The Chancellor is in regular contact with the Prime Minister on a range of issues.<\/p>
<\/p>
The UK is committed to tackling climate change and we are a world leader in clean growth. That is why last week the Government began to legislate for a net zero emissions target by 2050. The UK is the first major economy to put such a target in legislation.<\/p>
<\/p>
At the same time, the Chancellor has accepted the recommendation of the Committee on Climate Change to conduct a Review into the costs of decarbonisation. This will be the world\u2019s first comprehensive review by a finance ministry into the costs of transitioning to a net zero economy. The Review will consider how to achieve this transition in a way that works for households, businesses and public finances, as well as the implications for UK competitiveness.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4320", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Robert Jenrick"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newark"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robert Jenrick"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-18T15:20:00.313Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Climate Change"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2019 to Question 261071, whether the Chancellor wrote to the Prime Minister on the cost of a net zero climate change policy.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/62", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Alan Whitehead"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Southampton, Test"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Alan Whitehead"} ], "uin" : "264291"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132090", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132090/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
On 12 June, the UK announced that we will end our contribution to the most serious environmental challenge we face - climate change, by legislating the introduction of a net zero emission target for 2050, following the Committee on Climate Change\u2019s advice. We are one of the first major economies in the world to legislate for a net zero target. Meeting this target will require us to build on the progress already made, by further reducing emissions across all sectors of the economy.<\/p>
<\/p>
Forests are vital in the fight against climate change and we are determined to grow woodland cover. The Government is delivering on a range of afforestation commitments including contributing £5.7M to kick start planting in the Northern Forest, £10 million for trees in towns and cities through the Urban Tree Challenge Fund and £50 million for new woodland through the Woodland Carbon Guarantee. There is now guidance to ensure better recognition of the wider natural capital benefits that trees can provide and we have just reappointed our Tree Champion for a further year to continue to lead engagement on a new England tree strategy, which we will consult on later this year.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Committee for Climate Change\u2019s recent report recognises the work we have done to lay the foundations to build a net zero economy. The Committee\u2019s indicative recommendations on tree planting are ambitious, and we know we need to go further and faster to plant more trees.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4033", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for David Rutley"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Macclesfield"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "David Rutley"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-18T12:43:20.693Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Climate Change"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to his Oral Statement of 12 June 2019, Official Report, column 661, what reafforestation programme the Government plans to adopt to reach net zero by 2050; and whether that programme will implement the recommendation of the Committee for Climate Change on planting 30,000 hectares of trees each year.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/478", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birkenhead"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Frank Field"} ], "uin" : "264330"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131901", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131901/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Research into Solar Radiation Management (SRM) technologies was commissioned by the Department of Energy and Climate Change and published in peer-reviewed scientific journals; references are given in our published position statement, attached.<\/p>
<\/p>
We did not commission further research because the next logical step was to do similar studies with different climate models run by institutions in other countries. This has been taken forward by the World Climate Research Programme\u2019s Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project (GeoMIP), which has served to coordinate SRM simulations across international modelling groups. Results from this project indicate that there are still large uncertainties in the effectiveness of SRM and its potential wider impacts on the environment. This work is ongoing and the Government maintains an interest in its outputs.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2616", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Henley"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Henley"} , "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131901/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "SRM position statement_attachment.docx"} , "title" : "SRM technologies statement"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-18T16:43:18.137Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Climate Change"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 17 April (HL15076), whether they will publish any advice they have received about solar radiation management (SRM) technologies having clear winners and losers; whether they will publish the reasons for their decision to cease research into SRM technologies; whether they intend to review that decision; and if so, when.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4286", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Mendelsohn"} ], "uin" : "HL16319"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131902", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131902/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The priority of the UK Government is to tackle the root cause of climate change by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities and adapting to those impacts that are unavoidable. We are aware of independent existing efforts to increase cooperation and governance of research into solar radiation management technologies, such as the Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative and the \u2018Oxford Principles\u2019 for the governance of geoengineering. We have not formally assessed the risk that lack of plans may lead to unilateral deployment without international consent.