In lieu of attending and delivering his speech to delegates of COP27 in person it has been confirmed that King Charles will host a reception at Buckingham Palace before the summit begins – and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will attend.
The pre-conference reception, scheduled for 4 November, will bring together 200 politicians, business leaders and campaigners. The guest list includes the new PM who is expected to speak on practical measures to address the climate crisis. The Palace says the event will mark the end of the UK’s COP presidency, having hosted COP26 in Glasgow a year ago.
Under the Sunak government, the decision for the King to be absent from COP27 has not been reversed, and the PM has come under scrutiny for his own choice not to attend.
If his diary allows, he would want to go
Now the message coming out of Downing Street is that an appearance from the PM in Egypt hasn’t been ruled out; Environment Secretary Mark Spencer told BBC Breakfast that the Sunak’s ‘huge inbox’ was prohibitive but that ‘if his diary allows, he would want to go’, while an official spokesperson said the position is ‘under review’.
“The Prime Minister is focused on pressing domestic issues,” commented the spokesperson, “most significantly preparing for the autumn statement, so any attendance at COP would depend on progress on preparation for that fiscal event, and that work is ongoing. The Prime Minister fully recognizes the importance of the COP summit and is fully committed to addressing climate change.”
