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US climate change envoy Kerry visits London for talks with PM

“Great to discuss how the world can raise global climate ambition ahead of COP26 to ensure we meet the goals of the Paris Agreement,” he wrote on Twitter…reports Asian Lite News.

US President Joe Biden’s climate envoy has arrived in London for talks with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and senior ministers. The visit by former secretary of state John Kerry comes before Biden holds a climate change summit next month.

That will be in preparation for the UN’s crucial COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow in November.

The US embassy in London said Kerry was visiting European capitals to strengthen global ambition to tackle climate change.

The former Democratic presidential candidate was pictured in Downing Street before his meeting with Johnson.

Kerry met the organiser of November’s summit, Alok Sharma, and will meet Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng later on Monday.

On Tuesday, he will travel to Paris and Brussels for talks with European leaders.

Sharma said he and Kerry discussed preparations for the COP26 summit.

“Great to discuss how the world can raise global climate ambition ahead of COP26 to ensure we meet the goals of the Paris Agreement,” he wrote on Twitter.

After the meeting, the two said: “We resolved today to work closely together to reduce our own emissions and to rally all countries, and most especially the world’s major economies, to strengthen their climate ambition.”

They said both countries were committed to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Kerry and Sharma urged all countries to take the steps needed to keep global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

“We also resolved to work with other countries to help the world’s most vulnerable adapt and respond to climate impacts and to scale up finance and private investment for mitigation and adaptation,” they said.

“We look forward to working with all countries to finalise the Paris Rulebook and successfully advance wider negotiations issues.

“Strong progress on all of these fronts is critical to ensuring the success we need in Glasgow.”

The US has returned to the international Paris Agreement on climate change, which was abandoned by Trump.

In January, Kerry warned that the world had nine years left to halt the most catastrophic effects of climate change.

“Three years ago, scientists gave us a stark warning,” he told a climate adaptation summit hosted by the Netherlands.

“They said we have 12 years to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. We have nine years left and I regret my country has been absent for three of those years.”

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Johnson says ties with Russia needs to improve

Relations between Britain and other Western countries and Russia plummeted over Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, and they accuse Moscow of continuing to support separatists in the country’s east, reports Asian Lite News

The leaders of Britain and Russia spoke in a rare phone call on Monday in advance of the COP26 summit, with London expressing frustration at the tense state of ties.

President Vladimir Putin said he regrets being unable to attend the UN climate summit starting next week in Glasgow, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Downing Street office said.

Johnson hoped that Russia would take more ambitious steps towards curbing carbon emissions and ending deforestation, his office added.

“The prime minister was clear that the UK’s current relationship with Russia is not the one we want. He said significant bilateral difficulties remain,” it said.

Downing Street highlighted the 2018 poisoning of Russian former spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury and the conflict in Ukraine.

British police say three members of Russian military intelligence carried out a nerve agent attack in March 2018 in the English cathedral city.

While Skripal and his daughter recovered, a local woman who came into contact with the nerve agent – Novichok – later died.

Relations between Britain and other Western countries and Russia plummeted over Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, and they accuse Moscow of continuing to support separatists in the country’s east.

In its own statement on the call, the Kremlin said Putin and Johnson agreed that “despite the existence of known problems, it would be necessary to establish cooperation between Moscow and London in a number of areas”.

Downing Street said Johnson stressed that London and Moscow had a “responsibility to work together” on issues including the Iran nuclear deal.

The two leaders last spoke in May 2020, marking the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. 

Green push

Johnson urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring forward by 10 years Russia’s target for achieving net zero carbon emissions, Johnson’s office said on Monday after the two leaders spoke by phone.

The talks took place after Russia delivered a blow to hopes of a breakthrough international deal on climate change when the Kremlin said last week that Putin would not fly to Scotland for talks starting at the end of October.

“He (Johnson) welcomed the steps Russia has taken in recent days to commit (to) net zero by 2060,” the statement said.

“The prime minister expressed his hope that Russia will raise that target to achieving net zero by 2050 as well as making further progress on ending deforestation and an ambitious Nationally Determined Contribution.” Britain, which hosts the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties, or COP26, in Glasgow from Oct. 31 to Nov. 12, is seeking support from major powers for a more radical plan to tackle global warming.

