Greenpeace UK comments on news that Rishi Sunak will not attend COP27

Rebecca Newsom, head of politics at Greenpeace UK, said: “The UK government is supposed to hand over the COP presidency to their Egyptian counterparts at next month’s summit. For Rishi Sunak not to show up is like a runner failing to turn up with the baton at a crucial stage of the relay. Coming just after the ousting of Alok Sharma from the cabinet, this suggests that the new Prime Minister neither takes the climate crisis seriously enough, nor recognises the opportunities for Britain to take a leadership role in helping to solve it. Only 24 hours ago, the UN secretary general said that countries must “re-prioritise climate change or the world faces catastrophe”. Which one would Sunak rather? And if he’s determined not to go, who is he going to send to COP27 in his place?”