Rishi Sunak is to attend the Cop27 climate summit in Egypt next week after No 10 previously said he was too focused on the domestic economy to attend and banned King Charles from going.
Sunak announced the U-turn on Twitter, making no reference to his previous reluctance, saying: “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 Cop27 next week: to deliver on Glasgow’s legacy of building a secure and sustainable future.”
The move may open the door for King Charles to attend as well, just five days after No 10 had said it was not the “right occasion” for him to do so.
Sunak had come under sustained pressure to go to Cop27 in Sharm el-Sheikh from the many supporters of the UK’s net zero goals in the Conservative party and parliament more broadly, as well as facing international criticism.
The Egyptian government had voiced “disappointment”, and Carlos Fuller, Belize’s ambassador to the UN, had told the Guardian it looked as if the UK was “washing their hands of leadership”. Government representatives and policy experts from around the world such as Mohammed Nasheed, speaker of the Maldives parliament and former president, agreed that there was no priority more important than climate change.
Alok Sharma, who led the UK’s Cop presidency in Glasgow last year, said he was “delighted” by the reversal of Sunak’s position, having previously said he was “disappointed” he was not planning to attend.
Sunak’s U-turn was also broadly welcomed by other Conservatives, with the former energy minister Chris Skidmore leading the government’s review into net zero, saying: “It’s extremely good news that Rishi Sunak will continue to champion the UK’s climate leadership and Cop26 legacy with Alok Sharma.
“I look forward to also attending Cop27 to highlight how the net zero review is an opportunity to better deliver greater prosperity and economic growth.”
Sam Hall from the Conservative Environment Network added: “Economically prudent, environmentally ambitious climate action is one of the UK’s greatest policy successes and 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.”
On Friday Downing Street had said Sunak would not go to Sharm el-Sheikh because of “depressing domestic challenges”.
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However, it was reported by the Observer that Sunak’s predecessor and rival Boris Johnson was planning to go to show his solidarity with the battle against the climate crisis. A day later, No 10 said Sunak’s decision not to attend was “under review”.
Parliament’s cross-party environment group had written to Sunak, calling on him to attend the summit in Egypt.
The group said: “We hope that, as prime minister, you will use your power to support environmental politics which improve the economy whilst enhancing the environment at home and abroad.
“The decisions your government takes will have a noticeable impact on the lives of people across the country, and indeed our entire planet, for generations to come.”