Rishi Sunak lambasted for 'lukewarm' COP27 speech as world is on 'climate hell highway'

The new Prime Minister flew to Egypt for a single day after being forced into an embarrassing U-turn following his decision not to attend the key climate summit

Rishi Sunak addressed delegates at the COP27 summit (

Image: Getty Images)

Rishi Sunak urged world leaders at the UN climate summit in Egypt to 'call on the collective will' to limit global temperature rise in speech criticized by activists for lacking substance .

Mr. Sunak, who became prime minister late last month, initially said he would be too busy crafting a plan to revive Britain's economy to attend the COP27 summit, drawing criticism from political opponents and campaigners .

Addressing delegates in Sharm el-Sheikh tonight, he said the pandemic "has practically shattered" the global economy and that "Putin's heinous war in Ukraine and rising energy prices in the world are no reason to slow down climate change".

Despite pressure, he said the UK is committed to paying a fair share of climate finance, saying “climate security goes hand in hand with energy security” and said climate finance adaptation will now be tripled to £1.5bn by 2025.

“I deeply believe this is the right thing to do. Listen to Prime Minister Motley of Barbados describe the existential threat posed by the ravages of climate change, or watch the devastating floods in Pakistan where the underwater zone is the same size as the whole of the UK.

"When you see 33 million displaced people, with diseases raging and spreading through water, you know it's morally right to honor our promises. But it's also economically right."< /p>

Rishi Sunak on stage at the COP27 summit in Egypt (

Picture:

Getty Images)

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