Launch of COP26 Climate Summit by the Prime Minister: Aldersgate Group reactive

Reacting to today’s speech by the Prime Minister, Nick Molho, Executive Director of the Aldersgate Group said: “It’s encouraging to hear the Prime Minister speak unequivocally about the urgency of acting on climate change. Hosting the most important climate summit since the Paris Agreement places a huge responsibility on the UK’s shoulders. Getting nations around the world to increase their emission reduction pledges at the summit and ensuring that developing economies and vulnerable nations get adequate financial support will be critical to the long-term credibility of global climate talks. A successful outcome at COP26 must therefore become a central, cross-government priority from now on.”

“To maximise its influence at COP26, the government must ensure that its domestic and global climate policy agendas are fully coordinated. In practice, this means publishing a policy plan well ahead of the summit, setting out how the UK will put itself on a credible track to achieve its net zero emissions target. It will also require that the UK’s upcoming free trade agreements are consistent with and support the delivery of this target.” [1]

Nick Molho added: “Many businesses across the Aldersgate Group membership have already publicly committed to net zero and science-based targets and are taking meaningful action to deliver these. However, government must now recognise that policy support – in particular in areas that are hard to decarbonise – will be essential to help progressive businesses achieve their ambitions and ensure that their competitors are required to follow suit.”