World on the brink of ‘catastrophe’ as extreme weather events pile up, UK’s climate chief warns

Published

4 years ago

August 7, 2021

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Urgent action is needed to address climate change or the world will soon face “catastrophe”, the UK’s COP26 chief has warned.

With just 85 days until the climate conference in Glasgow, minister Alok Sharma told the Observer that failing to act would have “catastrophic” consequences.

“I don’t think there’s any other word for it,” said Mr Sharma, who is president of November’s talks.

“You’re seeing on a daily basis what is happening across the world. Last year was the hottest on record, the last decade the hottest decade on record.”

Mr Sharma’s comments come just days before the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world’s leading authority on climate science, publishes a report showing how close humanity is to the brink of a potentially irreversible disaster.

“This is going to be the starkest warning yet that human behaviour is alarmingly accelerating global warming and this is why COP26 has to be the moment we get this right,” he said.

“We can’t afford to wait two years, five years, 10 years – this is the moment.

“I don’t think we’re out of time but I think we’re getting dangerously close to when we might be out of time.

“We will see [from the IPCC] a very, very clear warning that unless we act now, we will, unfortunately, be out of time.”

The consequences of climate change have been evident in recent months, with extreme weather affecting several countries around the world.

In the last month, wildfires have ravaged through southern Europe – forcing thousands from their homes across Greece, Turkey and Italy – and other countries on the continent, notably Germany and Belgium, have experienced devastating flooding.

Elsewhere, Greenville, a Gold Rush town in California, was flattened by fires – and 25 people died after unprecedented rainfall caused severe flooding in China.

Mr Sharma said that climate change is about people’s lives and “comes down to the very real human impact this is having across the world”.

“I’ve visited communities that as a result of climate change have literally had to flee their homes and move because of a combination of drought and flooding,” he said.

Mr Sharma is tasked with persuading countries including China, India, Russia, Australia and Brazil to make concrete commitments and policies to cut emissions, while trying to persuade the UK, European Union and other wealthy nations to meet a pledge of £100bn a year in climate finance for the developing world.

He has been travelling to several countries to hold talks with key stakeholders ahead of COP26 in November.

But earlier this week he was criticised by green campaigners and the Labour Party, after it emerged that he had travelled to 30 countries this year – including seven on the red list – and did not self-isolate upon his return home because of a ministerial exemption.

Labour MP David Lammy said the reports of Mr Sharma flying tens of thousands of miles during a pandemic are “worrying” and demonstrate that “it is one rule for them, another for us”.

But Mr Sharma has defended his trips, saying that he was “throwing the kitchen sink” at efforts to reach a deal.

“I have every week a large number of virtual meetings, but I can tell you that having in-person meetings with individual ministers is incredibly vital and actually impactful,” he said.

“It makes a vital difference, to build those personal relationships which are going to be incredibly important as we look to build consensus.”

Analysis by Rob Powell, political correspondent

The stakes will be raised again this week when the IPCC lays out the practical impact climate change will have on the world.

But the political and diplomatic challenge for the UK government will be heightened as well, ahead of a crucial few months for Boris Johnson’s green agenda.

November’s COP26 summit is a key moment for the UK to show it can achieve meaningful international commitments on global warming.

Amid recent rumblings that the Glasgow conference could go off half-cock, Alok Sharma will hope his rabble-rousing warning – combined with a stark UN report due on Monday – will begin to focus minds around the world.

There are also domestic climate battle to be fought though.

September will see the government set out how the UK will lead by example and reach net zero by 2050.

That is already causing some political friction with voices within the Conservative Party worried at how much a shift to a greener way of living will cost the taxpayer.

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Mr Sharma also told the newspaper that the UK could carry on fossil fuel projects, after criticism over plans to license new oil and gas fields.

Green campaigners have warned that the UK is losing credibility on a world stage after ministers supported the new Cambo oilfield and other North Sea exploration licences were opened earlier this year.

The decisions were made despite warnings from the International Energy Agency, a global energy watchdog, in May that new fossil fuel exploration must cease this year.

But Mr Sharma said new fossil fuel licenses will have climate checks.

He said: “Future [fossil fuel] licences are going to have to adhere to the fact we have committed to go to net-zero by 2050 in legislation. There will be a climate check on any licences.”

Politics

Part of Birmingham ‘can’t be no-go area for Jews’, cabinet minister tells Sky News

Published

10 hours ago

October 19, 2025

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Part of Birmingham 'can't be no-go area for Jews', cabinet minister tells Sky News

Aston in Birmingham can’t become a “no-go area” for Jews, a senior cabinet minister has told Sky News, amid controversy over fans of an Israeli football club being barred from attending a match next month.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said he “profoundly” disagrees with the “approach” taken by a local MP who started a petition calling for fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv to be banned from the Aston Villa game, saying it “cannot be the basis on which our country operates”.

But while he said the government is “working with the relevant authorities” to overturn the move, he can not guarantee it will happen.

Politics latest: Miliband ‘welcomes’ Jeremy Clarkson challenge

Alongside politicians of all parties, Sir Keir Starmer has strongly criticised the decision, calling it “wrong”, and the government has said it will work with local authorities to ensure both sets of fans can attend.

Speaking to Sky’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, Mr Miliband said work is still ongoing.

“We are working with the relevant authorities on this issue, he said. “I think the principle here is we do not want a situation where people of a particular faith or from a particular country can’t come to a football match because of their faith, because of where they’re coming from.”

Asked if Maccabi Tel Aviv fans will definitely be able to attend the game, the minister replied: “I’m not going to say come what may, but I’m giving you a very, very clear indication of what we are working towards, which is that, you know, the fans from both teams can attend the match.”

Phillips put to Mr Miliband that a petition to ban their fans, launched by local independent MP Ayoub Khan, has been signed by nearly 4,000 people. It states the upcoming game is “not a normal match” because the Israeli fans would be arriving in “Aston, a diverse and predominantly Muslim community”.

Asked if Aston is now a no-go area for Jews, Mr Miliband replied: “No and it can’t be. And I’m very, very clear about that.

“I believe we as a country, we pride ourselves on our diversity, but also our tolerance and our hatred of prejudice, frankly. And so we cannot have a situation where any area is a no-go area for people of a particular religion or from a particular country.”

Asked if the local MP was justified in what he wrote, Mr Miliband replied: “No. I profoundly disagree with that approach, with what is being said in that petition, because that cannot be the basis on which our country operates.”

This isn’t how the vast majority of people in the UK operate, he added. “So let’s not take this petition and say it paints a picture of our country.”

Top Tory criticises ‘sectarian politics’

His Tory counterpart, Claire Coutinho, was highly critical of the petition, telling Phillips: “I think politicians need to have the courage to name some of the problems that this country is facing. And one of those problems is political Islam.

“Now, that’s not to say the moderate Muslim community are a problem in Britain, but we have seen in the past extremist Islamism […] and now we are seeing a movement of people – last election, five MPs elected – simply on sectarian politics. That may be higher at the next election.

“So we have to grip this, and part of that is dealing with rising antisemitism. But part of that is dealing with integration.”

The senior Tory MP described the ban overall as a “disgrace”, saying: “I think the message that is being sent to Jewish people in this country is that they’re not welcome here.

“This has always been a safe haven for Jewish people, and I think to say that we could not possibly police Israeli Jewish fans to watch a football match safely is reinforcing that message that Jews are not welcome here. And I think that is wrong.”

Match classified as ‘high risk’

In a statement on Thursday, Aston Villa said Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) – which issues safety certificates for every match at the ground – had “formally written to the club and UEFA to advise no away fans will be permitted to attend” the fixture at Villa Park on 6 November, as it had been classified as “high risk”.

The club said police had advised of “public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night” – a statement that triggered outrage across the political spectrum.

The move has been condemned by political and Jewish leaders, including Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar, who called it a “shameful decision”.

The Jewish Leadership Council said it was “perverse” to ban away fans because police can’t guarantee their safety, adding: “Aston Villa should face the consequences of this decision and the match should be played behind closed doors.”

Sky News has contacted Mr Khan for a response to the comments made this morning.

Former Labour leader and now independent MP Jeremy Corbyn defended his fellow member of the Independent Alliance group in parliament yesterday, writing on X: “Ayoub Khan has been subject to disgusting smears by MPs and journalists, who have wilfully misrepresented his views in order to stoke anger and division.”

He added that he and his colleagues “diligently represent people of all faiths and none in their communities”.

Politics

Chinese tech giants halt Hong Kong stablecoin plans amid Beijing concerns: FT

Published

14 hours ago

October 19, 2025

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Chinese tech giants halt Hong Kong stablecoin plans amid Beijing concerns: FT

Ant Group and JD.com have paused their stablecoin initiatives in Hong Kong after Beijing regulators raised concerns over private firms issuing digital currencies.