‘It’s not about bunny-hugging’: Boris Johnson tells leaders to ‘get serious’ about climate change

Boris Johnson urged the world’s richest nations to embrace climate action for the sake of growth and jobs today – as he told them it was not just about ‘bunny-hugging’.

The Prime Minister made the remarks as he addressed Joe Biden’s virtual gathering of world leaders, at which the president vowed to halve US emissions by 2030.

Mr Johnson hailed the Democrat’s commitment as a ‘game changer’ and stressed the jobs and growth that could come from tackling climate change and the technological opportunities that could help solve the problem.

‘I’m not saying any of this is going to be easy and there is obviously going to be a political challenge,’ he told assembled world leaders.

‘It’s vital for all of us to show that this is not all about some expensive, politically correct, green act of bunny hugging, or however you want to put it, there’s nothing wrong with bunny hugging.

‘What I’m driving at is this is about growth and jobs, and I think the President (Biden) was absolutely right to stress that.

‘We can build back better from this pandemic by building back greener.’

The two-day US-led summit also heard from leaders of major economies including China, Japan, Russia, Canada, India and Australia.

As part of diplomatic efforts in the lead up to the summit, the US and China issued a statement pledging to work together and with other countries on the issue. 

The Prime Minister announced a ‘world-leading’ target for the UK to cut emissions by 78 per cent by 2035

The Prime Minister made the remarks as he addressed Joe Biden's virtual gathering of world leaders, at which the president vowed to halve US emissions by 2030.

The Prime Minister made the remarks as he addressed Joe Biden’s virtual gathering of world leaders, at which the president vowed to halve US emissions by 2030.

‘The science is undeniable’: Biden and Kamala Harris promise to slash US carbon emissions in HALF 

President Joe Biden issued a call to action to world leaders on Thursday, asking them to work together to keep the earth’s temperature from rising too high in the next decade, arguing it would result in new jobs and economic opportunities.

‘The signs are unmistakable. The science is undeniable. The cost of inaction is mounting,’ he said in his speech kicking off his Climate Summit.

‘This is a moral imperative, an economic imperative,’ Biden argued. ‘Time is short, but I believe we can do this. And I believe that we will do. Thank you for being part of the summit.’

In his remarks, Biden stressed the importance of working together but also emphasized combatting climate change can create jobs and boost economies.

He spoke from the East Room of the White House, which was decorated with plants and greenery. Vice President Kamala Harris introduced him and he was joined by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and climate czar John Kerry. The attendees from around the world, joining him virtually, were on a screen in front of him.

Biden vowed the US would do its part, pledging the country will cut emissions blamed for climate change by 50 to 52 percent by 2030 compared with 2005 levels and to set America on a path of zero emissions economy by no later than 2015.

‘No nation can solve this crisis on our own, as I know you all fully understand all of us, all of us and particularly those of us who represent the world’s largest economies. We have to step up,’ he said.

 

Mr Johnson set out the UK’s moves to cut greenhouse gases by 78 per cent by 2035.

‘As host of Cop26 we want to see similar ambitions around the world, we are working with everybody from the smallest nations to the biggest emitters to secure commitments that will keep change to within 1.5C,’ he said.

‘I think we can do it, to do it we need scientists in all of our countries to work together to produce the technological solutions that humanity is going to need,’ he said, pointing to technology to store carbon and cheap hydrogen.

He added: ‘It will mean the richest nations coming together and exceeding the 100 billion US dollar commitment that they already made in 2009’ to support developing countries, stressing how important that was.

 It comes ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November. 

The US reduction – estimated to be around a 41-44 per cent cut on 1990 levels – is part of the US’s national climate plan, which it is submitting as part of its return to the Paris climate accord, the world’s first comprehensive climate treaty which Donald Trump quit when he was president.

President Biden told the summit it could help build a more prosperous, equitable society, stressing the jobs that could be created.

‘The signs are unmistakeable, the science is undeniable. The cost of inaction keeps mounting.

‘The United States isn’t waiting, we are resolving to take action, not only our federal government but our cities and our states all across our country, small business, large corporations, American workers in every field,’ he said.

He said the US only represented 15 per cent of the world’s emissions and that no nation can solve the crisis on its own.

‘All of us, particularly those who represent the world’s largest economies, we have to step up.

‘Those that do take action and make bold investments in their people, in clean energy futures, will win the good jobs of tomorrow and make their economies more resilient and more competitive.’

Countries have been expected to come forward with more ambitious plans up to 2030, known as nationally determined contributions (NDC) in the Paris deal, ahead of Cop26 in November.

That is because existing plans are not enough to meet countries’ commitments under the Paris deal to curb global temperature rises to ‘well below’ 2C above pre-industrial levels – or 1.5C if possible – and avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change. 

Chinese president Xi Jinping has called for a ‘people-centred’ approach to the climate crisis.

President Xi said: ‘We must treat nature as our root, respect it, protect it and follow its laws, we should protect nature and preserve the environment like we protect our eyes.

‘Second, we must be committed to green development – green mountains are gold mountains, to protect the environment is to protect productivity and to boost the environment is to boost productivity.

‘The truth is as simple as that.’

He added: ‘We must be committed to a people-centred approach, the environment concerns the wellbeing of people in all countries, we need to take into full account people’s desire for a better quality of life and good environment as well as our responsibility for future generations.’

Vladimir Putin told the climate summit that since the 1990s Russia has halved its annual carbon dioxide emissions from 3.1 billion tonnes to 1.6 billion tonnes, and could be carbon neutral as early as 2025.

‘This has become possible because of a fundamental restructuring of our industry and energy that has been under way for the last two decades,’ he said.

‘As a result, as of now, 45 per cent of our energy mix is accounted for by low-emission energy sources, including nuclear generation.’

Mr Putin said Russia planned to carry out a ‘large-scale campaign’ of environmental modernisation and greater efficiency across all sectors of its economy, including the use of carbon capture and storage from all carbon sources.

He continued: ‘We’re also building an infrastructure for producing hydrogen to be used both as a fuel, and an energy source.’

Mr Putin said Russia was also developing a carbon pricing and trading system, claiming such a system could allow Russia to be carbon neutral as early as 2025.