UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson says it is a tough task to get other countries to secure their pledge before the key COP26 climate change conference in November. He thinks there is a “six out of 10” chance that they will sign up to financial and environmental targets.
The PM is in the US for a United Nations meeting, where he is urging leaders to take “concrete action” on environmental issues. But he thinks it is “tough” persuading allies to meet their promise of giving $100bn a year to help developing nations cut carbon emissions.
November’s COP26 summit is hosted by the UK in Glasgow.
Mr Johnson also defends Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the new International Trade Secretary, over previous posts on social media rejecting the science of climate change. He acknowledges that he hasn’t always supported global warming action himself. But insists “the facts change and people change their minds”.
The prime minister will try to spur on action during a string of high level meetings this week, as around 100 world leaders come together at the UN General Assembly in New York. He says to get it all done this week is a “stretch”. But “getting it all done by COP” is “six out of 10”. He knows it is tough, “but people need to understand that this is crucial for the world”.
Downing Street claim that developed countries “collectively failed” on their $100bn (£73bn) yearly target. Last week’s OECD figures show that they only mobilised $79.6bn in climate finance in 2019.
Why do climate talks need US money?
The US is a massive obstacle to talks on climate issues.
President Joe Biden wants to undo the damage former president Donald Trump caused by withdrawing from the international climate agreement. But it is going to cost a lot of money to aid developing countries in coping with the effects of global warming. It is unknown whether he can persuade Congress to stump up the cash.
From 2017-18, wealthy nations agreed to help poorer ones with an annual target of $100bn. However, recent research shows that the US only paid 4% of its “fair share”, after suggesting a reasonable contribution of $40bn.
The US president may pledge even more money to combat climate change, at Tuesday’s UN General Assembly. But if the money doesn’t come, big developing nations might refuse to make more emissions cuts. India and China already have grievances about having to curb emissions at a much earlier stage of development than western nations.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is yet to confirm his attendance at the conference. But COP26 president Alok Sharma has had “some great conversations already with his Chinese counterparts about the things they want to do”. Mr Johnson believes that “China is massively important to this” and “shows real signs of making progress”.
Changing views
The prime minister also insists new International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan will do an “outstanding job”. These comments come following the emergence of old posts on social media showing her denying climate change. He backs her up saying that some of his own articles from decades ago would probably show he wasn’t “entirely supportive of the current struggle” with climate change. He states, “the facts change and people change their minds and change their views”.
Mr Johnson will also meet with President Biden for the first time at the White House in Washington. He is likely to push for the US to restore travel for UK citizens wishing to visit the country. Mr Biden’s administration has maintained a ban despite restrictions easing elsewhere.
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