Sunak ‘fails to read the room’ and snubs Macron climate talks

FAILING TO READ THE ROOM YET AGAIN: SUNAK TO SNUB MACRON CLIMATE FINANCE CONFERENCE, DESPITE PUBLIC APPETITE FOR TAXING MEGA PROFITS

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will reportedly skip a conference in Paris tomorrow, where world leaders will discuss how to secure money to help countries recover from extreme weather caused by climate change.

The Global Financial Pact Summit, organised by French President Emmanuel Macron, will take place in Paris from tomorrow Thursday June 22 to Friday June 23, but Sunak is reportedly sending International Development Minister, Andrew Mitchell, in his place.

Campaigners are calling for Macron to commit to taxing the most polluting industries, starting off with fossil fuel company profits, in order to fill up the Loss and Damage fund, agreed at COP27 climate talks last year, which will pay for recovery efforts in countries most impacted by the climate crisis.

Greenpeace UK head of politics, Rebecca Newsom, said: “Yet again we’re seeing Sunak failing to read the room. Right now people are sick of seeing fossil fuel companies report mega profits while our energy bills are sky high, and vulnerable countries are reeling from climate chaos that these companies have caused.

“This conference should start agreeing new fossil fuel taxes to fill up the loss and damage fund.

“Any conversation about reforming climate finance cannot be a success if it doesn’t include a discussion about making big fossil fuel companies pay more taxes to contribute to loss and damage. The public appetite is there. Sunak should show up, and make these polluters pay.”

In 2022 alone, just five fossil majors (TotalEnergies, BP, Shell, ExxonMobil and Chevron) made almost $200 billion in profits. Recent polling by Christian Aid showed that 63% of the UK public would support the government taxing oil companies to pay for the loss and damage fund.