LONDON is even more bustling with activity than usual this week – not just because of the fantastic weather, but because we are hosting the Commonwealth heads of government meeting – an amazing get-together attended by 53 nations. The flags are flying, the streets are thronged with people from all around the world, there is so much diversity but we are all joined together by our shared history and vision for the future.

I have been able to attend a number of events to build on the work we have been doing in co-operation with Commonwealth leaders to address climate change.

It was great to be able to join the Fijian Prime Minister, flanked by two impressive men dressed in traditional Fijian sulu, at the London Stock Exchange to launch their first sovereign international green bond listed on the London Stock Exchange.

I was also able to announce to world leaders that we would be looking to raise our ambition by asking the Committee on Climate Change for advice on how we could reach zero emissions by 2050 but still maintain affordable energy and heat, and that we also want to help other countries cut their emissions and grow sustainably.

I was also interested to meet Bill Gates, who has taken his wealth and used it to set up the world’s largest private charitable foundation to eradicate malaria, improve global education and help women and girls thrive. He has recently turned his attention to energy and climate change and we were able to discuss many ways of working together by investing in innovation.

Away from the sunshine and festivities, we have been sitting long hours in Parliament reviewing the targeted military action taken by the UK, France and the US in response to the Syrian Government’s appalling use of chemical weapons against civilians and children in Douma.

During the first of two debates the Prime Minister, who remained in the house for the entire debate, despite the world leaders lined up to meet her, explained that she took these targeted and limited actions, following consultation with the Attorney General and National Security Council, to degrade the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons capability, and deter their use in Syria and around the world.

I, along with the vast majority of MPs, am persuaded that this action is absolutely right and necessary, and firmly believe that we have both a duty and the capability to remind countries of the global prohibition of the use of such barbaric weapons.