Prime minister Boris Johnson will chair a new Cabinet Committee on Climate Change in a bid to intensify the UK's decarbonisation efforts, the government confirmed today.
Number 10 said that the committee would bring together ministers responsible for domestic and international climate change policy so that departments can be held to account on their progress.
It will also play an important role in coordinating the UK's strategy towards achieving net zero emissions by 2050, and oversee preparations for the COP 26 climate summit in Glasgow next year.
Johnson said: I want us to become the cleanest, greenest society on earth, and inspire countries around the world to follow our lead so that our children can breathe clean air and benefit from the wonderful flora and fauna of this earth.
That's why I'm announcing today that I will personally chair a new cross-government Committee on Climate Change, bringing together my ministers to galvanise action to tackle the great environmental challenges we face.
The committee will include representation from all the departments responsible for driving forward climate action and environmental protection.
This includes the foreign secretary, chancellor, business secretary, environment secretary, transport secretary, housing secretary, international development secretary and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
However, Friends of the Earth chief executive, Craig Bennett, said that the climate emergency requires more than just warm words from the PM and called for “urgent action“.
“The prime minister's pledge to make the UK a global leader on the climate crisis will only be realised if slashing climate-wrecking emissions is at the very heart of every government policy,“ he continued.
“This means scrapping plans for a third runway at Heathrow, halting the multi-billion pound road-building programme and abandoning support for fossil fuel development at home and abroad.
“The solutions for building a carbon-free future already exist – but has Boris Johnson got the political will to make it happen?“
Number 10 provided no further details on how often the Cabinet Committee on Climate Change would convene.
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