Rishi Sunak has confirmed he will attend the COP27 climate conference in Egypt next week.
It comes just days after the Prime Minister was criticised for saying he wouldn’t make the trip because of “other pressing domestic commitments”.
There is no long-term prosperity without action on climate change.
There is no energy security without investing in renewables.
That is why I will attend @COP27P next week: to deliver on Glasgow's legacy of building a secure and sustainable future.
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) November 2, 2022
Reversing his original decision, Mr Sunak Tweeted that “there is no long-term prosperity” unless climate change is leashed, adding that there is “no energy security without investing in renewables”.
He also pledged to “deliver on Glasgow’s legacy of building a secure and sustainable future”.
The previous instalment of the United Nations’ annual climate summit, COP26, was held in the Scottish city last year.
© PASam Hall, director of the Conservative Environment Network, has hailed Mr Sunak’s reversal of his original decision to skip the the COP27 conference.
He said: “Economically prudent, environmentally ambitious climate action is one of the UK’s greatest policy successes & sources of diplomatic clout, and perhaps the best example of Global Britain. As the COP presidency transfers to Egypt, it is welcome the PM will lead the UK delegation.”
Alok Sharma, the UK’s outgoing COP26 president, also said he was “delighted”, adding, “completely agree with his comment that ‘there is no long-term prosperity without action on climate change’.”
Political opponents have been less forgiving though, with Mr Sunak being accused of a “screeching U-turn”.
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said the Prime Minister, who took over from Liz Truss last week, had been “dragged kicking and screaming into doing the right thing”.
“Embarrassing,” she added.
Dragged kicking and screaming into doing the right thing. Embarrassing. https://t.co/dEeIzEtqYW
— Angela Rayner 🌹 (@AngelaRayner) November 2, 2022
Meanwhile Green MP Caroline Lucas Tweeted: “Glad to see Sunak’s screeching U-turn on #COP27, but what an embarrassing mis-step on the world stage. Let this be a lesson to him – climate leadership matters.
“Now he urgently needs to increase UK ambition on emission reduction targets & pay what we owe to global climate funds.”