Ed Miliband, the UK’s shadow energy minister, recently defended the appointment of Rachel Kyte as the country’s special representative for climate. This role aims to advance the country’s green goals internationally, particularly at Cop summits.
During a session in the Commons, Joy Morrissey, shadow energy minister, raised concerns about Kyte’s ties to Quadrature Capital, a company that donated £4 million to the Labour Party. Kyte sits on the advisory board of the Quadrature Climate Foundation, established by Quadrature Capital.
Morrissey questioned whether Kyte’s links to Quadrature Capital were disclosed before her appointment. She also asked about Kyte’s connections to the Green Initiative Foundation, which provided £99,000 to Miliband. Miliband responded that all proper processes were followed by the Foreign Office, who oversaw the appointment. He defended Kyte’s reputation and criticized baseless allegations from the Conservative Party.
Kyte, who previously worked at Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government and as a special representative of the UN Secretary-General, expressed excitement about her new role. She emphasized the importance of international collaboration to achieve the UK’s energy goals, highlighting the challenges of mobilizing financing for sustainable growth.
The climate envoy position was reinstated after being eliminated by Rishi Sunak’s government in 2023. Nick Bridge’s departure left the UK without a specialized envoy at Cop28, making it one of the few major economic powers without such representation. Kyte’s extensive experience in sustainable energy positions her well to contribute to the UK’s efforts in driving global climate action.
