UNITED STATES: The British Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party, Rishi Sunak, will pledge to accelerate the UK’s transition from coal and non-renewable resources to green, renewable energy when he addresses the U.N. COP27 summit on climate change on Monday.
Sunak’s plan to introduce talks of green energy was a last-minute decision on November 2 to partake in the climate talks held in Egypt.
The plan comes after Sunak received huge backlash from environmental activists and political opponents for wanting to skip the annual meeting.
He is set to address a high-profile gathering of politicians and business leaders about Britain’s plans to work with international allies and speed up the process of employing greener and cleaner sources of energy, amid surging tensions over an energy shortage due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In a statement issued by his office, Sunak said: “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and contemptible manipulation of energy prices have only reinforced the importance of ending our dependence on fossil fuels.”
“We need to move further and faster to transition to renewable energy, and I will ensure the UK is at the forefront of this global movement.”
Britain was the host of last year’s COP26 summit in Glasgow, and Sunak will ensure that leaders will stand by the promises they made then.
Before his departure, Sunak recalled the Glasgow summit and said: “When the world came together in Glasgow last year, nations agreed on an historic roadmap for preventing catastrophic global warming.” It is more important than ever that we deliver on those pledges.
“Fighting climate change is not just a moral good; it is fundamental to our future prosperity and security.”
He will conduct meetings on energy security, environment-friendly technology, and green protection, as well as chair a committee on forests and nature.
He also said that he would ensure the UK is “at the forefront of this global movement as a clean energy superpower.”
Meanwhile, Sunak expressed his praise for the British monarch, King Charles III, for his “far-sighted leadership” on tackling climate change as the international monarch hosted a special reception at Buckingham Palace, which was attended by global figures like U.S. Special Climate Envoy John Kerry.
The COP27 agenda is crucial during a time of global crisis as the world faces the threats of energy shortages, rising temperatures, famine, rising CO2 levels, flash floods, and tropical cyclones.
Moreover, rich countries are struggling to provide finance to help developing nations adapt to climate change, according to the UN.
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