News from Southampton Labour

Whitehead quizzes PM on climate change agreement

Labour MP for Southampton Test, Dr Alan Whitehead, today asked Gordon Brown to work with other world leaders for a strong agreement on climate change at the UN summit in Copenhagen this December.

During the weekly exchange between MPs and the Prime Minister, the Test MP asked the following question, specifically focusing on the important role of developing countries in combating climate change:

“May I congratulate the Prime Minister on his early decision to attend at Copenhagen, a lead that has now been followed by 60 Prime Ministers and Presidents from around the world? When he is in Copenhagen, will he seek to harness that high-level attendance to ensure that the best possible package of clean development funding is on the table in order to secure the sign-up of developing countries to a workable climate change agreement?”

The Prime Minister responded:

“I want to praise my hon. Friend for the work he has done in promoting a climate change agreement, and the work of Members of all parties who want to see success at Copenhagen. I will go to the Commonwealth conference this week to try to build a consensus between richer countries such as Australia and ourselves and some of the poorest countries in the world on how we can finance climate change for developing countries as well as developed countries. If we are to get an agreement to cut emissions in some of the poorest countries in the world, it is absolutely essential that we get an agreement on finance. I hope all parties here will support the British proposal for $100 billion of funding for climate change in 2020 as a result of the contributions of the European Union, America and some of the other richest countries in the world. We will do everything in our power to secure a climate change agreement in Copenhagen.”

Speaking from Westminster following the exchange Dr Whitehead commented:

“I am greatly encouraged by the leadership shown by the Prime Minister on the vital issue of climate change and I hope that his sincere commitment to achieve international agreement will be reflected by all the world leaders present at the Copenhagen summit. The UK has a real opportunity to lead discussions on helping poorer countries that are most affected by climate change to combat it effectively, without damaging those countries’ development prospects.”

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