The war in Ukraine is a reason to act faster to tackle climate change, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has told the UN climate summit COP27.
“Climate and energy security go hand-in-hand,” he said in his first international appearance since taking office.
Leaders from 120 countries are meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt to discuss next steps in curbing climate change.
Key topics are compensation and support for the most-affected countries.
“Putin’s abhorrent war in Ukraine and rising energy prices across the world are not a reason to go slow on climate change. They are a reason to act faster,” Mr Sunak said.
“We can bequeath our children a greener planet and a more prosperous future […] There really is room for hope,” he added.
In a series of speeches, leaders urged rich countries to stay the course in stopping further climate change, despite the war in Ukraine and global financial problems.
Nations on the front line of climate change laid out the stark impacts of higher temperatures, drought, and floods on people and the environment.
“We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told the summit.
His stark warning was echoed by former US vice-president and environmentalist Al Gore who said nations must “stop subsidising the culture of death” of fossil fuels
Source:www.bbc.com