The Kremlin said Putin promised that Russia’s delegation to Glasgow “will contribute to a successful work of such an important international forum”.

Putin and Johnson also agreed that cooperation between Moscow and London should be established in a number of fields, the Kremlin statement said, without elaborating.

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Adani meets PM assures to commit $70 bn for clean energy

Calling the leadership inspiring in synchronising global climate action, he said that Adani Group will commit USD 70 bn to energy transition via solar, wind and H2…reports Asian Lite News.

Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani said that policies to manage and overcome the climate change crisis must be equitable and pragmatic.

Speaking to business leaders on the sidelines of the UK’s Global Investment Summit at the London Science Museum, he noted that green policies and climate action not based on equitable growth will struggle in the long run.

Decision makers, he said, must consider the voices of the vulnerable when developing climate strategies and mitigation measures. He also suggested that a collaborative approach was needed wherein developed nations, which have emitted more greenhouse gases over time, shoulder greater responsibility and propose policies and targets that fairly address the needs of the developing world.

“While net zero targets are much needed, a company’s sustainability initiatives must be aligned with the nation’s sustainability goals,” said Adani. “One must recognise that India has already demonstrated its commitment through the bold stand taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi since the 2015 COP-21 summit and India has emerged as one of the most responsible major nations in the world when it comes to addressing climate change. However, at the heart of any nation’s sustainability journey lies the principle of equitable growth, and a net zero number unaligned with a nation’s development agenda may end up creating greater disequilibrium across the global sustainability initiatives.”

“We are putting money where our mouth is,” added Adani, “and the portfolio companies of Adani are leading the way with investment plans to honour the nation’s commitment”.

Adani’s logistics utility APSEZ has committed to the 1.5-degree pathway through SBTi (Science Based Targets initiative) as has AGEL, Adani’s renewable energy company. Adani Transmission has also made the same commitment and the other portfolio companies are working towards committing to the 1.5-degree pathway. Adani is also incubating the first Indian data centre company that will power all its data centres by renewable power by 2030.

Furthermore, AGEL will triple its renewable power generation capacity over the next four years – a scale and speed unmatched by any company in the world. AGEL is also consolidating its position as the world’s largest solar power developer, having achieved its initial target of 25GW four years ahead of schedule.

“This transformation has multiple dimensions that will impact not just the world of energy but also the world of chemicals, plastics, mobility, computing, and metals,” said Adani.

He said that, over the next decade, the Adani portfolio companies in the energy and utility business will invest over $20 billion in renewable energy generation and the overall organic and inorganic investments across the entire green energy value chain will range between $50 billion and $70 billion. Over 70 per cent of its planned capex until 2030 will be in sustainable technologies. This includes investments with potential partners for electrolyzer manufacturing, backward integrations for component manufacturing to secure the supply chain for the solar and wind generation businesses, and AI-based utility and industrial cloud platforms.

When combined with India’s cost and locational advantages, this will enable Adani to produce the world’s least expensive green electron and be on track to become the world’s largest renewable power portfolio by 2030. This, he said, will lay the foundation for Adani to become one of the largest green hydrogen producers in the world and, in turn, will make India the producer of the world’s cheapest hydrogen.

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-Top News COVID-19 UK News

Inquiry finds UK’s Covid failings among worst in history

Tory MPs Jeremy Hunt and Greg Clark, who chair the committees, said the nature of the pandemic meant it was “impossible to get everything right”…reports Asian Lite News.

The UK’s failure in early handling in the Covid-19 pandemic was one of the worst ever public health failures, a landmark inquiry has found.

The government approach – backed by its scientists – was to try to manage the situation and in effect achieve herd immunity by infection, the report by MPs said, the BBC reported.

This led to a delay in introducing the first lockdown, costing lives. But the report by a cross-party group said there had been successes too – in particular the vaccination programme.

It described the whole approach – from the research and development through to the rollout of the jabs – as “one of the most effective initiatives in UK history”.

According to BBC, the findings are detailed in the long-awaited report from the Health and Social Care Committee and the Science and Technology Committee, which contain MPs from all parties.

Across 150 pages, the committees cover a variety of successes and failings over the course of the pandemic, which has claimed more than 150,000 lives to date and is described by the MPs as the “biggest peacetime challenge” for a century.

Tory MPs Jeremy Hunt and Greg Clark, who chair the committees, said the nature of the pandemic meant it was “impossible to get everything right”.

“The UK has combined some big achievements with some big mistakes. It is vital to learn from both,” they added in a statement to accompany the report.

A government spokesperson said lessons would be learned, which was why there would be a full public inquiry next year.

“We have never shied away from taking quick and decisive action to save lives and protect our NHS, including introducing restrictions and lockdowns,” BBC quoted the spokesperson as saying. “Thanks to a collective national effort, we avoided NHS services becoming overwhelmed.”

Meanwhile, another 40,224 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 8,193,769, according to official figures released Monday.

The country also recorded another 28 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 137,763. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

There are currently 6,728 patients in hospital with COVID-19 in Britain.

The data came as British Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi and Health Secretary Sajid Javid have jointly written to parents of secondary school and college students, urging them to ensure their children are testing regularly and encouraging them to get vaccinated against coronavirus.

Official estimates showed that around 270,000 secondary pupils had COVID-19 in the week to Oct. 2.

Meanwhile, new data showed that England’s rate of new COVID cases has climbed to its highest level since the summer this year.

A total of 201,660 cases were recorded in the seven days to Oct. 7, the equivalent of 356.6 cases per 100,000 people.

This is the highest figure since July 24, when the seven-day rate stood at 375.1, according to analysis by the PA news agency.

More than 85 percent of people aged 12 and over in Britain have had their first dose of vaccine and more than 78 percent have received both doses, the latest figures showed. (ANI/Xinhua)

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Boris, Modi talk vaccine certification, Afghan situation

The telephone conversation came four days after the UK announced that Indian travellers fully vaccinated with both doses of Covishield or any other vaccine approved by it will not need to undergo a 10-day mandatory quarantine on arrival from October 11, reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Boris Johnson on Monday held a telephone conversation during which they welcomed the UK’s recognition of Indian vaccine certification and agreed on the need for a coordinated international approach to engage with the Taliban, according to a statement by the UK.

The telephone conversation came four days after the UK announced that Indian travellers fully vaccinated with both doses of Covishield or any other vaccine approved by it will not need to undergo a 10-day mandatory quarantine on arrival from October 11.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said the two leaders reviewed the progress in bilateral relations since their virtual summit earlier this year, and expressed satisfaction at the steps initiated under the Roadmap 2030 adopted during the virtual summit. They also reviewed the progress of the Enhanced Trade Partnership and agreed on the potential of rapidly expanding trade and investment linkages between both countries, it said.

It said the leaders held discussion on issues related to climate change, in the context of the coming UNFCCC COP-26 meeting in Glasgow in November. PM Modi conveyed India’s commitment to climate action, as seen in its target for expansion of renewable energy and the recently announced National Hydrogen Mission.

The leaders exchanged views on regional developments, especially the situation in Afghanistan. In this context, they agreed on the need to develop a common international perspective on issues regarding extremism and terrorism, as well as human rights and rights of women and minorities.

The British statement said the two prime ministers discussed the shared fight against coronavirus and the importance of opening up travel. “They agreed the UK’s recognition of Indian vaccine certification is a welcome development to that end,” it said. According to the statement shared with journalists by the British High Commission here, the two leaders discussed the strength of the UK-India relationship and climate action in the context of the coming COP-26 in Glasgow. “The leaders talked about the current situation in Afghanistan. They agreed on the need for a coordinated international approach to engagement with the Taliban, emphasising the importance of upholding human rights in the country,” it said.

The PMs welcomed the progress made on the 2030 Roadmap since it was agreed by Johnson and Modi in May. “This includes area0s such as trade and defence. The leaders looked forward to the upcoming visit of the UK Carrier Strike Group to India and the deepening of the UK-India strategic partnership,” it said.

In a tweet, Prime Minister Modi said, “Was a pleasure to speak to Prime Minister @BorisJohnson. We reviewed progress on the India-UK Agenda 2030, exchanged views on climate action in the context of the forthcoming COP-26 in Glasgow, and shared our assessments on regional issues including Afghanistan.”

The leaders also looked forward to the upcoming visit of the UK carrier strike group led by the HMS Queen Elizabeth to India and the deepening of the bilateral strategic partnership.

They had an extensive discussion on issues related to climate change in the context of the COP26 Summit in Glasgow in November. Modi conveyed India’s commitment to climate action, as reflected in New Delhi’s ambitious target for expanding renewable energy and the new National Hydrogen Mission.

Johnson “underlined the importance of making concrete progress on climate change ahead of and at the upcoming COP26 Summit”, and noted that India already leads the world in renewable technology. Johnson also expressed his hope that India “will commit to a more ambitious Nationally Determined Contribution and to achieving Net Zero emissions”, the readout said.

The UK announced last week that it will begin accepting India’s vaccine certificates from October 11, ending a travel row that resulted in British nationals facing a 10-day mandatory quarantine on arrival even if they are fully vaccinated.

British high commissioner Alex Ellis has said there will be “no quarantine” for Indian travellers who were fully vaccinated with Covishield or any other UK-approved vaccine.

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PM vows ‘long overdue’ revamp of UK’s post-Brexit economy

Shrugging off panic-buying at petrol stations, bare supermarket shelves and retailers’ warnings of a bleak Christmas to come, the Tory leader says the short-term pain is worth it, reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Boris Johnson rallied his Conservative party faithful on Wednesday, vowing a far-reaching overhaul to wean the UK economy off cheap foreign labour after Brexit.

Shrugging off panic-buying at petrol stations, bare supermarket shelves and retailers’ warnings of a bleak Christmas to come, the Tory leader says the short-term pain is worth it.

“We are dealing with the biggest underlying issues of our economy and society,” he is expected to say in his conference-closing speech, according to excerpts released by the party.

“The problems that no government has had the guts to tackle before. Because we are embarking now on the change of direction that has been long overdue in the UK economy,” Johnson will say, vowing no return to the pre-Brexit model of “uncontrolled immigration”.

Instead, British businesses will have to invest in their workers and in technology to push the country “towards a high-wage, high-skill, high-productivity economy”.

But it will take time to transition. In the meantime, the government has grudgingly agreed to a limited number of short-term visas to lure truckers and poultry workers from Eastern Europe.

For opposition parties and poverty campaigners, Johnson’s commitment to “levelling up” unequal growth also jars with the ending on Wednesday of a weekly boost to benefits for the lowest-paid workers.

As the prime minister put the finishing touches to his speech, protesters nearby condemned “Tory lies” and loudly played the Soviet/Russian national anthem.

Johnson’s attempt to draw a line between his administration and previous governments which lacked “guts” overlooks the fact that the Conservative party has been in power since 2010.

In contrast, finance minister Rishi Sunak – seen by many observers as the heir apparent to 10 Downing Street – is stressing continuity with the Tory tradition of fiscal rectitude.

Climate silence

The government blames the acute labour shortages afflicting the UK economy not on its hardline approach to Brexit but on the coronavirus pandemic.

But the supply crisis risks undermining themes that Johnson is set to emphasise in his conference speech, including levelling up economic growth across the UK and “Global Britain” after the EU divorce.

He is also expected to talk up Britain’s action on climate change and the need for global coordination, ahead of convening the two-week COP26 climate summit in Scotland from October 31.

Touring exhibitors’ stands at the conference on Tuesday, Johnson rode an e-bike, climbed aboard an electric tractor, and played with a puzzle to assemble a zero-carbon energy house.

But at the Tory gathering as a whole, the topic of climate change has been relegated to the backburner.

Sunak said on Monday it would be “immoral” to bequeath pandemic-driven debt to future generations, but made no mention of saving those generations from a burning planet.

The omission was a “damaging sign” ahead of COP26 in Glasgow, commented Rebecca Newsom, head of policy for Greenpeace UK.

“Coughing up more cash for green infrastructure now would save enormous costs later and create millions of new jobs across the UK,” she said.

Neither did Foreign Secretary Liz Truss reference the C-word – climate – in her speech on Sunday, while vowing to support “greener” growth and “clean infrastructure” in developing countries.

The B-word

In contrast, the B-word – Brexit – has been a recurrent theme for delegates of Johnson’s party, adamant that current problems associated with the EU split will pass.

Brexit minister David Frost admonished the “anti-transport, anti-car” lobby’s “anti-growth ideologies” and “persistent miserabilism”.

Interior Minister Priti Patel used her own conference speech on Tuesday to promise tougher action against climate protesters who have been blockading roads around London.

The prime minister mocked the demonstrators as “irresponsible crusties”.

But Johnson’s COP26 president, Alok Sharma, denied the party was soft-pedalling climate change with less than a month to go before he welcomes delegates from around the world to Glasgow.

“Cabinet colleagues actually understand why it’s vitally important to get this right,” the former business minister told a small audience on the margins of the main conference.

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Gass hold talks with Taliban on humanitarian crisis

Separately in a Twitter post, Longden said that serious and substantial discussions with the Taliban leadership…reports Asian Lite News.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s High Representative, Simon Gass, and Charge d’Affaires of the UK Mission to Afghanistan in Doha, Dr Martin Longden met with senior members of the Taliban and held discussions on several issues including the humanitarian crisis, terrorism, and rights of women and girls.

The talks took place in the capital city of Kabul after top UK officials travelled to Afghanistan. “They (UK officials) met senior members of the Taliban, including Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund and Mawlawi Abdul-Salam Hanafi,” UK Foreign Office said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Sir Simon and Dr Longden discussed how the UK could help Afghanistan to address the humanitarian crisis, the importance of preventing the country from becoming an incubator for terrorism, and the need for continued safe passage for those who want to leave the country,” the foreign office added.

Gass and Longden also raised the importance of safe passage for the UK and Afghan nationals. “The government continues to do all it can to ensure safe passage for those who wish to leave, and is committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan,” the statement added.

Separately in a Twitter post, Longden said that serious and substantial discussions with the Taliban leadership.

“Back in Kabul with Sir Simon Gass for serious and substantial discussions with the Taliban leadership. A wide range of issues covered – including the humanitarian crisis, terrorism, the importance of safe passage for UK & Afghan nationals, and rights of women and girls,” Longden tweeted.

“It’s early days and, unsurprisingly, there are points of difference between us. But such difficult challenges lie ahead for Afghanistan (and beyond), it’s right to test if we can engage pragmatically and find common ground – in the interests of both the UK and Afghan peoples,” he said in a subsequent.

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Under fire, Boris tries to return to election agenda

PM hopes to reset his agenda After against complaints over fuel shortages, fears for Christmas food supplies and farmers having to destroy their produce, reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will return his focus to tackling regional inequality on Wednesday, hoping a final speech at his Conservative Party’s conference will draw a line under a series of crises buffeting his government.

After a week when Johnson has been forced to defend his government against complaints over fuel shortages, fears for Christmas food supplies and farmers having to destroy their produce, the prime minister hopes to reset his agenda.

So far at the conference, traditionally used by leaders to fire up the party faithful, he has failed to turn the focus away from crises fuelled by Covid-19 and Brexit, and towards his 2019 election pledges to tackle inequality, crime and social care.

He will double down on his desire for Britain to change direction, away from the “same old broken model with low wages, low growth, low skills and low productivity” to “a high wage, high skill, high productivity economy”.

“We are dealing with the biggest underlying issues of our economy and society. The problems that no government has had the guts to tackle before,” he will tell the conference in the northern English city of Manchester.

Answering critics who have called for more measures to bring in foreign workers to plug gaps in the haulage and agriculture industries, Johnson will again say the solution does not lie in pulling “the same old lever of uncontrolled migration”.

But he will have to work hard to win over some at the conference, who fear the Conservatives are no longer conservative after breaking with a commitment to lower taxes and, as they see it, abandoning the party’s more affluent southern English supporters for those in the north.

