This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2016/sep/20/un-general-assembly-obama-final-address-syria-ceasefire-refugees-live-updates
The article has changed 18 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 16 | Version 17 |
|---|---|
| Theresa May gives debut address to UN general assembly – as it happened | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 11.00pm BST | |
| 23:00 | |
| Here's where things stand at 6PM ET | |
| 10.56pm BST | |
| 22:56 | |
| Prime minister Theresa May’s inaugural speech at the UN General Assembly has not been met with universal acclaim. | |
| Rob Williams, CEO of War Child UK, said: | |
| We welcome the Prime Minister’s strong commitment to eradicate modern slavery. Children fleeing conflict are particularly vulnerable to exploitation, sexual violence and recruitment into armed gangs, the worst violations against children. | |
| However a major driver of modern slavery within Europe is the relative absence of any safe and legal routes for displaced and refugee children to be reunited with their families in European countries. As a result, children end up at the mercy of criminal networks for merely trying to get to their loved ones. | |
| If the Prime Minister is serious about protecting the most vulnerable victims of modern slavery – children, we would urge her to support the establishment of safe and legal routes for children to be reunited with their families, and invest in cross-border child protection systems that can keep children safe. | |
| And Bill Frelick, writing in Newsweek in a column titled Theresa May’s Refugee Vision is Narrow and Divisive, took issue with May’s distinction between economic migrants and refugees, writing that: | |
| May’s call for “properly applying” the Refugee Convention appears to suggest that it should be used as a tool of exclusion, particularly for people caught up in the large-scale movements of refugees and migrants that the summit was intended to address. | |
| Africa and Latin America sought to fill the gap in the convention with regional declarations that included a wider refugee definition. The European Union’s individualized asylum system has also managed to include wider grounds for protection beyond the limitations of the Refugee Convention. | |
| But advocates had hoped that the U.N. summit would close this protection gap globally. The opportunity was there for a universal declaration that there are many people in today’s world, such as famine victims fleeing drought in Somalia and Salvadoran children fleeing gang violence, who face threats to their lives if they return home, whose claims for protection are as valid as political exiles and religious dissidents. | |
| You can read the full piece here. | |
| 10.53pm BST | 10.53pm BST |
| 22:53 | 22:53 |
| Security is tight for the General Assembly, as this tweet from the NYPD shows: | Security is tight for the General Assembly, as this tweet from the NYPD shows: |
| #NYPD #Aviation, #Harbor & #SCUBA units are seen here patrolling & securing the waterways in the v/o @UN during @POTUS visit at #UNGA pic.twitter.com/y0eoGJjuaq | #NYPD #Aviation, #Harbor & #SCUBA units are seen here patrolling & securing the waterways in the v/o @UN during @POTUS visit at #UNGA pic.twitter.com/y0eoGJjuaq |
| 10.42pm BST | 10.42pm BST |
| 22:42 | 22:42 |
| Rowena Mason | Rowena Mason |
| Some more detailed analysis of May’s speech earlier from Rowena Mason in New York. | Some more detailed analysis of May’s speech earlier from Rowena Mason in New York. |
| More than £100m of the UK aid budget will be spent on returning Somalian refugees to the country they fled and encouraging Eritreans not to cross the Mediterranean under plans outlined by Theresa May in New York. | More than £100m of the UK aid budget will be spent on returning Somalian refugees to the country they fled and encouraging Eritreans not to cross the Mediterranean under plans outlined by Theresa May in New York. |
| The prime minister used her maiden speech at the United Nations to expand on proposals aimed at stop “mass uncontrolled population movement”, which has seen refugees travelling long distances in search of better lives.Her plans attracted criticism earlier in the summit over the suggestion that those fleeing warzones should stay and claim asylum in the first safe country they reach, rather than seeking sanctuary in European nations such as Britain. | The prime minister used her maiden speech at the United Nations to expand on proposals aimed at stop “mass uncontrolled population movement”, which has seen refugees travelling long distances in search of better lives.Her plans attracted criticism earlier in the summit over the suggestion that those fleeing warzones should stay and claim asylum in the first safe country they reach, rather than seeking sanctuary in European nations such as Britain. |
| However, May pressed on with the argument on Tuesday in an address to the general assembly, as she focused on actions in North Africa to stop migrants crossing the Mediterranean. | However, May pressed on with the argument on Tuesday in an address to the general assembly, as she focused on actions in North Africa to stop migrants crossing the Mediterranean. |
