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COP27: Environment secretary defends Sunak for missing climate summit Ministers admit missing legally binding water and nature targets
(about 3 hours later)
Environment Secretary Therese Coffey says she will be attending the climate summit The targets were supposed to be set on 31 October under the Environment Act
Environment Secretary Therese Coffey has defended Rishi Sunak's decision to skip the COP27 climate summit, after the prime minister was accused of shunning the event. Rishi Sunak's government has delayed legally binding targets aimed at curbing pollution and restoring nature.
Ms Coffey insisted the climate was "a priority" for the PM despite him missing the conference next month. The government said its 31 October deadline for setting targets to improve water, air and wildlife would be missed.
She said he would show "global leadership" rather than attending "just a gathering of people". MPs and green groups said failing to hit the deadline ahead of the COP27 climate summit was embarrassing for the UK.
But critics say his decision not to go is a "massive failure" of leadership. The delay comes as the prime minister faces criticism for skipping COP27.
The UK hosted last year's COP summit in Glasgow and had a prominent role in encouraging pledges to curb emissions from almost 200 countries. Political opponents and environmental campaigners have accused Mr Sunak of a "failure of leadership" for deciding not to attend the conference in Egypt next month.
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson made several speeches at the conference and said he hoped the deal stuck would mark the beginning of the end of climate change. But Mr Sunak has defended his decision, insisting that while tackling climate change was "important" to him, he was focused on domestic challenges.
Mr Sunak's predecessor, Liz Truss, had been due to attend this year's conference. The delay of environmental targets raises further questions about Mr Sunak's commitment to green goals as his government grapples with economic turmoil at home.
But Downing Street said Mr Sunak had "other pressing domestic commitments", including preparations for a financial statement in November. The government had planned for the targets to be ready before the COP27 summit, where the UK's delegation would have been able to present them to other nations.
Ms Coffey said she was planning to to attend along with Alok Sharma, who was president of last year's COP in the UK.
Defending Mr Sunak, Ms Coffey said the "big political moments" tended to happen at the conference every five years - such as last year's summit in Glasgow - and that COP27 would be more about implementation.
"We remain committed to net zero and to leading international and domestic action to tackle climate change," she added. "The UK is forging ahead of many other countries on net zero."
Speaking to LBC, Ms Coffey said: "The UK continues to show global leadership as opposed to just a gathering of people in Egypt."
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Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Sunak "should be going to COP". Passed in November last year, the Environment Act requires that at least one target is set in each of four priority areas: air, water, biodiversity, and waste reduction.
"He needs show leadership," added the Labour leader. But in a statement to MPs, Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said the government would not be able to publish the targets by 31 October, "as required" by law.
The Liberal Democrats also criticised the decision, with leader Sir Ed Davey saying it "flies in the face of the UK's proud tradition of leading the world in our response to the climate change". Ms Coffey cited the "significant public response" to a government consultation on the targets as the reason for the delay.
Green Party MP Caroline Lucas said the decision made "a mockery of any government claims on continued climate leadership". 'Threatened with extinction'
Rebecca Newsom, head of politics at Greenpeace UK, said the move suggests Mr Sunak does not take climate change "seriously enough". She said the government received over 180,000 responses to the consultation, which asked for public feedback on its target proposals and closed on 27 June.
COP27 will take place in Sharm el-Sheikh, in Egypt, from 6 to 18 November - finishing the day after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is due to set out the UK's tax and spending plans. Those responses "needed to be analysed and carefully considered", Ms Coffey said, but gave no new date for the publication of the targets.
The annual UN climate summits are designed to help governments agree steps to limit global temperature rises. She said the government would "continue to work at pace" to publish the targets and bring them before Parliament, where they will need to be approved to come into force.
The summit in Egypt is expected to focus on three main areas - reducing emissions, helping countries prepare for and deal with climate change, and securing technical support for developing countries for these activities. Katie-jo Luxton, RSPB England's director of global conservation, said the delay left "a huge question mark over when we can expect to see the final targets".
On Wednesday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told the BBC that he would like to see both the PM and King Charles in attendance. Now it looks like neither will be there. She said the targets would reassure the the public, "who are rightly concerned that almost half of England's wildlife is in decline and more than one in 10 species is threatened with extinction".
Given that the UK government was not just the host of COP26 but the main driving force behind its limited successes, it is unusual that it will not have a major political figure in attendance. In a tweet, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas wrote: "Defra admits in a cursory statement slipped out this morning that it's failed to fulfil statutory duty to publish environment bill targets. This matters."
While Alok Sharma will be there as the outgoing COP president, he is not of the same rank as a prime minister or monarch. Labour's shadow environment secretary, Jim McMahon, described the failure to meet the deadline as "a huge embarrassment to them and deeply worrying for the UK's environment".
The Egyptian organisers will likely be furious at this turn of events - and it will not augur well for the conference if the leaders of one of the world's leading lights in taking action on climate can't prioritise travelling to the gathering. "This is yet another example of the Conservatives being all talk when it comes to the environment, but failing to provide the leadership and the action that is desperately needed," he said.
More than 200 governments have been invited to COP27. However, some leaders of major economies are not expected to attend, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. RSPB spat
US President Joe Biden is planning to go, but China has not yet confirmed if its leaders will participate. Using the hashtag "AttackOnNature", RSPB England shared a video on Twitter of Ms Lucas asking the prime minister about Liz Truss's government having taken a "wrecking ball to nature".
Earlier this month, Buckingham Palace confirmed King Charles would not be attending the conference. Lord Lucas, a hereditary member of the House of Lords, responded with a foul-mouthed swipe at the wildlife charity.
The monarch has a long-standing interest in environmental issues, but the Palace said it had sought advice from then-PM Ms Truss and that "with mutual friendship and respect there was agreement that the King would not attend". "You lying turds. There is no attack on nature, there never was an attack on nature, and that is what Rishi confirms," tweeted the Conservative peer.
Speaking to the BBC on Friday, Ms Coffey said: "The government doesn't have a view on whether the King should go" adding that it was "a matter" for him. The news that Mr Sunak will not be attending COP27 comes as a UN report warns there is "no credible pathway" to keep the rise in global temperatures below a key threshold of 1.5C.
The news that Mr Sunak will not be attending comes as a UN report warns there is "no credible pathway" to keep the rise in global temperatures below a key threshold of 1.5C.
Scientists believe that going beyond 1.5C would see dangerous impacts for people all over the world.Scientists believe that going beyond 1.5C would see dangerous impacts for people all over the world.
On Wednesday, United Nations secretary general António Guterres told the BBC countries must reprioritise climate change or face catastrophe.On Wednesday, United Nations secretary general António Guterres told the BBC countries must reprioritise climate change or face catastrophe.
Meanwhile, No 10 have confirmed Climate Minister Graham Stuart - who was reappointed to the role in Mr Sunak's reshuffle - will no longer attend cabinet,Meanwhile, No 10 have confirmed Climate Minister Graham Stuart - who was reappointed to the role in Mr Sunak's reshuffle - will no longer attend cabinet,
Last month, under the Truss premiership, the government announced a review of the UK's target to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.Last month, under the Truss premiership, the government announced a review of the UK's target to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Former Energy Minister Chris Skidmore was tasked with leading the review "with a focus on ensuring the UK's fight against climate change maximises economic growth, while increasing energy security and affordability for consumers and businesses".Former Energy Minister Chris Skidmore was tasked with leading the review "with a focus on ensuring the UK's fight against climate change maximises economic growth, while increasing energy security and affordability for consumers and businesses".