Net zero and UN Climate Summits; Committee on Climate Change; Business and Energy Representatives

Andrew Large · Energy Intensive Users Group Eliot Whittington · Prince of Wales Corporate Leaders Group James Diggle · Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Jim Skea · Just Transition Commission Jim Watson · Climate Assembly UK Mike Thompson · Committee on Climate Change Sarah Allan · Involve The Baroness Brown of Cambridge DBE FREng FRS · Committee on Climate Change The Rt Hon. the Lord Deben · Committee on Climate Change

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Third Report - Net Zero and UN Climate Summits: Scrutiny of Prep…	HC 1265	5 Mar 2021	14	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

14 results

1 Recommendation

Third Report - Net Zero and UN Cli…

We welcome the Government’s headline ambitions for COP26 but note that no details have yet...

We welcome the Government’s headline ambitions for COP26 but note that no details have yet been provided on how success will be measured against each of these goals. We recommend that the headline ambitions be expanded to a clear list … Read more

Department for Business and Trade

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2 Conclusion

Third Report - Net Zero and UN Cli…

We welcome the assurances from the COP26 President on the level of resourcing that is...

We welcome the assurances from the COP26 President on the level of resourcing that is available to the COP26 Unit. It is vital that, as the largest summit ever organised in the UK and a critical event in the global … Read more

Government Response

3. In the Written Ministerial Statement that was laid in the House on 18 March the Government set out clearly the goals of the UK Presidency for a successful COP26. … Read more

Department for Business and Trade

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3 Recommendation

We recommend that the COP26 President work closely with the Leader of the House to align the autumn recess with one of the COP26 weeks in November. We note that Net zero and UN climate summits: Scrutiny of Preparations for … Read more

Department for Business and Trade

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9 Recommendation

Third Report - Net Zero and UN Cli…

The inclusion of backbench Members within the UK’s COP26 delegation would widen access to UK...

The inclusion of backbench Members within the UK’s COP26 delegation would widen access to UK parliamentarians on a cross-party basis in the year of the UK’s Presidency. We recommend that the Government follows the precedent set by previous COP Presidencies, … Read more

Department for Business and Trade

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10 Recommendation

Third Report - Net Zero and UN Cli…

We welcome the assurances that public health is a priority for the COP26 Unit, while...

We welcome the assurances that public health is a priority for the COP26 Unit, while acknowledging the challenges presented by continuing uncertainties. We recommend that the UK Government engages on this issue constructively with the Scottish Government. The Government should … Read more

Department for Business and Trade

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11 Recommendation

Third Report - Net Zero and UN Cli…

We welcome the stated aim of delivering an in-person summit and agree that this would...

We welcome the stated aim of delivering an in-person summit and agree that this would allow for the most effective engagement with the widest number of countries— particularly those most at risk of climate impacts. However, the Government must also … Read more

Department for Business and Trade

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12 Conclusion

Third Report - Net Zero and UN Cli…

We ask that the COP26 President sets out how the conference procedures will be adjusted...

We ask that the COP26 President sets out how the conference procedures will be adjusted to reflect the possibility that delegations from certain countries (where, for example, covid vaccination roll out has been slower or where new variants of the … Read more

Government Response

14. The COP26 President is liaising with colleagues in Government and the Leader of the House will inform the House in due course on recess dates.

Department for Business and Trade

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13 Recommendation

Third Report - Net Zero and UN Cli…

We welcome the Government’s decision to accept the CCC’s advice on the level of the...

We welcome the Government’s decision to accept the CCC’s advice on the level of the UK’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution. In the year of the UK’s COP26 Presidency this sends the right signal about the Government’s commitment to domestic climate … Read more

Department for Business and Trade

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14 Conclusion

Third Report - Net Zero and UN Cli…

We further encourage the Government to follow the advice of the CCC in engaging with...

We further encourage the Government to follow the advice of the CCC in engaging with the public and other stakeholders early to ensure that necessarily detailed delivery plans accompany legislative targets in a timely fashion, building in the considerations of … Read more

Government Response

14. The COP26 President is liaising with colleagues in Government and the Leader of the House will inform the House in due course on recess dates.

Department for Business and Trade

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Correspondence 29 letters

1 Mar 2022 To committee Letter from German Bundestag Member Dr. Lukas Köhler on climate scrutiny

Parliament page

1 Mar 2022 To committee Letter from the Brazilian Senate's Foreign Affairs and National Defence Committee on climate scrutiny

Parliament page

1 Mar 2022 To committee Letter from the Environment Committee of the New Zealand Parliament on climate scrutiny

Parliament page

1 Mar 2022 To committee Letter from the Australian Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee on climate scrutiny

Parliament page

1 Mar 2022 To committee Letter from the German Bundestag CDU/CSU parliamentary group on climate scrutiny

Parliament page

13 Jan 2022 To committee Letter from the COP President on UK reporting to the UNFCCC

Parliament page

15 Sep 2021 To committee Letter from the COP President Designate on the role of business, the public and civil society at COP26

Parliament page

26 Jul 2021 To committee Letter from the Chair to the COP26 President-Designate on participation at COP26 and the role of business

Parliament page

13 Jul 2021 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Education in response to their reply on climate change in education

Parliament page

8 Jul 2021 To committee Letter from the UK Net Zero Business Champion relating to UK business participation in the Race to Zero

Parliament page

24 Jun 2021 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State for Education in relation to climate education

Parliament page

17 May 2021 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State on preparations for COP26

Parliament page

14 May 2021 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Education relating to climate change in education

Parliament page

5 Feb 2021 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State to the Chair clarifying statements made to the Committee during the Net zero and UN climate summits session on 19th January 2021

Parliament page

21 Jan 2021 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State to the Chair responding to the Committee’s Fourth Special Report: COP26: Principles and priorities

Parliament page

23 Dec 2020 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State to the Chair regarding the UK's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)

Parliament page

23 Dec 2020 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State to the Chair regarding the publication of the Energy White Paper

Parliament page

4 Dec 2020 To committee Letter from the Convenor of the Scottish Parliament's Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee to the Chair regarding engagement with COP26

Parliament page

4 Dec 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Convenor of the Scottish Parliament's Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee regarding engagement with COP26

Parliament page

26 Nov 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State on the Committee's Special Report: COP26:Principles and priorites - a POST survey of expert views

Parliament page

25 Nov 2020 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State on the launch of the Government’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution

Parliament page

23 Apr 2020 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State on COP26

Parliament page

16 Apr 2020 To committee Letter from Minister on CCUS

Parliament page

16 Apr 2020 To committee Letter from Minister on plug-in car grants

Parliament page

16 Apr 2020 To committee Letter from Minister on budget

Parliament page

19 Mar 2020 To committee Letter from Chair to Kwasi Kwarteng MP on energy efficiency

Parliament page

19 Mar 2020 To committee Letter from Chair to Kwasi Kwarteng on CCS

Parliament page

19 Mar 2020 To committee Letter from Chair to Nadhim Zawahi on EVs

Parliament page

3 Mar 2020 From committee Letter to the Prime Minister on COP26 dated February 4 2020

Parliament page