Minister Mark Field visited Poland on 6-8 December to discuss Paris Agreement commitments and green innovation at the UN climate change conference.
Foreign Office Minister with responsibility for Climate Change Mark Field attended the UN’s major climate change conference COP24 in Poland on 6-8 December.
COP24 brought together representatives from governments across the world along with experts from science, business and finance to advance work on tackling climate change.
During his visit, the Minister met with senior Ministers and officials from a range of partner countries, including China, Germany, Indonesia, and Poland. He also hosted a series of events at the UK Pavilion, showcasing British expertise and green innovation, including an event to celebrate the UK-Poland Partnership on electro mobility and zero emission vehicles. The Minister highlighted the need for all countries to demonstrate higher ambition in their international commitments, and pushed for a robust set of rules to underpin the Paris Agreement.
The UK is committed to sharing its expertise and help developing countries in the global challenge of tackling climate change. The government has committed at least £5.8 billion of funding between 2016 and 2020 to help developing countries reduce emissions, and mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The UK will use our role leading on Climate Resilience at the 2019 UN Climate Summit to advance this work.
FCO Minister Mark Field said:
This year marks 10 years since Britain enacted the world’s first comprehensive climate change law. It has been instrumental in our progress on climate change. Since then, we have decarbonised our economy faster than any other country in the G20, and we are leading the way in the shift from coal to renewable energy. But the reality is that we all need to do more.
COP24 has brought us together across govearnment, civil society and business boundaries, to build on the Paris Agreement 2015. It is vital parties make good on their commitment to finalise a set of rules that apply to all and will ensure continuous improvement in the fight against climate change.
The conference will continue for another week, with Ministers from BEIS and DEFRA in attendance, as well as the Foreign Secretary’s Special Representative on Climate Change.
