Climate experts and Labour politicians are urging UK’s Labour leader Keir Starmer to attend the critical Cop30 climate summit in Brazil this November, despite concerns about potential backlash from the Reform party, who dispute climate science and want to abandon net zero targets. The UN’s climate chief, Simon Stiell, emphasized the importance of leaders attending such summits to strengthen national commitments and unveil new strategies to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed that attendance is crucial to demonstrating leadership and commitment to addressing the climate crisis, which is being closely watched by the world. Starmer, who has shown commitment to climate action in the past, has not made a final decision regarding his attendance, with some advisors worried about the political repercussions from Reform party members who deny climate change. The Labour leader’s absence could also hamper support for the UK’s strong climate leadership and the credibility of international climate discussions, making it a critical decision with broad political and environmental implications.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/sep/26/keir-starmer-faces-call-to-attend-cop30-summit
