Speaking at COP 30 in Belem, Brazil, the PM warned failing to be ‘all in’ on net zero would be a disaster for energy bill prices and also undermine national security
Keir Starmer has savaged Reform and the Tories in a defiant commitment to Britain’s green credentials.
Speaking at COP 30 in Belem, Brazil, the PM warned failing to be “all in” on net zero would be a disaster for energy bill prices and also undermine national security.
His statement follows Kemi Badenoch vowing to rip up the UK Government’s climate pledges, and Nigel Farage promising to “scrap net zero and related subsidies”.
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Delivering an address at the international summit, the PM claimed there used to be agreement in Britain, only for opposition parties to ignore the opportunities of the green revolution.
He said: “That consensus is gone, with some arguing that this isn’t the time to act, and saying that tackling climate change can wait. But my question is this – can energy security wait too? Can bill payers wait? Can we win the race for green jobs and investment by going slow? Of course not.
“Inaction will only deepen these problems, drive prices higher, leave the call and opportunity unanswered and leave our communities exposed to instability. Flooding, rising food prices, growing migration…and greater threats to national security.”
Pointing to the hurricane which recently brought mass destruction to the Caribbean, he continued: “Just look at the tragic destruction brought by hurricane Melissa: Lives lost, homes, livelihoods, entire communities destroyed, islands just trapped in its devastating path.
“So, we say today to our friends in Jamaica and across the Caribbean, we stand with you.
“But, look, there is a better path for all of us. We can choose to rise to this moment and to recognise that this is not just a problem to be solved, but also an immense opportunity to be seized.”
Earlier Labour had slapped down criticism from Ms Badenoch after she claimed that the PM should have skipped COP to focus on “domestic” issues.
A Labour source said: “The Prime Minister has travelled to COP with the Prince of Wales to show UK leadership on the world stage, and delivering jobs and opportunity across Britain.
“The Leader of the Opposition should look the 400,000 UK workers in clean energy in the eye and tell them she wants to throw it all away. And for what? Old, rusty arguments stuck in the past that she’s forced to adopt because her dwindling number of supporters demand it.”
It came as new polling revealed the majority of voters fear the climate crisis will have a big impact on their children’s future.
International charity ActionAid UK polling found climate change is a worry for 62% of the public, while more than a third (37%) believe the UK government is not doing or spending enough on climate action.
Despite these concerns, the charity found only one in ten working people reported being worried about the impact it will have on their current job. Meanwhile only 16% of people were concerned about the impact it could have on the job of a family member or friend.
Zahra Hdidou, Senior Climate and Resilience Advisor at ActionAid UK, said: “We owe it to the next generation to leave a safe, healthy and liveable planet for them to thrive on. Unless we want the next generation to be worse off, our politicians must stop dragging their feet and do more to cut carbon emissions.
“Already, millions of children around the world are paying the price for a climate crisis they did nothing to create, and more and more families are seeing their livelihoods upended. As the fourth largest historic contributor to global emissions, the UK has a responsibility to scale up funding to support vulnerable countries and communities which are experiencing its direct consequences”.