UK Won’t “Step Back” From Climate Change Fight

Amber Rudd MP confirmed that the fight against climate change will not take a back seat following the UK’s decision to leave the European Union. The UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change made the announcement at the start of the second day of the Business and Climate Summit 2016 which is taking place in London’s Guildhall.

She said: “Climate change has not been downgraded as a threat. It remains one of the most serious long term risks to our economic and national security.

“I was lucky enough to lead the world-class team of British diplomats at last year’s Paris climate talks. Our efforts were central to delivering that historic deal.

“And, the UK will not step back from that international leadership. We must not turn our back on Europe or the world … So while I think the UK’s role in dealing with a warming planet may have been made harder by the decision last Thursday, our commitment to dealing with it has not gone away.”

She also went on to reaffirm commitments to low carbon investment, saying: “Investment in renewables has increased by 42% since 2010. In 2014, 30% of all of Europe’s renewable energy investment took place in the UK. Annual support for renewables is expected to double during this Parliament to more than £10 billion.”

Ms Rudd confirmed the Government’s decision on the 5^th carbon budget would be made tomorrow.

The Business & Climate Summit – the annual gathering of leading global businesses and politicians dedicated to climate action – met over two days (June 28-29) at London’s Guildhall, in the heart of the world’s leading international financial centre, to address how business can, and should, respond to the historic Paris Agreement reached by world governments last December.

The rest of the day’s speeches can be watched live here.

The Summit was addressed by a stellar cast of global CEOs and international policymakers over its two-day duration including: Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC; Paul Polman, CEO Unilever, Patrick Pouyanne, CEO, Total; Michel Madelain President & COO, Moodys Investors Service; Felipe Calderón, former President of Mexico and Chair of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate; Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO, WPP; Ségolène Royal, Minister of the Environment, Energy and the Sea in charge of International Climate Relations, Government of France, and, President of COP21; Kerry Adler, CEO, SkyPower; Steve Williams, President & CEO, Suncor; Saker Nusseibeh, CEO, Hermes Investment Management; Jean-Louis Chaussade, Director & CEO, Suez; Rachel Kyte, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL); Sir Roger Gifford, Chairman, City of London’s Green Finance Initiative; Mahendra Singhi, CEO and Whole Time Director, Dalmia Cement (Bharat); and Jean-Dominique Senard, CEO, Michelin.