The UK Government confirmed Monday that the attendance, or not, of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the upcoming Climate Summit in Egypt is still «under review», following criticism of the Prime Minister’s refusal to attend.
Last week Sunak reported that he would not attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), scheduled for November 6-18 in Sharm el-Sheikh, because he would be focused on «other urgent domestic commitments» at that time.
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.
However, the Prime Minister’s announcement soon raised controversy and the opposition took the opportunity to question his lack of leadership and commitment in the fight against climate change. «You have world leaders from around the world coming together to talk about how we can tackle the biggest long-term threat we face (…) and our prime minister doesn’t even bother to show up,» said the shadow minister for climate change, Ed Miliband.
Thus, in the face of criticism from the opposition and the growing calls Sunak has received to appear at the meeting, Downing Street confirmed Monday that his presence is not yet ruled out and is «under review».
«Any attendance at the COP would depend on progress in preparing for that fiscal event, and that work is still ongoing,» the Downing Street spokeswoman said, according to the British television network SkyNews.
«I think it’s appropriate at the moment that I’m also focusing on the depressing domestic challenges we have with the economy. I think that’s what people would reasonably expect of me,» Sunak said last week in what was at the time an attempt to justify his decision.
Likewise, Environment Minister Therese Coffey came out to protect her prime minister by assuring that she will be at the climate summit and that the premier’s absence is partly justified because «big COPs tend to be every five years».