| In her speech, May said Britain would send more troops to Somalia to help train local troops to combat the al-Shabaab militant group, including up to 30 teams of between five and 30 personnel with no more than 70 in the country at any one time. | In her speech, May said Britain would send more troops to Somalia to help train local troops to combat the al-Shabaab militant group, including up to 30 teams of between five and 30 personnel with no more than 70 in the country at any one time. |
| “The UK is now going to increase further our security support and we will be calling on others to do the same, hosting an international conference on Somalia in 2017 to maintain this vital momentum,” the prime minister said.While acknowledging Somalia is facing serious security problems, the government is also contributing £20m from the aid budget to encourage refugees who fled the country to return home from the Dadaab camp in Kenya. | “The UK is now going to increase further our security support and we will be calling on others to do the same, hosting an international conference on Somalia in 2017 to maintain this vital momentum,” the prime minister said.While acknowledging Somalia is facing serious security problems, the government is also contributing £20m from the aid budget to encourage refugees who fled the country to return home from the Dadaab camp in Kenya. |
| “We will invest £16m in Somalia to help do things around food, education, shelter and sustainable livelihoods and then £4m to Kenya to help support the process of returning these people,” a UK official said. | “We will invest £16m in Somalia to help do things around food, education, shelter and sustainable livelihoods and then £4m to Kenya to help support the process of returning these people,” a UK official said. |
| The process has recently been criticised by the Human Rights Watch group, which said the return of the refugees from Somalia to Kenya cannot be considered voluntary as the Dadaab camp is at risk of being shut down. The UN has insisted there are no forced returns. | The process has recently been criticised by the Human Rights Watch group, which said the return of the refugees from Somalia to Kenya cannot be considered voluntary as the Dadaab camp is at risk of being shut down. The UN has insisted there are no forced returns. |
| At a later summit on refugees, hosted by US president Barack Obama, May said another £80m from the aid budget will be aimed at helping migrants, largely Eritreans, stay in Ethiopia through the financial support for the construction of new industrial parks offering 100,000 new jobs, including 30,000 for refugees. | At a later summit on refugees, hosted by US president Barack Obama, May said another £80m from the aid budget will be aimed at helping migrants, largely Eritreans, stay in Ethiopia through the financial support for the construction of new industrial parks offering 100,000 new jobs, including 30,000 for refugees. |
| This is an expansion of the programme used in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon to try encourage refugees settle in the region rather than make journeys to European countries. | This is an expansion of the programme used in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon to try encourage refugees settle in the region rather than make journeys to European countries. |
| Of the 124,000 refugees who crossed the Mediterranean to Italy between Jan 2016 and 12 Sept, 12% were Eritrean - second only to Nigeria who made up 20% of the numbers crossing. | Of the 124,000 refugees who crossed the Mediterranean to Italy between Jan 2016 and 12 Sept, 12% were Eritrean - second only to Nigeria who made up 20% of the numbers crossing. |
| At the Obama summit, May also announced that more of the UK’s aid budget would be spent on humanitarian efforts. | At the Obama summit, May also announced that more of the UK’s aid budget would be spent on humanitarian efforts. |
| A UK official said £1.5bn for the year would be going towards refugees and others in dire need which is an extra 10% uplift from the aid budget. About £2.5m will go to an international fund to help resettle refugees in other countries. | A UK official said £1.5bn for the year would be going towards refugees and others in dire need which is an extra 10% uplift from the aid budget. About £2.5m will go to an international fund to help resettle refugees in other countries. |
| However, May unveiled no new commitments for the UK to take in more than the 20,000 vulnerable Syrians who David Cameron agreed to accept by 2020, despite calls from charities and Labour for Britain to do more. | However, May unveiled no new commitments for the UK to take in more than the 20,000 vulnerable Syrians who David Cameron agreed to accept by 2020, despite calls from charities and Labour for Britain to do more. |
| Speaking ahead of the summit, May argued it was better to help a greater number of refugees at camps in countries bordering Syria than to resettle a smaller number in the UK. | Speaking ahead of the summit, May argued it was better to help a greater number of refugees at camps in countries bordering Syria than to resettle a smaller number in the UK. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 10.45pm BST | at 10.45pm BST |
| 10.27pm BST | 10.27pm BST |
| 22:27 | 22:27 |
| Patrick Kingsley | Patrick Kingsley |
| More from Patrick Kingsley from the leaders’ summit on refugees: | More from Patrick Kingsley from the leaders’ summit on refugees: |
