Supporting the Climate and Nature Bill second reading

Today (Friday 24th January), I stood up as a co-sponsor for Roz Savage MP and the Climate and Nature Bill in parliament. It’s what I’ve worked towards for years before entering Parliament and it’s an issue that many constituents care deeply about.

What was crucial for me was the importance of cross-party collaboration to get the government to agree to go further than it had originally planned. Roz worked so hard with her cross-party co-sponsors and with the Labour government who took a while to realise how serious this was.

We can’t let party politics fail people’s hopes for a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable planet. We have to show that we can come together to fight for the planet. The Tories recklessly broke the political consensus and we need to rebuild it - with firm commitments.

With this second reading of her Private Member’s Bill, Roz achieved the unthinkable: her Bill brought serious action to the Labour front bench, where TWO Ministers for Climate and Nature, plus the Minister for Housing, agreed to binding, measurable commitments to tackle the twin crises of climate and nature.

This progress, urged on by the powerful voices of constituents, businesses, scientists and young people, is a huge step forward - but it almost didn’t happen. Roz held firm when some tried to derail cross-party collaboration, and her persistence paid off. This was her Private Members’ Bill, and today, the celebrated rower crossed another ocean - but this time, she wasn’t alone!

Commitments and concessions secured by Roz include:

• Nature restoration - including ratifying the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction, and work on Local Nature Recovery Strategies
• Creation of a new Forum bringing together DESNZ, DEFRA, Roz, campaigners and NGOs to ensure the two departments work more closely together on climate and nature issues as part of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) review process, along with additional youth engagement
• A clear statement from the Secretary of State committing to further engagement and dialogue, with a view to bringing forward legislative change
• Strengthening the relationship between the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Climate Change Committee, and the two UK Special Representatives for Climate and Nature
• An annual statement from the Secretary of State on the UK’s progress towards climate and nature targets, offering a parliamentary debate using government time and resources
• Consumption emissions - including work on strengthening data reporting, and narratives around imported emissions
• A process of dialogue and engagement with the experts and campaigners who have helped formulate the Bill.
• An initial meeting with Roz next week with the Minister for Nature on legislative proposals on how the government can make measurable and visible progress on climate and nature.  

The time to act together is now: for Freya, from Comberton Village College who wrote, “I am 15 years old and I am afraid. We need massive joined-up government action. Please, let me have a future,” and for future generations everywhere.

Watch me speak in the House of Commons below: