Latest news with #Belem
Sky News
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Prince William has had a lot to say this week - but is anyone listening?
Prince William has had a lot to say this week, attending three events about the environment as part of London Climate Action Week and giving three speeches. But I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't really heard what he had to say. The eyes of the world have, understandably, been elsewhere. Conflict, not the climate crisis, has been the primary focus of world leaders and continues to be - a problem you could say for William and all those trying to whip up momentum ahead of COP30 in Brazil, with only four months to go until the UN's climate conference in November. It was William and his team who specifically convened a meeting at St James's Palace on Thursday with the Brazilian ministers in charge of the summit and indigenous leaders from other parts of the world. With Ed Miliband, the secretary of state for energy security and net zero, just a few seats away, William made a call to action, saying: "We've made bold commitments: to halt deforestation, restore ecosystems, and protect 30% of land, sea, and water by 2030. "But these goals will remain out of reach unless we move from promises to action - grounded in respect, equity, and shared responsibility. "Looking ahead to COP30 in Belem and beyond, we must act with greater ambition and deeper collaboration. This is a moment for courage." When I put it to a palace source that maybe it all feels a bit futile in the current climate, with attentions firmly elsewhere, I was told there is "no change in course" - the prince always has and will continue "to use his platform to spotlight the need to restore the planet". 1:16 In the past, we've been more used to his father being more vocal. The King's involvement in London Climate Week was more fleeting, albeit involving a handshake with a giant gorilla puppet, and a discussion with the Brazil delegation in which he hinted that he would love to attend the summit in November, saying: "It's fitting it all in." Attendance by either the King or the Prince of Wales hasn't been confirmed yet, although it's looking likely William will go. He told one person this week: "I'll be in the area", with his Earthshot Prize being held in Rio in the days running up to the climate conference. But in the coming months, we do now know that father and son will be meeting with one key player, who has certainly voiced very different views on the severity of the climate crisis. 0:56 This week, it was confirmed that Donald Trump's full state visit to the UK will go ahead later this year, likely in September. His potentially disruptive presence when it came to the climate debate was hinted at on Tuesday, in front of Prince William, during a speech by former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg. Mr Bloomberg, a global adviser to Earthshot Prize, said: "There's a good reason to be optimistic, lots of problems around the world, America has not been doing its share lately to make things better, I don't think. Nevertheless, I'm very optimistic about the future." The King and Prince William have worked in this environmental sphere long enough to weather the frustrations of other distractions, a lack of interest or momentum. I'll never forget in 2015 ahead of COP21, when Islamic State and Syria were dominating the news agenda, Prince Charles told me very firmly that of course there was a link between the civil war in Syria and climate change. He said there was "very good evidence indeed that one of the major reasons for this horror in Syria was a drought that lasted for about five or six years, which meant that huge numbers of people in the end had to leave the land". "It's only in the last few years that the Pentagon have actually started to pay attention to this," he added at the time. "I mean, it has a huge impact on what is happening." But as a family, they know how much their global profile and ability to get people in the room can help attract attention that others simply can't. It's easy to be sniffy about that convening power, but as one delegate at an Earthshot event put it, they have an ability to "bring people together not around politics but purpose". And in a currently noisy, fractured world, it feels like that is needed more than ever.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Eco loon Ed Miliband sent aide on gas-guzzling 46-hour trip to Brazil to check out hotel despite green drive
ED Miliband's Net Zero department sent a health and safety inspector on a lavish 10,000-mile round trip – to check the hotels were up to scratch. At least one civil servant got gas-guzzling flights to Brazil and back to scout out the British delegation's accommodation for an upcoming summit on climate change. 3 3 3 The taxpayer-funded expedition was branded a 'jolly in the jungle' while the Energy Secretary was accused of hypocrisy for sending his staff 10,000 miles by plane. Civil servant John Gaunt posted sightseeing snaps on social media of his 'incredible experience' in the northern Brazilian city of Belem. He was carrying out 'H&S checks' on local hotels ahead of the UN's COP30 summit in November. Mr Gaunt, who is thought to have travelled from Heathrow via Lisbon, said he 'never dreamt I'd be travelling this far'. He added: 'Sometimes life deals you a good hand.' He revealed the journey there took 23 hours, with the same expected on the way back. The official was merely following orders, but critics attacked Mr Miliband's department for the trip which is estimated to have clocked up 11,500kg of carbon emissions. The UK also has an embassy and officials based in the South American country. Mr Miliband has previously come under fire for racking up a £40,000 bill on domestic flights during Labour's first six months in power. The former party leader has long campaigned to constrain aviation as part of his finger-wagging green drive. He has also vowed to block airports such as Heathrow expanding if they do not meet the UK's emissions targets. Last night Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice blasted: 'In an effort to 'save the planet', Jet Ed sent a civil servant to Brazil to do a job that could've been completed with a simple Google search. 'His lunatic obsession with Net Zero seems to give him the moral superiority to waste your money. Ed Miliband won't turn Britain into a 'clean energy superpower', he'll put UP energy bills, destroy jobs and we'll have blackouts says Julia Hartley-Brewer 'The flying green hypocrite has spent over £40,000 on flights in just six months, racked up a carbon footprint more than 12 times that of the average Briton, and outspent his Tory predecessor tenfold. "All this travel to promote an agenda that will do nothing to reduce global carbon emissions, while raising energy bills for hardworking Britons and further damaging small businesses and economic growth.' Shadow Energy Secretary Andrew Bowie said: 'Red Ed's jetsetting civil servants have just been exposed for their jolly in the jungle. As per usual, it's one rule for them and another for hardworking families being asked to tighten their belts. Labour need to start practicing what they preach because it's plane hypocrisy.' UN COP conferences have been criticised as a waste of time, often ending in weak deals. Oil-rich nations are accused of using them to push their agendas rather than tackle environmental concerns. Tory ex-COP President Alok Sharma was nicknamed 'Airmiles Alok' due to his extensive international travel for climate talks. A Department for Energy and Net Zero spokesperson said: 'It is in Britain's national self-interest to attend international summits. 'Any carbon footprint is dwarfed by the carbon prize of delivering our agenda. The health and safety of our staff, while attending these events, is paramount.'
Reuters
2 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
COP30 host Brazil warns against over-reliance on carbon credits
BONN, June 26 (Reuters) - Countries should not over-rely on buying carbon credits to meet climate targets, the chief executive of this year's U.N. COP30 summit said on Thursday, as the European Union readies a new emissions goal that may include credits for the first time. The European Commission is due to propose a new EU climate target for 2040 on July 2, and has said the legally binding goal should be to cut emissions by 90%. But faced with pushback from some governments, Brussels is considering a lower target for domestic industries, and buying international carbon credits to make up the gap to 90%, Reuters has previously reported. They allow a country to buy "credits" from projects that reduce CO2 emissions abroad - for example, forest restoration in Brazil or Guyana - and count them towards its own climate goal. Proponents say this is a way to raise funding for CO2-cutting projects in developing nations. Opponents point to recent scandals, where credit-generating projects were found to not deliver the climate benefits they claimed. Ana Toni, CEO of the COP30 climate summit, which will take place in the Brazilian city of Belem in November, said Brazil did not oppose the use of carbon credits in countries' targets - known at the U.N. as nationally determined contributions - but warned against relying on them to meet a large chunk of a country's climate target. "The amount is important, because it shows how much you change in your own economy ... if it's really a big amount of (credits), you're not changing your own economy," she told Reuters. Toni also said countries must ensure any credits used to meet climate targets deliver quality environmental benefits. While the view of Brazil, as COP host, is not binding on delegations, it is responsible for guiding the negotiations at the gathering and also doing the diplomatic work to try to get countries to set ambitious goals. Nearly 200 countries faced a February deadline to submit their 2035 climate targets to the United Nations. Most, including the 27-country EU and China, missed it. The EU is expected to present its 2035 and 2040 climate goals together next week. EU countries are divided over how much of their 2040 target should be met through credits. Germany has proposed using credits to meet 3 percentage points of the 90% goal, while countries including France suggest a bigger share, officials said. EU members including Denmark and Finland say credits are not needed at all.
The National
2 days ago
- Business
- The National
Race to host next year's Cop heats up as Brazil urges focus on action over ambition
As the race to host Cop31 intensifies – with Australia and Turkey emerging as leading contenders – this year's host, Brazil, is calling for the focus to shift from pledges to implementation. Cop30 will be held in Belem in November but leading climate figures have raised concerns about what can be achieved amid an underwhelming build-up, with many members yet to submit their updated climate action plans. Brazil's President-Designate for Cop30, Andre Correa do Lago, said the summit, being hosted in the country's Amazon region, will prioritise an 'intensified action agenda' focused on real-world implementation. On Wednesday, the Australian government announced that it is committed to its bid to host Cop31 'in partnership with the Pacific in 2026". Meanwhile, Turkish officials are also making their intentions known with the seaside city of Antalya touted as a likely venue. Speaking at a London Climate Action Week, Mr Correa do Lago warned that the world needs to find a new way of 'incorporating the climate agenda in these times of crisis, because we are basically always in times of crisis'. Time for implementation 'We believe that the climate urgency should inspire all to do whatever they can in their area and have an impact on this fight,' he added. The Global Ethical Stocktake, a Brazilian initiative, is designed to hold governments and non-state actors accountable for climate justice, equity and emission cuts. Mr Correa do Lago said Cop30's goals are not to rewrite what was agreed in Paris or Dubai. 'Many people want to reiterate what was decided two years ago. Let's not reiterate. Let's implement it,' he said. He said showcasing economic benefits is vital, citing falling solar costs in China enabling clean energy projects in Africa, and Brazil's opportunity to 'leapfrog' carbon-intensive development pathways by leveraging its many renewable energy resources. Finance on the front lines The importance of finance in tackling the climate crisis was echoed on Thursday in Abu Dhabi, where the UAE Central Bank convened leading financial policymakers at its Climate Finance Forum. Central Bank Governor Khaled Mohamed Balama warned that climate risks pose 'macro-financial challenges' to economies and institutions. 'The widespread flooding we witnessed in the UAE last year was the heaviest in 75 years,' he said. The UAE's green finance strategy focuses on 'people, policies and processes', including the rollout of Shariah-compliant climate tools, climate stress testing, and embedding sustainability into financial supervision. Dr Amna Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, described the country's net-zero approach as 'pro-growth and pro-climate,' noting that oil and gas represent less than 30 per cent of the economy – down from 80 per cent a decade ago. 'We're directing climate finance to drive green opportunities at home and abroad,' she said. The private sector, too, is transforming. Abdulaziz Al Ghurair, Chair of the UAE Banks Federation, called the current moment 'transformational'.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
William urges ‘courage' ahead of world leaders meeting at Cop30
The Prince of Wales has called for 'courage' from nations ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference summit Cop30 and urged 'greater ambition and deeper collaboration'. William also stressed the 'central' role indigenous people will play in nations achieving climate change goals when he met some of their leaders at a St James's Palace discussion to hear their concerns. The future King told the group from Brazil, invited to the event staged alongside London Climate Action Week, 'you guys know how to do it best' and said he wanted to 'shine a spotlight' on their work after a traditional necklace was placed around his neck and he was gifted chocolate. He also convened environment ministers and others from across the globe – including Cop30 president, Brazil's Andre Correa do Lago, and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband – alongside representatives from charitable foundations for the roundtable discussions. Mr Miliband echoed the prince when he told the guests: 'We must put indigenous people at the heart of the solutions to this crisis we face and if there is one declaration message from this event today, it is that.' William highlighted the climate change summit being hosted by Brazil in November, saying: 'Looking ahead to Cop30 in Belem and beyond, we must act with greater ambition and deeper collaboration. 'This is a moment for courage. We are not starting from zero.' Before the meeting started the prince, who is staging his Earthshot Prize in Rio de Janeiro in November, was invited to attend Cop30 in Brazil by the country's minister of environment and climate Marina Silva and replied: 'I'll be in the area Marina, let's see what happens.' William told the delegates how indigenous communities treat nature with 'respect' rather than as a 'resource to be extracted', adding: 'Their stewardship and protection are among the most effective forces for conservation. 'If we are serious about achieving climate and biodiversity goals, indigenous peoples and local communities must be central to the effort as partners, leaders, and co-creators of solutions. 'We've made bold commitments: to halt deforestation, restore ecosystems, and protect 30% of land, sea, and water by 2030. 'But these goals will remain out of reach unless we move from promises to action – grounded in respect, equity, and shared responsibility.' He acknowledged Sonia Guajajara, Brazil's minister for indigenous people, sat at the table and praised her 'incredible work' and said she was appearing in the final episode of his Guardians series about rangers and nature's wardens. Ms Guajajara said: 'Protecting the rights of indigenous peoples is more than a question of justice, it is a strategy, urgent in order to protect the whole planet.'
