Climate Change: Government Action

Question

Asked by

To ask His Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to tackle climate change.

Since coming to office, the Government have taken decisive action to tackle climate change by accelerating the transition from volatile fossil fuels to homegrown clean energy. Indeed, as we face the second fossil fuel shock in less than five years, every solar panel we have put up, every heat pump we have installed and every electric car on the road has made our country more secure and has helped us to tackle climate change while protecting bill payers and creating good jobs.

I thank my noble friend for that Answer. Will he join me in sending warmest wishes to Sir David Attenborough on his 100th birthday? I am sure that all in this House would pay tribute to the extraordinary contribution of Sir David to our understanding of the natural world, but he also tells us what we stand to lose if we do not take urgent action to address the threat of climate change, and he is absolutely clear about the devastating consequences. Does my noble friend agree that the energy independence Bill in the King’s Speech is of critical and central importance, not only to the energy security that he references but to reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, which is essential in combating the consequences of climate change?

First, I am delighted to join my noble friend in paying tribute to Sir David Attenborough, not only for being 100 years old but for the increasing work he has done in recent years not only in talking about the natural world but in bringing public consciousness to bear on the costs of not doing anything about climate change and on how our natural world will change irrevocably if we do not. The energy Bill in the King’s Speech is a crucial part of the next stage of countering climate change in this country, and, in conjunction with the carbon budget and growth delivery plan, it will enable us to meet our next carbon budgets coming up.

My Lords, does the Minister agree that there is a role for adaptation in tackling climate change? Would the Government see fit to reward farmers for retaining excess floodwater in times of flood to prevent downstream communities flooding?

As the noble Baroness will know, a report on adaptation will be coming out shortly. I accept that this is an essential part of a two-legged approach to climate change: we must be aware of what we need to do to adapt to climate change as well as to mitigate it. Farmers retaining water is a very important part of that adaptation process. I hope that we can respond positively to what they are doing in this respect.

My Lords, our understanding of climate change is fundamentally reliant on international global science, which is under threat. I implore this Government to do more to support international climate science. What specific actions are the Government taking to monitor the cumulative impact of that reduction in science, and what steps are we taking at the international level to support this work going forward?

The Government are completely guided by the science as far as climate change action is concerned. I share the noble Earl’s concern that in terms of the climate change debate in this country we appear to be moving away from the science—which is the underpinning of everything that we need to hold on for future action. The particular issue as far as retaining the science is concerned is continued support for and understanding of the work of the Committee on Climate Change and how it is interpreting the science to make sure that its recommendations are absolutely with the science. The noble Earl will know that the seventh carbon budget that has come from the Committee on Climate Change is up for consideration by the Government by the end of next month. That will underpin its work in this respect.

My Lords, I am very grateful to the Minister for his Answer and for all that the Government are doing. In the light of the richly deserved tributes to Sir David Attenborough, what is the Government’s view on the role of public education and investment in public education around the climate emergency? Do they commend, for instance, the “People’s Emergency Briefing”, the new film which has been produced? Do they want to increase investment to rebuild the political consensus that we had some years ago that this is a national emergency?

Like the right reverend Prelate, I am very disappointed about the partial breakdown in the consensus that we had on the emergency that climate change represents in this country. It is this Government’s fervent wish that this consensus can be regained. We are already putting a lot of resources into various bodies which can ensure that climate change is discussed fairly and without bias in the public sphere, aiming to get that consensus back again as far as the public are concerned.

My Lords, the King’s Speech did mention climate change. He said that his Government would be a “leading advocate” in the fight against climate change, yet there is not a single policy specifically about nature or the environment in the whole speech, in the whole government agenda. Given that and given that nature and the environment underpin our economic security, our food security and our productivity, when are the Government going to take this whole issue seriously and produce some policies where nature is supported?

The noble Baroness will know what the Government have been doing to take on the recent environment and nature plan. That is now at the heart of the clean power 2030 drive to ensure that our power systems are compatible with and supportive of nature and the environment rather than destructive of them. That is a commitment that the Government have. While it is true that this King’s Speech has not put forward specific measures relating to this, it is nevertheless interwoven in everything that the Government are doing as far as climate change and low carbon are concerned.

My Lords, we know that climate change is already having an impact on food production and farmers. In one recent survey, 78% of farmers said that they were impacted by the effects of climate change. Can the Minister tell us what plans the Government have to ensure that food production will continue in the decades ahead in the face of climate change and extreme weather events?

The question of food production is obviously bound up, among other things, with how the environment of our country is changing due to the effects of climate change and what effect that has on crops and food production security in general. The Government are actively involved in ensuring that the way we produce food is brought up to date with the changes that are taking place and, indeed, giving support to farmers and agricultural communities in making those changes. It is a very important part not just of the mitigation of climate change but of adaptation, and that is something that the Government take very seriously.

My Lords, Drax emits more than 13 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, more than the six largest gas power plants combined. Despite this, it has recently been reported that it is ditching its plans for carbon capture and storage technology. Given this fact, and that Drax receives nearly £0.5 billion in supposedly green subsidies, can the Minister outline whether the Government are reconsidering the entitlements they currently offer the power station?