Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has reversed his decision to skip COP27, after reports suggested he was too busy focusing on his November 17 financial statement to attend.
After previously saying, “any attendance at COP27 would depend on progress on preparation for that fiscal event, and that work is ongoing,” Sunak’s official spokesman said significant progress was being made on the highly anticipated statement.
Following this, the PM confirmed his intention to attend in a tweet, writing: “There is no long-term prosperity without action on climate change. There is no energy security without investing in renewables.”
COP27, the UN’s climate change conference, will see world leaders discuss climate finance and development, future energy investment and the transition to low-emission economies, among other topics.
With the summit being hosted in Egypt from 6-18 November, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said: “I deeply believe that COP27 is an opportunity to showcase unity against an existential threat.”
“Among key focus areas will be the promise of innovation and clean technologies as well as the centrality of water and agriculture to the climate crisis.”
“The role of science will also be highlighted in addition to biodiversity loss, energy transition, decarbonization efforts and finance.”
Attending the summit are US President Joe Biden, French President Emanuel Macron, Nicola Sturgeon and ex-British PM Boris Johnson.