| The US also admitted that the pledges announced on Tuesday include any policy announced since the start of the year, and said that some of the pledges may not strictly fall within the previously stated goals of the summit. “We took a very broad interpretation,” Ann Richard, the US’s assistant secretary of state, said in an interview with the Guardian. | The US also admitted that the pledges announced on Tuesday include any policy announced since the start of the year, and said that some of the pledges may not strictly fall within the previously stated goals of the summit. “We took a very broad interpretation,” Ann Richard, the US’s assistant secretary of state, said in an interview with the Guardian. |
| “It didn’t have to be a formal UNHCR resettlement programme, it could be other legal pathways for admission – scholarships, work visas or humanitarian visas.” | “It didn’t have to be a formal UNHCR resettlement programme, it could be other legal pathways for admission – scholarships, work visas or humanitarian visas.” |
| The pledges also include decisions by Turkey and Jordan in January to nominally open their labour markets to Syrians even though many Syrians in both countries are in reality still excluded from legal work. According to US officials, other labour-related policies included those that simply allow refugees to live outside camps, or give them access to agricultural land. | The pledges also include decisions by Turkey and Jordan in January to nominally open their labour markets to Syrians even though many Syrians in both countries are in reality still excluded from legal work. According to US officials, other labour-related policies included those that simply allow refugees to live outside camps, or give them access to agricultural land. |
| Refugee specialists who had criticised the vague UN-led declaration on Monday were nevertheless cautiously optimistic about Tuesday’s US-led announcements. | Refugee specialists who had criticised the vague UN-led declaration on Monday were nevertheless cautiously optimistic about Tuesday’s US-led announcements. |
| David Miliband, head of the International Rescue Committee, a major refugee agency, said: “The political inertia has finally been broken and now it needs to be turned into genuine momentum through effective implementation of each pledge,” he added. | David Miliband, head of the International Rescue Committee, a major refugee agency, said: “The political inertia has finally been broken and now it needs to be turned into genuine momentum through effective implementation of each pledge,” he added. |
| 10.19pm BST | 10.19pm BST |
| 22:19 | 22:19 |
| “Permit me to deviate from the written statement to address the Istraeli people,” Sisi says, suddenly bringing his frantic reading delivery to a halt, then speaking much more slowly. | “Permit me to deviate from the written statement to address the Istraeli people,” Sisi says, suddenly bringing his frantic reading delivery to a halt, then speaking much more slowly. |
| We have a true opportunity, a real opportunity, to write a bright page in history; to move towards peace. The Egyptian experience is wonderful and unique and can be followed by establishing a Palestinian state, side by side with the Israeli state, that preserves safety and security for the Palestinians and safety and security for the Israelis, prosperity and peace for both. | We have a true opportunity, a real opportunity, to write a bright page in history; to move towards peace. The Egyptian experience is wonderful and unique and can be followed by establishing a Palestinian state, side by side with the Israeli state, that preserves safety and security for the Palestinians and safety and security for the Israelis, prosperity and peace for both. |
| 10.14pm BST | 10.14pm BST |
| 22:14 | 22:14 |
| Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, president of Egypt, is now speaking. | Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, president of Egypt, is now speaking. |
| The world has become a global village as a result of the communications revolutions - however, we continue to see another facet of globalism, one that has produced a number of economic challenges. Globalism has been linked to a rise in poverty, the rise in the inequality gap ... perhaps these constitute the biggest reason for the international community to work diligently ... and meet the needs of their people. | The world has become a global village as a result of the communications revolutions - however, we continue to see another facet of globalism, one that has produced a number of economic challenges. Globalism has been linked to a rise in poverty, the rise in the inequality gap ... perhaps these constitute the biggest reason for the international community to work diligently ... and meet the needs of their people. |
| “The Egyptian people have succeeded in enforcing their will ... safeguarding society from sliding into anarchy,” he says. | “The Egyptian people have succeeded in enforcing their will ... safeguarding society from sliding into anarchy,” he says. |
| 10.03pm BST | 10.03pm BST |
| 22:03 | 22:03 |
| Patrick Kingsley | Patrick Kingsley |
