The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, has indicated that his absence from the upcoming Climate Summit in Egypt is due to the fact that around the same time he will be embarking on tackling the «depressing economic challenges» facing the country.
He has also strongly rejected the criticism voiced by opposition leader Keir Starmer, who accused Sunak of «failing in leadership» after announcing that he would not attend the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27).
«No. The leadership we have shown at the climate level is unmatched almost anywhere in the world,» said the British premier, who said he felt «very passionate» and «personally committed» to leaving a better planet for generations to come.
«I think it’s appropriate at this time that I’m also focusing on the depressing domestic challenges we have with the economy. I think that’s what people would reasonably expect from me,» Sunak remarked, as reported by SkyNews.
Likewise, Environment Minister Therese Coffey has come out to protect her prime minister by assuring that she will be at the climate summit and that Sunak’s absence is partly justified because «big COPs tend to be every five years».
Sunak’s decision not to attend the event quickly sparked criticism from international organizations such as Greenpeace, which criticized the prime minister for not taking the climate challenge «seriously enough». From opposition benches, in addition to the Labor Starmer, Caroline Lucas, from the Greens, called Sunak’s decision a «mockery».
This year’s Climate Summit will be held in the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh, on the east coast of the Sinai Peninsula, and will culminate just one day after the date set for the British Executive to present its budget, a key issue in the country’s current political instability.
