Rishi Sunak To Attend COP27 Climate Summit
On Wednesday, UK PM Rishi Sunak announced plans to attend the COP27 climate summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt next week after pressure from green campaigners and MPs prompted him to reverse an earlier decision to skip the conference.
Facts
- On Wednesday, UK PM Rishi Sunak announced plans to attend the COP27 climate summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt next week after pressure from green campaigners and MPs prompted him to reverse an earlier decision to skip the conference.
- Downing Street initially said that Sunak wouldn't have time to attend as the Conservative party leader is preparing for a budget announcement on Nov. 17.
- "There is no long-term prosperity without action on climate change," the PM said in a statement on Twitter. "That is why I will attend Cop27 next week: to deliver on Glasgow's legacy of building a secure and sustainable future."
- The change in course comes after opposition parties slammed Sunak's original decision, including accusations from Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer that his absence would have been a "failure of leadership."
- According to Egypt's COP27 president-designate, over 100 heads of state will be attending the conference, including US Pres. Joe Biden, who will travel to the event after the US midterms.
- Sunak took up the post of PM last month, replacing predecessor Liz Truss after just 44 days in office. He has inherited an economy in disarray and has already been forced to renege on several manifesto pledges. Wednesday's U-turn will see him make his first trip abroad as UK PM.
Sources: Newsbud, BBC News, Guardian, FT, and Telegraph.
Narratives
- Left narrative, as provided by Guardian. Sunak poorly misread the national mood when he decided not to attend a summit key to international cooperation in the fight against climate change. Even though — amid a state of (Conservative-made) political chaos — the more distant and existential threats seem less significant than today's urgent issues, sometimes tomorrow must take precedence.
- Right narrative, as provided by Spectator. The PM has been browbeaten into attending this conference, even though his original decision was justified. The world's largest climate emitters have made it blatantly clear that they're not concerned about green targets. Sunak should be prioritizing the security of public finances over this specious parade.
