Sunak unveils international climate package at COP27

UK prime minister Rishi Sunak announced a series of new commitments on international climate financing, nature preservation and energy transition at COP27 in Egypt today.

Speaking in Sharm El-Sheikh, the PM said that nations must honour the pledges made at last year’s summit in Glasgow, before revealing that the UK would triple its support for climate adaptation, from £500m in 2019 to £1.5bn in 2025.

In further support of developing countries, Sunak unveiled £65.5m for the Clean Energy Innovation Facility, which provides grants to researchers and scientists in poorer nations to accelerate the development of clean technology.

The PM – who U-turned on his original decision not to attend COP27 – also hosted an event today with the Forests and Climate Leaders’ Partnership, confirming more than £150m for protecting rainforests and natural habitats.

“The world came together in Glasgow with one last chance to create a plan that would limit global temperature rises to 1.5°C,” he said. “The question today is: can we summon the collective will to deliver on those promises?

“I believe we can. By honouring the pledges we made in Glasgow, we can turn our struggle against climate change into a global mission for new jobs and clean growth, and we can bequeath our children a greener planet and a more prosperous future. That’s a legacy we could be proud of.”

This comes after UN secretary general António Guterres earlier today unveiled an action plan for the Early Warnings for All initiative, which will be able to reach everyone on Earth with early warnings against increasingly extreme and dangerous weather.

The initiative calls for initial new targeted investments between 2023 and 2027 of $3.1bn (£2.7bn) – a sum which would be dwarfed by the benefits – which is a small fraction of a requested $50bn in adaptation financing.

It would cover disaster risk knowledge, observations and forecasting, preparedness and response, and communication of early warnings.

Guterres also today called for a “Climate Solidarity Pact”, which would commit all countries to make an extra effort to reduce emissions this decade in line with the 1.5°C goal.

He said: “Our planet is fast approaching tipping points that will make climate chaos irreversible – we are on a highway to climate hell with our foot still on the accelerator.

“A window of opportunity remains open, but only a narrow shaft of light remains. The global climate fight will be won or lost in this crucial decade – on our watch.

“One thing is certain: those that give up are sure to lose. So let’s fight together– and let’s win. For the eight billion members of our human family – and for generations to come.”