We must work on net zero
Fareham Tory MP SUELLA BRAVERMAN on the COP26 summit and making our community a driving force
COP26 has been on the lips of people up and down the country for the past few months.
As we close the book on the Glasgow summit and begin to resume business as usual, it is vital that the climate agenda gathers momentum.
The climate pact has equipped us with an arsenal of tools to achieve net zero.
This finally completes the Paris Rulebook; the guidelines for how the Paris Agreement is delivered, after six years of discussions.
We have made landmark progress on cutting the production of coal, creating a consensus on cars and mobilising finance in pursuit of net zero.
On coal, the summit committed to phasing down unabated coal power and phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, with 65 countries committing to this aim.
Similarly, all major coal financing countries have committed to ending international coal finance by the end of 2021, with $20 billion in funding to support the transition to clean power.
In Glasgow, countries worked together to build a consensus on cars and, specifically, electric vehicles.
More than 30 countries and some of the world’s largest car makers committed to work together to make all new car sales zero emission globally by 2040, and by 2035 in leading markets, building on the UK’s commitment to end the sale of all new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
New pledges made in Glasgow bring developed countries closer to meeting the $100 billion annual climate finance target in 2022 as well as mobilising billions in private finance and green investment.
I recently held a Hampshire COP26 Summit, inviting Rebecca Pow the minister for nature recovery and the domestic environment to speak alongside Hampshire colleagues Maria Miller and Caroline Dinenage.
I hope we can bring the enthusiasm illustrated from there into our work locally and ensure our communities are leading the way in the drive towards greater sustainability and energy efficiency.