LIVE BLOG: Lord Deben quizzed by peers following term as climate committee chair

IEMA's Digital Journalist Tom Pashby reports live on the latest developments from today's House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Select Committee. The committee is putting questions on climate policy to Lord Deben - the outgoing chair of the Climate Change Committee.

That statement from Baroness Parminter marks the end of today's live coverage from IEMA. I hope you enjoyed it!

13:40 Baroness Parminter calls Lord Deben a champion for net zero

Baroness Parminter, chair of the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee, responded to Lord Deben's previous statement, saying, "That's a very powerful place to end this session.

"I think we would all concur with the words of the Duke of Wellington, that we all admire your record you've been a champion redoubtable for net zero and we look forward to the many years to come, using the platforms here in the house and elsewhere that you have to carry on making the case.

"So with that, we thank you very sincerely Lord Deben, and I close the meeting. Thank you very much."

13:37 Lord Deben calls for the UK to lead by example in his last statement to the committee

"We have to set the example, otherwise people only think that we're saying things and not doing them.

"I'm afraid we're going to have to do some things in order to achieve what, in the end, I come back to is the urgent need to have a world in which our children will be able to grow up and live lives, anything like the very, very fortunate lives all of us [in the committee session] have lived."

13:31 The Duke of Wellington poses question as committee starts to wrap up

The Duke of Wellington (Crossbench) commended Lord Deben for his advocacy for pasture-fed meat and asks what he would like to see as the next focus for the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Select Committee.

Lord Deben responded by saying he would like for a review of the way that government bureaucracy works regarding action on climate.

13:27 Lord Whitty asks about behavior change

Lord Whitty (Lab) asked, "Do you feel that a government campaign to counter [bad behaviour] would fall on deaf ears?"

Lord Deben, outgoing chair of the Climate Change Committee, responded by saying he would like people to have better access to information rather than for government to tell people what to do.

13:24 IEMA guidance on climate adaptation

There has been a mainstream view in the climate movement for some time that too little attention has been paid to climate adaptation.

Climate policy is often split into mitigation (emissions reductions) and adaptation (flood defenses, etc).

At the end of 2022, IEMA produced guidance on climate change adaptation.

13:15 Baroness Parminter asks about 'secular popes'

In reference to people who take on positions of leadership outside of religion, the chair of the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee asked Lord Deben about the absence of 'secular popes.'

Lord Deben immediately referenced the work of the former governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney on climate action.

He went on to say that he feels that chairs of private companies often rather stick to insular positions and he would like for them to be encouraged to be more vocal on wider issues such as climate.

He wrapped up by saying that he's "all for secular popes."

13:09 Lord Deben comments on policy clarity from government

Lord Deben, who was chair of the Climate Change Committee from 2012 to 2023, said: "Business needs to feel confident that you're going to stick to what you say.

"And one of the biggest problems we have with this government and previous ones is that they haven't made it clear and stuck to it. If business knows that they're going to stick to it, business will do the investment. If they're unsure then they won't. That's the biggest thing government can do to give confidence."

13:04 Comment from IEMA corporate partner ISS UK

Siobhan Riordan, head of sustainability for ISS UK & Ireland, said: "Recent reports from the Climate Change Committee have shown that planning is not as advanced as needed to prevent future harm from climate change.

"It has never been more important for organisations to make clear plans for tackling climate change, and understanding how the built environment needs to adapt. The needs of future adaptation in the built environment should be supported further by effective guidance and reporting requirements.

"Preparation will take time and innovative solutions, which are necessary to prepare the UK's building stock and also prevent further environmental harm."

12:59 Lord Deben comments on food and climate

The outgoing chair of the Climate Change Committee said: "We ought to be eating pasture-fed meat"

"I've always said to vegans that I'm happy for you to be a vegan but don't tell everyone body that's the answer to climate change."

Vegan campaigners have become a regular fixture outside recent UNFCCC international climate negotiations.

12:53 IEMA's cross-party climate policy development

IEMA has recently hosted politicians from both Labour and the Conservative party to discuss their priorities on climate policy.

In April, Kerry McCarthy MP, the shadow minister for climate change joined an online roundtable to discuss the net zero transition.

Chris Skidmore MP, the high-profile campaigner on climate who recently conducted a review commissioned by the Prime Minister of the government's climate policy, joined IEMA members at a roundtable in May.

12:48 Lord Lilley asks about fossil fuel supply management

Lord Lilley (Cons), a peer who has been involved with a range of climate science and climate delay activities, asked about the merits of advocating for reducing the supply of fossil fuels.

Lord Deben responded angrily saying that Lord Lilley "has personally not helped" and claimed Lilley"doesn't believe that climate change is threatening the world."

12:44 Lord Bruce asks about the net zero transition

Lord Bruce (Lib Dem) asks if the UK is moving too quickly on shutting down fossil fuel industries and whether their infrastructure could be put to better use in lower carbon energy production.

Lord Deben responds by saying that fossil fuel majors in the UK have moved far too slowly on their transitions and that more needs to be done to encourage them to change. He also said that he does not support divestment because investment is needed for the transition, but caveated that he would like attitudes to change at the top of energy companies.

Deben added that "we cannot allow further development of oil" in the UK.

12:32 Lord Whitty asks about global climate policy

Lord Whitty (Lab) said he thought UK climate policy was effectively irrelevant globally and asked Lord Deben about his impression of international climate ambition.

Lord Deben said "Leaving the European Union was a dereliction of duty" and claims it was "morally wrong" and calls for the UK to retake its position as a leader in climate action and to encourage the rest of the world to increase ambition in a "sensible" and "business-like manner".

12:25 Lord Deben calls out those responsible for climate policy

Lord Deben said "There is an article which I haven't read because I don't subscribe to the Daily Telegraph. But there is an article I see where I read the first three sentences about drought and who's responsible.

"Well, clearly the people who are responsible are the government."

12:24 Comment from IEMA corporate partner Amey

Emily Davies, ESG director at Amey, said "Climate change is the biggest challenge of our time, and the UK Government has rightly set ambitious targets for decarbonisation.

"Yet, the Climate Change Committee's 2023 progress report is concerning and we call for a more accelerated and joined-up approach to sustainable infrastructure planning and investment that considers both Net Zero and climate adaptation and resilience."

12:18 Lord Duncan asks if Lord Deben is pessimistic post-COP26 in Glasgow

Lord Duncan (Con), former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Climate Change, asks whether foreign governments, particularly "Western democracies" are prioritising the cost of living rather than climate action.

Lord Deben said "the United States is now fully engaged" on climate and commended work by the European Union and China in advancing implementation of climate policies.

12:14 Baroness Boycott asks about the role of the Prime Minister in climate policy

Baroness Boycott (Crossbench), vice-chair of Peers for the Planet and member of the Environment and Climate Change Select Committee, asks about the role of the Prime Minister in defining the direction of climate policy.

Lord Deben responds by saying he would "much rather talk about government" as a whole rather than "getting into personalities."

12:08 Baroness Parminter kicks off the session

Baroness Parminter (Lib Dem), chair of the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Select Committee, commends Lords Deben for his work and good reputation with the governments he has advised.

She asks him to give an overview of his impression of the Climate Change Committee's (CCC) work during his tenure.

He thanks the chair and remarks that the CCC advises government and parliament including the opposition on climate policy.