Johnson is raising taxes to help tackle crisies in health and social care and has made large spending commitments on everything from trains to schools to high streets as part of his “levelling up” agenda to tackle regional inequality.

“Levelling up works for the whole country – and is the right and responsible policy,” he will say.

“Because it helps to take the pressure off parts of the overheating south east, while simultaneously offering hope and opportunity to those areas that have felt left behind.”

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Boris eyes post-Covid economy as UK Conservatives meet

Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he’s ready to take “bold decisions” to rebuild the economy after the coronavirus pandemic, reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was ready to take “bold decisions” to rebuild the economy after the coronavirus pandemic as his Conservative Party met Sunday for its first annual conference since 2019.

The Tory conference opened Sunday in the northwestern city of Manchester as a shortage of truck drivers to delivery fuel across Britain continues to cause empty pumps and long lines at many gas stations. Concerns about wider labor shortages in Britain, along with higher taxes, rising energy bills and a cut in welfare payouts beginning this week, are among other challenges facing Johnson.

Johnson argued that Britain’s economy is simply going through a post-Brexit “period of adjustment” after leaving the European Union, and said supply chain problems and shortages in food and fuel could continue until Christmas.

Despite the economic worries, opinion surveys suggest that Johnson and his Conservatives were polling ahead of the opposition Labour Party.

Before the conference, Johnson said he was ready to take the “big, bold decisions on the priorities people care about, like on social care, on supporting jobs, on climate change, tackling crime and leveling up.”

Asked about the truck driver shortage crisis, Johnson said it was a “chronic problem” associated with an over-reliance on migrant workers who were willing to work for low wages and poor conditions. He said he wouldn’t repeat that mistake.

“The way forward for our country is not to just pull the big lever marked uncontrolled immigration, and allow in huge numbers of people to do work,” he told the BBC.

Referring to the 2016 referendum that led to Britain’s exit from the EU, Johnson said: “When people voted for change in 2016 … they voted for the end of a broken model of the U.K. economy that relied on low wages and low skills and chronic low productivity. And we’re moving away from that.”

He maintained that the situation at gas stations is improving after more than a week of disruptions,  although retailers say drivers still can’t get gas at many pumps in the London area and southeast England.

Britain has long suffered from a shortage of truck drivers, but the problem has come to a head with the combination of Brexit, which ended workers’ freedom of movement from the EU to Britain, and the pandemic, which severely limited travel and halted training for new domestic drivers who weres upposed to replace those who left for their home countries due to Brexit.

Brexit and Covid-19 have also exacerbated existing labour shortages across a wide range of industries from hospitality to construction and the food industry.

Around 200 military personnel, including 100 drivers, will take to the roads starting Monday to help ease fuel supply shortages.

The Petrol Retailers Association has welcomed the move, but warned it would have a limited impact given the relatively small numbers involved. The organization’s chair, Brian Madderson, said Sunday that while the crisis was “virtually at an end” in Scotland and northern England, more than one in five stations in London and southeastern England were still out of fuel.

The government also said Friday it was extending an emergency visa program that seeks to bring in thousands of foreign truck drivers.

Marshalled by a large police deployment in Manchester, more than 2,000 protesters rallied against the Conservatives on the opening day of their conference Sunday.

Channelling Churchill

One anti-Brexit protest banner paraphrased a famous speech by Winston Churchill, Britain’s World War II leader – and Johnson’s political hero.

“Never has so much been destroyed for so many by so few #Brexit,” it read.

But anger persists in some quarters at his handling of the pandemic and a death toll of more than 136,000, as well as claims of cronyism benefiting Conservative donors for Covid contracts.

On Brexit, he has angered Brussels by threatening to shelve problematic new trading arrangements for Northern Ireland, and tensions are high with France over fishing rights.

Last week, opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer attacked Johnson as a Brexit-obsessed showman without a plan, even if his popularity remains relatively high with the public.

“We have a fuel crisis, a pay crisis, a goods crisis, and a cost of living crisis, all at the same time,” Starmer told his own party conference.

