'In July, Truss told a hustings of Tory MPs that she would be at the next UN climate change conference — due to be held in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, in November'
In a further sign that the government’s position on net zero has shifted yet further to the right, Prime Minister Liz Truss is unlikely to attend the COP27 climate change conference, according to reports in the Times.
The UK had previously hosted the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow last year, where world leaders sought to set the agenda over the coming years to tackle the climate emergency, although campaigners and environmental groups warned that their efforts did not go far enough.
Amid a growing energy crisis and catastrophic climate change with countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh facing devastating flooding, COP27 which is being hosted in Egypt, is a crucial test of whether the international community can rise to the challenge of addressing climate change and making further progress.
However, it has been reported in the Times that Truss is likely to snub the crucial climate conference. The paper reports: “In July, Truss told a hustings of Tory MPs that she would be at the next UN climate change conference — due to be held in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, in November — to showcase Britain’s climate credentials on the world stage. But Red Box is told No 10 has indicated to Whitehall officials and government ministers that there are currently no plans for her to do so.”
The UK is also currently holding the COP Presidency.
It comes after more than 100 businesses, including Amazon, E.on and Ikea urged Truss to show how she will meet Britain’s net-zero goal, after she began a review of whether pursuit of the target was “pro-business”.
Many are rightly concerned about Truss’ commitment to net zero and tackling climate change after she gave the job of coordinating climate policy to Jacob Rees-Mogg, someone who has a history of climate denial and who has decried ‘climate alarmism’.
Steve Baker, who helped found the Net Zero Scrutiny Group, which opposes many of the policies on net zero, is also now a cabinet minister.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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