Renew Our World Campaign

Thank you for contacting me about climate change and the Renew Our World campaign. Climate change is one of the most serious long-term threats that this country and this world faces.

The UK is taking a leading role as the world works towards a global deal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit climate change to manageable levels.

2015 was an important year, and the talks in Paris culminated in a global deal, with every country in the world now signed up to play its part in halting climate change. Britain has already been leading the way, and will work towards reducing emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.

It's not satisfactory that the dirtiest fossil fuel, coal, is still a major part of our power generation. The UK will be one of the first developed countries to take coal out of the equation, with the recent announcement that all coal-fired power stations where carbon emissions aren't being captured and stored will be closed by 2025. A new, clean energy infrastructure that is fit for the 21st century will be built, based around gas, nuclear and renewables.

Britain is leading by example and the Energy Act works towards decarbonising the UK's energy sector at the lowest possible cost to the consumer. It puts Britain firmly on track to meet the 2050 target to reduce emissions of all greenhouse gases by 80 per cent. Alongside this, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is working with major industrial sectors to set out short-term collaborative actions on decarbonisation through its Clean Growth Strategy.

The International Climate Fund has been set up to provide £5.8 billion to help the world's poorest adapt to climate change and promote cleaner, greener economic growth. Through it, the UK works in partnership with developing countries to: reduce carbon emissions through promoting low carbon development; help poor people protect themselves from the effects of climate change; and reduce deforestation.

In addition, the UK supports efforts to integrate climate change policies into international development plans.]

Initial Government support helped drive down the cost of renewable energy. Solar, for example, has seen costs fall by 35 per cent in the last three years. I believe that support should help low-cost, low-carbon technologies to stand on their own two feet, rather than create dependence on public subsidies, which ultimately drive bills up for consumers.

I hope that I have demonstrated the UK's continuing commitment to low carbon energy, and I look forward to seeing this carried forward.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.