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UK to Appoint Nature and Climate Envoys in Major Environmental Push

For the first time, the UK will appoint a special envoy for nature, signaling the country’s commitment to leading global efforts against ecological crises. The foreign secretary, David Lammy, plans to announce this move, alongside the reestablishment of the climate envoy role that was abolished by the Conservative government over a year ago.

This environmental initiative, driven by Labour, aims to restore the UK's leadership in tackling climate and nature crises on the global stage. Lammy, who recently met with Sir David Attenborough, is expected to emphasize the urgent threat posed by climate change, citing recent extreme weather in places like the Amazon and the devastation of Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean. He will stress that these events are not random but the result of political and regulatory failures, with the potential to escalate conflicts and migration.

Ed Miliband, the energy security and net zero secretary, is also actively engaging internationally, with meetings in Brazil and Azerbaijan ahead of major climate summits. The UK hopes to present stronger commitments to cutting greenhouse gas emissions at the upcoming Cop29 summit in Azerbaijan this November.

Additionally, environment secretary Steve Reed will announce new cooperative efforts with Colombia, host of the UN Cop16 nature summit in October, and will reaffirm the UK's goal to protect 30% of its land by 2030.

The dual envoy appointments have been met with enthusiasm from environmental campaigners, who viewed the previous government's reduced focus on climate as a setback. Chris Venables from the Green Alliance described Labour's move as a clear message of intent to prioritize the environment, while Greenpeace UK's Rebecca Newsom highlighted the growing importance of international cooperation on climate and biodiversity.

Both envoys will work under the foreign secretary, alongside key departments, to align UK efforts on climate and nature issues globally. While final selections for these roles are still pending, several high-profile candidates, including Tony Juniper from Natural England and Nick Mabey from the E3G thinktank, are being considered.

This renewed focus on environmental diplomacy reflects Labour's desire to keep climate action a bipartisan issue, contrasting with the Conservative government's more divisive approach.