Rishi Sunak says he did not face any criticism from the world leaders he met for delaying a UK ban on selling new petrol and diesel vehicles as he repeated his defence of the UK’s climate record.
Before and during his swift visit to Dubai for the Cop28 climate conference, the prime minister had been focusing on urging other countries to do all they could to decarbonise, while celebrating Britain’s achievements.
Sunak had been questioned repeatedly by charities and environmental organisations on what example he expected to set when the UK, under his leadership, had rolled back on a number of green policies and he appeared to show little interest in demonstrating leadership on the Cop world stage.
On Friday, the prime minister spent eight hours in Dubai, holding a series of bilateral meetings, including with the former prime minister Tony Blair.
Speaking at the summit, and referring to the ban on petrol and diesel vehicles, he said: “Hand on heart, 100%, not a single leader that I have spoken to today has spoken about that. Do you know why? Because most of their targets are less ambitious than the UK’s.”
He said the 2035 date for internal combustion engine vehicles was in line with other developed countries. He added that it “demonstrates just how distorted this debate has become” when “I shift a date to be in line with basically every other country and it’s somehow portrayed as some extreme measure”.
Sunak also announced a deal between Masdar and RWE to invest up to £11bn in the UK’s new windfarm at Dogger Bank. “This is a huge boost for UK renewables, creating more jobs, helping to power 3m homes and increasing our energy security,” he said.
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Sunak has tried to persuade his counterparts at the summit that his government is still committed to tackling the climate emergency, while taking an ambitious yet “pragmatic” approach that saves Britons money.
When asked how he could afford his commitments, Sunak said: “We can be pragmatic about our approach to helping everyone and still be a world leader, but also make sure we prioritise the needs of people at home.
“That’s the balance that I’ve struck. That’s what I will do as prime minister and, again, both the aid decision and the net zero decision, I think, show that attitude, making it actually real for people at home.”
