Chatham House Environment Conference costs

Summary

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed the full breakdown of costs and attendee list for the 2017 Chatham House Environment Conference, along with the strategic benefits of participation for the Isle of Man's climate policy.

Key Facts

• Total conference costs amounted to £5,980.71 covering places, flights, accommodation, and expenses.
• Four officials attended, including the Chief Executive Officer and two MHKs.
• The conference focused on international climate change leadership, low carbon transition, and carbon pricing.
• Attendance was justified to support the Isle of Man's target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.
• The Chatham House model allowed for off-the-record debate among high-level participants.

Data Disclosed

• £4020.00
• £461.92
• £1072.35
• £425.44
• 8th to 10th October
• 2017
• 21 years
• 80%
• 2050
• 2016-2020

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

Page 1 of 3

 Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture

  Rheynn Chymmyltaght, Bee as Eirinys

8th November 2017

Dear

Request under the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (FoIA) Ref: IM106840I, Chatham Conference Costs Thank you for your request dated 15th October 2017.
You asked: What was the travel costs broken down into flights, hotel accommodation, and other costs in relation to attendance at the Chatham Conference on the 8th to 10th October and who attended. What was the purpose and benefit in attending?

Response to your request Our aim is to provide information wherever possible and in this instance we confirm that we do hold information to answer your request. Costs:

Conference Places - £4020.00 Flights - £461.92 Accommodation - £1072.35
Expenses - £425.44

Attendees:

Richard Lole, Chief Executive Officer Hon. G G Boot, MHK Mr M J Perkins, MHK Dr Fiona Gell, Ecosystem Policy Manager

Corporate Services Directorate, Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road,
St John’s, Isle of Man, IM4 3AS Fax no (01624 685851 Email: defa@gov.im
www.gov.im

Quoting Ref: IM106840I Your Ref:

Page 2 of 3

Purpose and benefit of participation: Climate change is acknowledged as one of the foremost issues of global importance today. Not only does climate change have environmental implications, it also has serious implications for the economy, health and all aspects of society.
The Chatham House Climate Change Conference has been held for the past 21 years and represents the most up to date overview of international climate change and its policy implications available in the UK.
The 2017 conference addressed:  New dynamics of international leadership of the climate change agenda  Mobilising capital for the low carbon transition  Business responses to disruptive change brought by climate change and the clean energy transition  The future of carbon pricing regimes and the prospects for expansion Keynote speakers at the conference included the current environment ministers from UK and Canada and the Chair of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and the programme featured a wide range of key players in climate change policy from government, industry, non-government organisations and academia. The Chatham House model allows high level participants to speak off the record without their input being personally attributed, which allows a more open debate.
The Isle of Man Climate Challenge Mitigation Strategy 2016-2020 was approved in 2016, and the Isle of Man is working actively to reduce emissions and to ensure that appropriate climate change mitigation and adaptation measures are in place. Tynwald has a target to reduce greenhouse gas emission by 80% by 2050 and ensuring that the necessary actions are taken to achieve this, requires long term planning and an understanding of how the transition to low carbon economies is being made elsewhere. Small islands also have some particular vulnerabilities to climate change, which need to be fully understood and responded to. Managing emissions is now also becoming central to international business.
Attending the conference gave those involved in implementing the Isle of Man Climate Challenge Mitigation Strategy, and developing future climate change policy, a unique insight into this rapidly moving field. The focus of the conference, on the political and economic aspects of climate change policy, was particularly valuable to ensure that the Isle of Man can work in the global context, and play an active and responsible role in mitigating global climate change and preparing the population of the Isle of Man for the changes ahead to minimise local impacts. Learning from the conference will inform key work packages, currently being delivered via the Programme for Government, including the development of an energy efficiency scheme and other measures to reduce emissions, and also longer term climate change and energy policy development.
Your right to request a review If you are unhappy with this response to your Freedom of Information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post to the sender of this letter at the address above. An electronic version of the relevant complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://www.gov.im/about-the- government/freedom-of-information/freedom-of-information-review-request. If you would like a paper version of the complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact us and we will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.
If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; Page 3 of 3

1 Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act; or 2 Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.

In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your rights to review is on the Information Commissioner’s website at: https://www.inforights.im/
If anything is unclear, or if you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about Freedom of Information requests can be found: https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/freedom-of-information

Yours sincerely