Connect with us

Published

on

Rich countries must do more to help developing nations cut carbon emissions, Boris Johnson will tell other world leaders at a high-level gathering in New York.

The prime minister will be hosting the meeting on climate change with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

It is understood the PM is likely to focus on coal, cash support, cars and trees, which soak up carbon dioxide.

Mr Johnson is also expected to discuss global warming with President Joe Biden in a meeting at the White House in Washington.

Ahead of the gathering in New York, the PM said richer nations have “reaped the benefits of untrammelled pollution for generations”.

This has often been “at the expense of developing countries”, he added.

“As those countries now try to grow their economies in a clean, green and sustainable way we have a duty to support them in doing so – with our technology, with our expertise and with the money we have promised,” the prime minister said.

More on A New Climate

The UN meeting is seen as a way of galvanising action on climate change ahead of the COP26 summit, being held in the UK in November.

Earlier, however, COP26 President Alok Sharma admitted Chinese president Xi Jinping is yet to commit to attending the gathering in Glasgow, now fewer than 50 days away.

That is despite China being “key” to the talks because it is the “biggest emitter in the world”, Mr Sharma told Sky News.

He wants the Chinese to “come forward and make (COP26) a success together with the rest of the world”.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

How will cabinet reshuffle impact climate goals?

Developed countries agreed to give $100bn (£73bn) a year to developing ones by 2020, to help them cut their emissions, Downing Street said.

But by 2019 the level had reached only $79.6bn (£58bn), more than $20bn short of the target set for the following year.

The UK has asked Germany and Canada to take a lead on developing a “$100bn Delivery Plan”, to be published ahead of COP26.

Downing Street said that at the end of the UN General Assembly this week, the UK will publish the detail of countries’ climate finance commitments to date.

The UK has already committed £11.6bn in international climate finance over the next five years, Number 10 said – twice the previous five-year commitment.

Boris Johnson will say in New York that £550m of that will be allocated to support developing countries in adopting policies and technologies that end the use of coal.

The prime minister will also be meeting Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, to discuss the amount of tax the giant online retailer pays, and the help it might be able to offer on the environment.

Despite Amazon’s UK sales rising by 51% to almost £20bn during coronavirus lockdowns last year, it is estimated to have a tax to turnover ratio of just 0.37%.

Asked if Mr Johnson will bring up tax when he sits down with Mr Bezos, the PM’s official spokesman said: “We will very much be looking to raise that.

“We have been a lead advocate for an international solution to the tax challenges posed by digitalisation of the economy.”

Continue Reading

Politics

FBOT registry won’t bring offshore crypto exchanges to the US — Attorney

Published

on

By

<div>FBOT registry won't bring offshore crypto exchanges to the US — Attorney</div>

<div>FBOT registry won't bring offshore crypto exchanges to the US — Attorney</div>

The Foreign Board of Trade (FBOT) framework is designed for the legacy financial system and is a poor fit for cryptocurrency exchanges.

Continue Reading

Politics

‘Scam of all scams’: Crypto dev claims Trump-linked WLFI ‘stole’ his money

Published

on

By

‘Scam of all scams’: Crypto dev claims Trump-linked WLFI ‘stole’ his money

‘Scam of all scams’: Crypto dev claims Trump-linked WLFI ‘stole’ his money

A crypto developer says Trump-linked crypto project WLFI froze his tokens and refused to unlock them, calling it “the new age mafia.”

Continue Reading

Politics

Farage confirms he wants to deport women asylum seekers back to Taliban in Afghanistan

Published

on

By

Farage confirms he wants to deport women asylum seekers back to Taliban in Afghanistan

Nigel Farage has confirmed he wants to deport women asylum seekers back to the Taliban in Afghanistan if he becomes prime minister.

The Reform UK leader’s position on the topic has not been clear, with him previously saying he would send women back to the fundamentalist regime that took over after western militaries withdrew, before now saying he would.

Mr Farage was speaking to Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby at the Reform UK party conference in Birmingham.

Politics live: Govt responds to Farage wanting early election

When asked if he would “detain” women and children and “send them back”, the Clacton MP said “yes”.

Challenged on when he said in August that he was not “discussing” women and children, Mr Farage claimed this was a reference to his desire to seeing men detained on arrival in the UK.

At the time he said he was “very, very clear” on the “deportation of illegal immigrants”, adding: “We are not even discussing women and children at this stage – there are so many illegal males in Britain, and the news reports that said that after my conference yesterday were wrong”

More on Migrant Crossings

Speaking today, Mr Farage claimed that the UK has a “duty of care” if a four-year-old arrives in a dinghy, for example – but not so for women and men.

“For clarity, those that cross the English Channel will be detained and deported, men and women,” Mr Farage went on.

“Children, we’ll have to think about.”

The Reform leader also rowed back on his pledge to stop all boats within two weeks if he is elected prime minister.

Speaking to the conference yesterday, Mr Farage said: “You cannot come here illegally and stay – we will stop the boats within two weeks of winning government.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Watch Farage face questions on his tax affairs

But speaking to Beth Rigby today, he changed tack – saying “the passing of legislation” would be required.

He said the boats would then be stopped within two weeks, or sooner.

In the interview with Rigby, Mr Farage tried to claim he did not say he would end the boats within two weeks of “winning government”.

But the video of his speech, as well as the transcript released by Reform UK, clearly show him saying: “We will stop the boats within two weeks of winning government.”

When asked why he wouldn’t be able to stop the boats within two weeks of winning government, Mr Farage said it was impossible and “no one” can prevent them crossing the Channel.

The Reform UK leader said the law he wants to introduce will be called the Illegal Migration Act once it is passed by parliament.

He confirmed his agenda includes leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, shutting down asylum hotels and housing people at RAF bases instead, as well as deporting Channel migrants.

Mr Farage also claimed that deportation flights would also begin within two weeks of the law changing, and this combination of factors would stop people from wanting to travel from France.

This strategy all depends on Reform UK winning the next general election – which Labour does not have to call until 2029.

However, Mr Farage says he believes the government will collapse in 2027 due to economic pressure and other factors.

Reform are currently well clear of Labour and the Conservatives in the polling, and are targeting next year’s Welsh, Scottish and English local election to try and win more power in councils and national assemblies.

Continue Reading

Trending