| A coalition of more than 30 countries unveiled a series of concrete responses to the refugee crisis on Tuesday, giving refugees a glimmer of hope in a week in which world leaders gathered at the UN summit in New York have otherwise failed to offer direct action on refugee issues, reports Patrick Kingsley from the UN leaders’ summit on refugees. | A coalition of more than 30 countries unveiled a series of concrete responses to the refugee crisis on Tuesday, giving refugees a glimmer of hope in a week in which world leaders gathered at the UN summit in New York have otherwise failed to offer direct action on refugee issues, reports Patrick Kingsley from the UN leaders’ summit on refugees. |
| Barack Obama announced that the US-led coalition had collectively agreed to roughly double resettlement places for refugees, increase humanitarian aid for refugees by $4.5 billion, provide education to one million more refugee children, and potentially improve access to legal work for another million adults. | Barack Obama announced that the US-led coalition had collectively agreed to roughly double resettlement places for refugees, increase humanitarian aid for refugees by $4.5 billion, provide education to one million more refugee children, and potentially improve access to legal work for another million adults. |
| Full details were not disclosed, but the move constituted the most concrete set of refugee measures at the annual UN summit. On Monday, refugee advocates were left disappointed by the announcement of a non-binding declaration that upheld world leaders’ pre-existing responsibilities for refugees, but offered little in terms of direct commitments. | Full details were not disclosed, but the move constituted the most concrete set of refugee measures at the annual UN summit. On Monday, refugee advocates were left disappointed by the announcement of a non-binding declaration that upheld world leaders’ pre-existing responsibilities for refugees, but offered little in terms of direct commitments. |
| But the mood changed on Tuesday, with 18 developed countries announcing plans to increase legal access to refugees, 17 developing countries pledging to increase refugees’ access to education, and 15 claiming that they would take various measures that could help to expand refugees’ access to work. | But the mood changed on Tuesday, with 18 developed countries announcing plans to increase legal access to refugees, 17 developing countries pledging to increase refugees’ access to education, and 15 claiming that they would take various measures that could help to expand refugees’ access to work. |
| The western countries included those that are well-known for their generosity to refugees, including Germany and Sweden, as well as those, such as Australia, who are often criticised for their treatment of asylum seekers. Argentina and Portugal were among the countries who pledged to start resettlement programmes for the first time. Commenting on the relative success of his initiative, Obama said: “We’re going to have to be honest: it’s still not enough – not sufficient for a crisis of this magnitude.” But he added: “I hope this is a beginning.” | The western countries included those that are well-known for their generosity to refugees, including Germany and Sweden, as well as those, such as Australia, who are often criticised for their treatment of asylum seekers. Argentina and Portugal were among the countries who pledged to start resettlement programmes for the first time. Commenting on the relative success of his initiative, Obama said: “We’re going to have to be honest: it’s still not enough – not sufficient for a crisis of this magnitude.” But he added: “I hope this is a beginning.” |
| Leaders from the world’s major refugee-hosting nations hailed the pledges, but warned that they meant little if they were not carried out. Most pledges made at a similar summit in London in February have not been fulfilled. | Leaders from the world’s major refugee-hosting nations hailed the pledges, but warned that they meant little if they were not carried out. Most pledges made at a similar summit in London in February have not been fulfilled. |
| “The refugee crisis requires not just [pledged] commitment but follow-through,” said King Abdullah of Jordan, a country that hosts more Syrian refugees than all the countries in the EU, which has a population that is 50 times bigger. | “The refugee crisis requires not just [pledged] commitment but follow-through,” said King Abdullah of Jordan, a country that hosts more Syrian refugees than all the countries in the EU, which has a population that is 50 times bigger. |
| 9.58pm BST | 9.58pm BST |
| 21:58 | 21:58 |
| David Miliband is at the refugees’ summit: | David Miliband is at the refugees’ summit: |
| Refugees are....Olympians. Nice to see President Obama deferring/listening to Yusra Mardini. pic.twitter.com/ClsZnzwtw8 | Refugees are....Olympians. Nice to see President Obama deferring/listening to Yusra Mardini. pic.twitter.com/ClsZnzwtw8 |
| Obama: "Refugees can make us stronger". pic.twitter.com/ySKSfb36ZQ | Obama: "Refugees can make us stronger". pic.twitter.com/ySKSfb36ZQ |
| President Erdogan emphasizes importance of citizenship as ultimate destination for refugees pic.twitter.com/FY70UOLADJ | President Erdogan emphasizes importance of citizenship as ultimate destination for refugees pic.twitter.com/FY70UOLADJ |
| 9.49pm BST | 9.49pm BST |
| 21:49 | 21:49 |
| Over at the Leaders’ Summit on Refugees, president Obama is taking the lead, upping the US’s number of refugees it is pledged to take: | Over at the Leaders’ Summit on Refugees, president Obama is taking the lead, upping the US’s number of refugees it is pledged to take: |