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2616", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Henley"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Henley"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-26T12:03:46.987Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Climate Change"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 17 April (HL15077), why they do not have any plans to increase global cooperation and governance of research on, and the use of, solar radiation management technologies; and what assessment, if any, they have made of the risk of that lack of plans leading to unilateral deployment without international consent", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4286", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Mendelsohn"} ], "uin" : "HL16320"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131903", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131903/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Whilst the UK was supportive of the objectives of the Swiss proposal, and worked with them to try and help them find an acceptable text, given the complexity of the issue and a lack of common ground between UNEA member states at UNEA-4 it was not possible to find a compromise text at that time.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4161", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Gardiner of Kimble"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-25T15:48:23.2Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Climate Change"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they supported the resolution on improving solar radiation management governance recently put before the UN Environment Assembly by Switzerland, before that resolution was dropped.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4286", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Mendelsohn"} ], "uin" : "HL16321"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131411", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131411/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government fully recognises the urgency of acting on climate change.<\/p>
<\/p>
I am pleased to confirm that on 12th June, the Government laid draft legislation to set a new net zero greenhouse gas emissions target for the UK, to be delivered by 2050. This world-leading target will bring to an end our contribution to climate change. We already have a strong foundation of action and leadership to build from, having cut our emissions by 42% since 1990 while growing the economy by 72%. And we are providing at least £5.8bn of international climate finance between 2016 and 2020 to help developing countries mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change, reduce deforestation and pursue clean economic growth.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4021", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Skidmore"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingswood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Skidmore"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-17T10:03:19.983Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Climate Change"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department has taken in response to the motion agreed by the House of Commons on 1 May 2019 declaring a climate emergency.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4638", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Slough"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"} ], "uin" : "263254"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130988", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130988/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
I am pleased to confirm that on 12th June, the Government laid draft legislation to set a new net zero greenhouse gas emissions target for the UK, to be delivered by 2050. This world-leading target will bring to an end our contribution to climate change. Already we have made great progress \u2013 since 1990 we have reduced our emissions by 42% while growing our economy by 72%.<\/p>
<\/p>
Delivering a net zero target must be a joint endeavour, crossing political boundaries, and encompassing all parts of society. To date, 128 Councils in the UK (including dependencies and territories) have declared a climate emergency with several also setting a target for net zero carbon emissions by 2030.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4021", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Skidmore"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingswood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Skidmore"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-18T16:49:17.177Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Climate Change"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which local authorities have (a) declared a climate emergency and (b) resolved to go carbon net zero emissions by 2030.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/252", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr David Drew"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stroud"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr David Drew"} ], "uin" : "262224"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128614", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128614/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The concept of rewilding has a variety of characteristics and definitions applied to the term. Nature-based solutions are key to tackling climate change and averting its impacts. The Government is deploying such solutions to improve our natural environment.<\/p>
The government\u2019s 25 Year Environment Plan sets out key policies on how improving nature can help tackle climate change.<\/p>
<\/p>
Under the new Environmental Land Management Scheme we will pay public money for the provision of environmental public goods. These public goods will include the mitigation of and adaption to climate change.<\/p>
Tree planting is one of the main contributors to nature-based carbon sequestration and the Government supports this in a number of ways. Our manifesto committed to planting 11 million trees by 2022, and in addition a further 1 million trees in our towns and cities, and we also have a long term aspiration to increase woodland cover from 10% to 12% by 2060. To achieve these goals, in the Autumn Budget the Chancellor announced £10 million for an Urban Trees Challenge Fund and £50 million to help plant new woodlands through the Woodland Carbon Guarantee.<\/p>
Peatlands are our largest terrestrial carbon store. We have committed to publishing an England Peatland Strategy. The strategy will set out our vision to reverse decline in peatlands and restore them. Work is underway on four large-scale peatland restoration projects across England, to which we have allocated £10 million, and will restore 5,851 ha of degraded peatlands. We are also improving satmarshes.<\/p>
Natural England has an ongoing uplands programme with landowners and we will also be setting up a Lowland Agricultural Peatland Taskforce to help sustainably manage and restore peatland habitats. Once restored, our healthy functioning peatlands will provide a range of public benefits in addition to carbon storage, including flood mitigation and biodiversity rich habitats.<\/p>
<\/p>
We also support nature-based solutions through our international aid programmes on forestry and mangroves/blue forests.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4098", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Suffolk Coastal"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Thérèse Coffey"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-10T15:09:59.537Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Climate Change"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the merits of (a) rewilding and (b) other natural methods to tackle climate change.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4573", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Rosena Allin-Khan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Tooting"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Rosena Allin-Khan"} ], "uin" : "257796"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127209", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127209/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "