Boris Johnson Induces Mix Of Hysterical Laughter, Projectile Vomiting W. Climate Rhetoric
Boris Johnson put the global climate crisis at the heart of the UK’s foreign policy on Tuesday, setting out his vision of “global Britain” after a government review placed climate as “the UK’s foremost international priority”.
he prime minister told MPs: “We will host Cop26 [climate summit] in Glasgow in November, and rally as many nations as possible behind the target of net zero [greenhouse gas emissions] by 2050, leading by example since the UK was the first major economy to accept this obligation in law.”
However, green campaigners questioned whether the prime minister’s rhetoric was matched by action, and accused him of “hypocrisy” over measures that could increase greenhouse gas emissions in the UK and overseas.
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However, campaigners said the government’s green rhetoric was at odds with many recent ministerial actions. The government is embroiled in a row over its support for a new coalmine, while cutting overseas aid, planning new gas-fired power stations and thousands of miles of roads, and cutting taxes on flights. Last week, the UK is also understood to have helped the former Australian finance minister Mathias Cormann, who has frequently expressed hostility to climate action, to be appointed head of the OECD group of rich countries, despite strong opposition from green groups. Rachel Kennerley, climate campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: “Political and financial support for coal, oil and gas needs to stop, at home and internationally, before the UK can congratulate itself on being a climate leader.”
Mohamed Adow, director of the Power Shift Africa thinktank, said developing countries would watch the UK’s actions rather than “greenwash” statements. “When you actually look at what this government is doing it’s hard to take these claims seriously,” he said. “Approving the Cumbrian coalmine, the botched green homes grant scheme and very little on climate in the recent budget, while slashing the aid budget and backing a climate blocker to become the new boss of the OECD. Boris Johnson likes to talk about building back better. This is a unique opportunity to have a truly green recovery from Covid-19 but so far they are failing miserably to live up to that.”
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/16/uk-government-makes-climate-its-foremost-international-priority