Women’s safety

Johnson meanwhile faces an outcry over the murder of Sarah Everard by London Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens.

The 33-year-old marketing executive’s abduction in south London in March triggered nationwide anguish and debate about the safety of women and girls.

Couzens, 48, was on Thursday jailed for the rest of his life after falsely arresting Everard on the pretence she had broken coronavirus restrictions, before raping and murdering her.

Over the weekend, the Met confirmed that Couzens had been approved for armed patrols of parliament on five occasions last year.

The London force – Britain’s biggest – has been widely panned for advising women to flag down a passing bus if they are stopped by an officer they do not trust.

However, Johnson backed that advice in the BBC interview.

“My view is that the police do – overwhelmingly – a wonderful job,” he said, calling on “women of all ages to trust the police”. 

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Youth have every right to be angry on climate change, says PM

Boris Johnson tells climate activists in Milan that they were paying the price for the “reckless actions of their elders”, reports Asian Lite News

Boris Johnson says young people have every right to be angry about the state of climate change.

The prime minister told climate activists in Milan that they were paying the price for the “reckless actions of their elders”.

The penitent mood here was underlined by Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who said politicians needed to be “whipped into action.”

Both agreed that urgent action to limit warming was now desperately needed.

For several days around 400 young activists have been working on proposals for tackling climate change here in Milan.

They’ve heard from a host of voices including Greta Thunberg who castigated politicians for dashing the hopes and dreams of young people.

She mocked their promises on climate as just more “blah, blah, blah”.

Several senior politicians conceded that Thunberg was essentially correct in her analysis.

“Young people around the world are already paying the price for the reckless actions of their elders,” said Johnson.

“Hundreds of millions of you are facing rising seas, failing crops, burning forests, and evermore ferocious storms, daily challenges that lead to lost opportunity. And your future is literally being stolen before your eyes.”

Some young activists had interrupted a previous speech by Italian Prime Minister Draghi.

Johnson said he understood their actions.

“I saw the protesters earlier on. And frankly, you have every right to be angry with those who aren’t doing enough to stop it.”

All the senior politicians who’ve addressed this meeting say that lessons have been learned and that action on climate is now happening.

Johnson pointed to the COP26 meeting in Glasgow at the start of November as a pivotal moment in tackling the issue.

If significant changes could be agreed on some key areas, COP26 would mark “the beginning of the end of climate change.”

To get there, Johnson said, would need major progress on phasing out coal, ending the use of petrol and diesel cars, and planting “trillions of trees”.

A long-standing promise of cash for developing countries would have to be honoured, he said.

To signal that actions speak louder than words on climate, Johnson’s government today announced that it would require businesses bidding for major government contracts to commit to achieving net zero emissions.

The UK is believed to be the first country in the world to put such a measure in place.

Steps like this might not be quite what youth activists are demanding.

Their proposals to leaders include giving young people “meaningful participation” in all decision making on climate change.

They are calling for the end of fossil fuels by 2030, as well as transparent climate finance systems and responsible and sustainable tourism.

“We are going completely in the wrong direction and unfortunately speeding into the wrong direction,” Nisreen Elsaim from Sudan told the conference.

“I’m afraid that not only you, the old generation, but us will be the last generation to witness that planet as it is.”

As the young people depart the stage here in Milan, environment ministers and key negotiators are arriving, hoping to see progress on some key issues.

The aim is to clear the decks so that the presidents and prime ministers who arrive in Glasgow in November will be able to concentrate on a few major political decisions.

While there is some sense of optimism, much more “blah” will be needed if Glasgow is going to be a success.

Last week, addressing the UNGA, Johnson told world leaders that humanity must “grow up” and learn to deal with climate change. In his impassioned speech, the British premier compared the collective conscience of humans to an impetuous 16-year-old – a teenager on a bender – and said that it is high time that we stopped trashing the planet. “My friends, the adolescence of humanity is coming to an end,” Johnson addressed world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. “We must come together in a collective coming of age.”

Johnson said that we will see desertification, drought, crop failure, and mass movements of humanity on a scale not seen before. “Not because of some unforeseen natural event or disaster, but because of us, because of what we are doing now,” he said.

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