London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025

Rishi Sunak is now going to COP27 climate summit

Rishi Sunak is now going to COP27 climate summit

The prime minister has reversed an earlier decision not to go to the COP27 climate summit in Egypt.

No 10 had said Rishi Sunak was too busy preparing for the 17 November budget to attend the event which opens on Sunday.

But this had been widely criticised by climate campaigners, opposition parties and climate adviser Alok Sharma.

Mr Sunak tweeted that there would be "no long-term prosperity without action on climate change" or energy security without investing in renewables.

"That is why I will attend @COP27P next week: to deliver on Glasgow's legacy of building a secure and sustainable future."

On Tuesday, former prime minister Boris Johnson said he would attend COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh.

The UK hosted last year's COP (Conference Of The Parties) in Glasgow and it was chaired by Mr Sharma.

Green MP Caroline Lucas welcomed what she called a "screeching U-turn" after "an embarrassing mis-step on the world stage".

"Let this be a lesson to him - climate leadership matters," she added.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused the prime minister of acting "in the name of political management" rather than the national interest.

"Caving in to criticism is not leadership. Real leadership is seizing your seat at the table. For UK jobs. For clean energy. For our environment," he tweeted.

Liberal Democrat climate change spokesperson Wera Hobhouse said: "This whole debacle has shown the environment is simply not a priority for Rishi Sunak. He's only going after being embarrassed by Boris Johnson's attendance."

Alok Sharma chaired the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow


Mr Sharma, who had said he was "disappointed" Mr Sunak would not be attending, tweeted that he was "delighted" the prime minister would now be going.

Many world leaders including US President Joe Biden and France's Emmanuel Macron are due to attend the UN event.

Mr Sunak's predecessor Liz Truss had been set to go and Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will also be there.

King Charles - a long-time champion of environmental causes - will not be going, despite speaking at COP26 in Glasgow.

Downing Street said Liz Truss's government had agreed with Buckingham Palace that it was not the "right occasion" for the King to attend - and this advice had not changed.

The annual climate summits are designed to help governments agree measures to limit rises in global temperatures.

This year's conference takes place from 6 to 18 November, finishing the day after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is due to set out the government's tax and spending plans.

On Tuesday, Mr Sunak's official spokesman said "significant progress" was being made on the autumn statement.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
×