There is no long-term prosperity without action on climate change, PM says

The prime minister will now attend next week鈥檚 COP27 climate summit in Egypt, reversing his previous decision not to go.

Rishi Sunak said last week that he would not fly to Sharm El Sheikh for the United Nations conference as he wanted to focus on preparing for the Budget on 17 November. The move was widely criticised by construction industry groups and politicians, including the current COP president Alok Sharma.

The UK is due to hand over the presidency at the conference having hosted COP26 in Glasgow last November.

>> Also read: How construction can help to save the world

Sunak nov flickr

Rishi Sunak had initially said he would not attend next week鈥檚 COP27 summit

Sunak said: 鈥淭here is no long-term prosperity without action on climate change. There is no energy security without investing in renewables.

鈥淭hat is why I will attend COP27 next week: to deliver on Glasgow鈥檚 legacy of building a secure and sustainable future.鈥�

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas said she was 鈥済lad to see Sunak鈥檚 screeching U-turn鈥�. The prime minister鈥檚 initial decision had been an 鈥渆mbarrassing mis-step on the world stage鈥�, she added.

鈥淟et this be a lesson to him - climate leadership matters. Now he urgently needs to increase UK ambition on emission reduction targets and pay what we owe to global climate funds,鈥� she said.

Sunak was reported yesterday to be considering attending the conference. RIBA president Simon Allford had urged the prime minister to attend the summit, saying that it was 鈥渃rucial that the UK government demonstrates that creating a more sustainable future鈥� is at the top of its agenda鈥�.

On Monday, Construction Industry Council chief executive Graham Watts said it would be a 鈥渄readful example of short-sightedness鈥� if Sunak did not go.

The conference will run from 6 to 18 November and is expected to focus on reducing emissions, helping countries prepare for and deal with climate change, and securing technical support for developing countries.

Last year鈥檚 summit in Glasgow secured a major agreement on accelerating the phase out of fossil fuel subsidies and phasing down the use of coal.

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