Exclusive: Keir Starmer Under Fire For 'Unconvincing' Trip To Major Climate Summit

Keir Starmer has jetted off to the UN's COP30 – but will anything actually come of it?Keir Starmer is on his way to the UN’s largest climate change conference but he’s already being accused of being rather “unconvincing” in his commitment to the environment.The prime minister will be meeting other world leaders on Thursday and Friday in Belém, Brazil, just before officials gather at the UN’s COP30, which will run from November 10 to 21.What is COP30?COP30 stands for the 30th meeting of the Conference of the Parties, a UN-organised environmental summit which has been taking place every year since 1992.It’s proven to be very instrumental in the global battle against climate change over the years.It was at COP21 back in 2015 that more than 195 member states and the EU agreed to try and limit global warming to 1.5C compared to pre-industrial temperatures.Why is there some scepticism around Starmer’s trip to COP30?Starmer has been criticised by the Green Party for not putting environmental policies at the heart of his decisions since being elected.New party leader Zack Polanski told HuffPost UK: “It’s really important that the prime minister is at climate negotiations.“It’s also important that what he has to say is coherent – and whilst he’s refusing to rule out opening a new oil field at Rosebank, expanding airports and cutting the warmer homes programme – I’m not sure he’s going to be convincing many people who care about our climate commitments.”Support for the Greens has surged since the party elected Zack Polanski as its new leader, with one poll last week even putting the party ahead of Labour for the first time.It was not always clear the PM would be attending the pivotal summit this year amid a mounting pile of domestic issues for him to deal with in the UK.Some speculate the Greens’ recent success has driven Starmer’s decision to fly 5,000 miles to COP30 even as immigration problems build in the UK.But, the PM told sixth form students earlier this week that he was going to the summit “for our country, our planet and for you”. Even so, Labour has overseen some less eco-friendly measures since being elected last year including fast-tracking an expansion of Heathrow Airport.The government also needs to decide if it will stick to its manifesto pledge not to allow any new licences for oil and gas drilling in the North Sea or if it will allow oilfield Rosebank to be developed.The government was accused of lacking coherent strategy on tackling insect decline and protecting UK ecosystems by a cross-bench of MPs on Wednesday, too.And even six months before it was elected, Labour confirmed that it would no longer spend £28 billion a year on environmental projects.What does Starmer plan on doing at COP30?The prime minister has today unveiled new deals with power companies such as EnBW and ScottishPower in a push for clean energy and pointedout there had been £50 billion investment into UK clean energy industries since last year.While he has travelled without a pack of Westminster reporters on the plane – which is pretty unusual – he is still expected to tell the summit how clean energy is the economic opportunity of the 21st Century.The UK has already promised to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions by at least 81% on 1990 levels.But he is also facing calls to do more.Asad Rehman, chief executive of Friends of the Earth, wants the government to help guide this year’s talks by making polluters pay, honour the UK’s climate targets and ensure justice for communities facing the consequences of climate breakdown in the UK.He said: “World leaders must wake up to the accelerating climate emergency unfolding on our doorsteps and act now to build the fairer, cleaner and more just future we urgently need.“We’re living in the decisive decade for our climate. The choices governments make now will shape our collective future for generations.“From deadly floods and storms to wildfires and record heat, the crisis is already here, and the loss of the world’s forests is making it even worse. “Wealthy nations that caused this crisis must go further and faster to cut their emissions and deliver funding for front line communities – in the UK and overseas – to help them adapt to climate breakdown.“It’s time to make polluters pay - not those who have done least to cause the crisis.” Related...Keir Starmer Urged To Show 'True Climate Leadership' Amid UN's New 1.5C Warning'Starmer Has A Chance To Go Big On Delivering Climate Action – And He Must Not Wimp Out'Kemi Badenoch Branded 'A Reform Tribute Act' Over Plan To Scrap Climate Change Act

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