Labour government reinstates high profile climate diplomacy role axed under the Conservatives
The Labour government has appointed veteran climate diplomat Rachel Kyte to the role of UK climate envoy, according to reports.
Kyte is well known and respected in climate diplomacy circles, having previously served as a special representative for the UN and a vice-president of the World Bank. She also had a stint working as CEO of the Sustainable Energy for All initiative, a UN-backed body which works on improving access to clean electricity and cooking solutions, and is a founding co-chair of the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity initiative.
The Guardian reported this morning that Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband will announce the appointment later today at New York Climate Week.
"This government is committed to reconnecting the UK to the world with climate action as a priority," Kyte told the Guardian. "And the world is being shaped politically and economically by climate change. This provides an opportunity to use international action to help deliver on the UK's energy mission. And it provides challenges, not least in mobilising the financing to protect people and drive greener growth. There is no time like now for the UK to help drive action and I am excited to play my part in this new role."
Labour confirmed recently it intended to reinstate the high-level diplomatic role, which was axed by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Lammy also confirmed last week the government intends to appoint a new Nature Envoy and reports have suggested Environment Secretary Steve Reed is set to confirm the appointment ahead of the COP16 Biodiversity Summit taking place next month in Cali, Colombia.
The appointments form part of a concerted push by the new government to restore the UK's role as a climate leader on the international stage. In his speech at the Labour Party Conference this week, Miliband declared that Britain was "back in the business of climate leadership".
"The Tories used to say that because Britain was just one per cent of global emissions that was somehow an excuse for inaction," he said. "Under them Britain shrank and deserted the global stage. We say never again... Britain is back in the business of climate leadership: Getting serious about shifting away from fossil fuels. Every major company with proper climate plans. The first major country in the world to set the goal of clean power by 2030."
Miliband is set to lead the UK's negotiations at the COP29 Climate Summit in November. The move represents a stark contrast with last year's COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai, when the UK was one of the only major powers without a specialist climate diplomat. The UK team was led by Energy Minister Graham Stuart, who left the conference mid-negotiations to vote on the Rwanda Bill in Parliament.
Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation and France's former climate change ambassador, and was one of a number of veteran climate diplomats to applaud Kyte's appointment. "Congratulations to Rachel Kyte on her new role as climate envoy and kudos to the UK government Ed Miliband and David Lammy for an outstanding choice," she posted on social media platform X. "We need today climate warriors and Rachel Kyte is definitely a super one."
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