| Obama just committed to take 110k refugees in 2017 (60% increase on 2015) despite toxicity of US politics.That is what leadership looks like | Obama just committed to take 110k refugees in 2017 (60% increase on 2015) despite toxicity of US politics.That is what leadership looks like |
| 9.45pm BST | 9.45pm BST |
| 21:45 | 21:45 |
| More strikes against the Security Council, this time from South Africa’s Jacob Zuma, who calls for its reform “in order to ensure the representation of Africa”. | More strikes against the Security Council, this time from South Africa’s Jacob Zuma, who calls for its reform “in order to ensure the representation of Africa”. |
| “One billion people cannot continue to be denied a voice in this manner,” Zuma says, to applause from the chamber. | “One billion people cannot continue to be denied a voice in this manner,” Zuma says, to applause from the chamber. |
| 9.28pm BST | 9.28pm BST |
| 21:28 | 21:28 |
| The UN Leaders’ Summit on refugees is about to begin. | The UN Leaders’ Summit on refugees is about to begin. |
| The Guardian’s Patrick Kingsley is on the scene and will bring you more detail from the event as it unfolds, but politicians have squandered a chance to radically rethink the treaties and organisations that govern the world’s handling of refugees, the director of Oxford University’s Refugee Studies Centre told Kingsley earlier. | The Guardian’s Patrick Kingsley is on the scene and will bring you more detail from the event as it unfolds, but politicians have squandered a chance to radically rethink the treaties and organisations that govern the world’s handling of refugees, the director of Oxford University’s Refugee Studies Centre told Kingsley earlier. |
| Interviewed here in New York, Alexander Betts said that the refugee system needs to be rethought in the same way that the international monetary system was reworked in the 1970s. | Interviewed here in New York, Alexander Betts said that the refugee system needs to be rethought in the same way that the international monetary system was reworked in the 1970s. |
| “The refugee regime was created in the 1950s for Europe and the early Cold War era,” says Betts. “Yes it’s been adapted incrementally but we’ve never had a moment of systematic reflection.” | “The refugee regime was created in the 1950s for Europe and the early Cold War era,” says Betts. “Yes it’s been adapted incrementally but we’ve never had a moment of systematic reflection.” |
| Betts adds: | Betts adds: |
| “In other areas like the international monetary system, when there was a big crisis as we saw in 1971, reform took place. 2016 should be the refugee system’s 1971. It should involve reflection on our legal model, our organisational model, and our operational model – and that’s what the political capital that we’ve invested in these two days should have gone towards. | “In other areas like the international monetary system, when there was a big crisis as we saw in 1971, reform took place. 2016 should be the refugee system’s 1971. It should involve reflection on our legal model, our organisational model, and our operational model – and that’s what the political capital that we’ve invested in these two days should have gone towards. |
| But as it is, I think there are achievements, but I’m not sure these achievements reach the level of ambition that the international community should have had in response to the refugee crisis. | But as it is, I think there are achievements, but I’m not sure these achievements reach the level of ambition that the international community should have had in response to the refugee crisis. |
| 9.16pm BST | 9.16pm BST |
| 21:16 | 21:16 |
| Poland joins the UK in announcing that it has begun the process of ratifying the Paris climate agreements, Duda says, invoking the new beginning of the so-called “anthropocene” era. | Poland joins the UK in announcing that it has begun the process of ratifying the Paris climate agreements, Duda says, invoking the new beginning of the so-called “anthropocene” era. |
| 9.10pm BST | 9.10pm BST |
| 21:10 | 21:10 |
| The afternoon plenary session is underway. Now speaking is Andrzej Duda, the president of Poland. | The afternoon plenary session is underway. Now speaking is Andrzej Duda, the president of Poland. |
| Poland’s ambassador to the UK has expressed concern about xenophobic attacks on Polish nationals which have begun occurring in Britain following the UK’s vote to leave the European Union. It is not known whether Duda will address the issue in today’s speech. | Poland’s ambassador to the UK has expressed concern about xenophobic attacks on Polish nationals which have begun occurring in Britain following the UK’s vote to leave the European Union. It is not known whether Duda will address the issue in today’s speech. |
| 8.51pm BST | 8.51pm BST |
| 20:51 | 20:51 |
| “We will refuse to give into pressure to give in to pressures for easy votes” Trudeau says. | “We will refuse to give into pressure to give in to pressures for easy votes” Trudeau says. |
| There is a choice to be made. Strong, diverse countires like Canada didn’t happen by accident, and won’t continue without effort. Every single day, we need to choose hope over fear, and diversity over division. Fear has never created a single job. Our citizens, the nearly 7.5 billion people we collectively serve, are better than the cynics and pessimists think they are. People want their problems solved, not exploited. | There is a choice to be made. Strong, diverse countires like Canada didn’t happen by accident, and won’t continue without effort. Every single day, we need to choose hope over fear, and diversity over division. Fear has never created a single job. Our citizens, the nearly 7.5 billion people we collectively serve, are better than the cynics and pessimists think they are. People want their problems solved, not exploited. |
| “Canada is a modest country. We know we can’t solve these problems alone. We know it will be hard work. But we’re Canadian, and we’re here to help,” he concludes. | “Canada is a modest country. We know we can’t solve these problems alone. We know it will be hard work. But we’re Canadian, and we’re here to help,” he concludes. |
| 8.46pm BST | 8.46pm BST |
| 20:46 | 20:46 |
| Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau is giving the final address of the morning session, switching between English and French. | Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau is giving the final address of the morning session, switching between English and French. |
| We need to create economic growth that is broadly shared, because a fair and successful world is a peaceful one. We need to focus on what brings us together, not on what divides us. | We need to create economic growth that is broadly shared, because a fair and successful world is a peaceful one. We need to focus on what brings us together, not on what divides us. |
| In Canada, we see diversity as a source of strength. | In Canada, we see diversity as a source of strength. |
| He says that in recent months Canadians “have opened their arms and hearts” to refugees fleeing the Syrian war, and “welcomed them as new Canadians”. | He says that in recent months Canadians “have opened their arms and hearts” to refugees fleeing the Syrian war, and “welcomed them as new Canadians”. |
| 8.40pm BST | 8.40pm BST |
| 20:40 | 20:40 |
| May says the UK will ratify Paris climate change agreement this year | May says the UK will ratify Paris climate change agreement this year |
| Rowena Mason | Rowena Mason |
| May also used her speech to give her first major commitment that Britain will continue to tackle climate change after leaving the EU, as she promised to ratify the Paris agreement by the end of the year. | May also used her speech to give her first major commitment that Britain will continue to tackle climate change after leaving the EU, as she promised to ratify the Paris agreement by the end of the year. |
| The UK remained determined to “play our part in the international effort against climate change … In a demonstration of our commitment to the agreement reached in Paris, the UK will start its domestic procedures to enable ratification of the Paris agreement and complete these before the end of the year,” she said. | The UK remained determined to “play our part in the international effort against climate change … In a demonstration of our commitment to the agreement reached in Paris, the UK will start its domestic procedures to enable ratification of the Paris agreement and complete these before the end of the year,” she said. |
| The UK was party to negotiations as part of the EU and will be expected to take on emissions reductions based on an EU-wide “burden-sharing” agreement, which is yet to be worked out, reports Rowena Mason. | The UK was party to negotiations as part of the EU and will be expected to take on emissions reductions based on an EU-wide “burden-sharing” agreement, which is yet to be worked out, reports Rowena Mason. |
| May’s decision to speed up ratification will relieve green campaigners and charities amid worries that the new prime minister could start retreating from Britain’s position as a leader on tackling climate change after leaving the EU. She has rarely spoken about the subject in the past and was accused of a regressive step when she abolished the Department for Energy and Climate Change after taking office. | May’s decision to speed up ratification will relieve green campaigners and charities amid worries that the new prime minister could start retreating from Britain’s position as a leader on tackling climate change after leaving the EU. She has rarely spoken about the subject in the past and was accused of a regressive step when she abolished the Department for Energy and Climate Change after taking office. |
| However, pressure on the prime minister to agree to ratify the deal intensified after China and the US made a joint declaration that they would do so earlier in the month. | However, pressure on the prime minister to agree to ratify the deal intensified after China and the US made a joint declaration that they would do so earlier in the month. |
| A UK official said the prime minister’s announcement was “absolutely a reflection of her commitment to delivering on that international agreement where the UK has been at the forefront of efforts”. | A UK official said the prime minister’s announcement was “absolutely a reflection of her commitment to delivering on that international agreement where the UK has been at the forefront of efforts”. |
| You can read the whole piece here. | You can read the whole piece here. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.47pm BST | at 8.47pm BST |