Macron says Europeans ‘only ones paying’, US and China must ‘step up’

Jump to contentSign up to our newslettersSubscribeNewsSportsVoicesCultureLifestyleTravelPremiumCloseUN secretary Guterres says we are ‘losing the fight of our lives’ in Cop27 opening speechFrench president Emmanuel Macron called on non-European first-world nations, including China and the US, to pay their fair share to help poorer countries struggling with the climate crisis.’We need the US and China to step up,” he told climate campaigners on the sidelines of the Cop27 summit in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh.He insisted that Europeans were the “only ones paying” to financially aid nations reeling under the burden of climate disasters.’Pressure must be put on rich non-European countries, telling them, ‘you have to pay your fair share’,’ he said, according to AFP.Meanwhile, British prime minister Rishi Sunak said that climate and energy security went ‘hand in hand’ and world leaders must act quickly to address the impacts of climate change.’Putin’s abhorrent war in Ukraine, and rising energy prices across the world are not a reason to go slow on climate change. They are a reason to act faster.’It comes after former US vice president Al Gore has urged governments to ‘stop subsidising the culture of death’ as he urged greater investment in renewables.1667893747The secretary of state for work and pensions told Sky News that it is unsurprising that Boris Johnson is attending COP27 as he ‘believed very strongly in the green agenda’. Mr Johnson’s announcement of his plans to attend the conference was swiftly followed by the prime minister’s U-turn decision to go to the climate summit in Egypt. Maryam Zakir-Hussain8 November 2022 07:491667892603The world is ‘on the highway to climate hell with our foot still on the accelerator’, UN secretary general Antonio Guterres has warned at the start of Cop27.Addressing world leaders at the climate summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, he said ‘we are in the fight of our lives – and we are losing’, with greenhouse gases still growing and temperatures still rising.And while the world’s attention is gripped by war in Ukraine, prompting an energy, food and cost of living crisis, and other conflicts, Mr Guterres said: ‘Climate change is on a different timeline and a different scale.Alisha Rahaman Sarkar8 November 2022 07:301667891100British prime minister Rishi Sunak’s whistle-stop visit to the Cop27 climate summit in Egypt marked his first outing on the international stage since he entered No 10 a fortnight ago.From a chummy meeting with Frech president Emmanuel Macron to refusing to be upstaged by his predecessor, Mr Sunak’s day filled with speeches and diplomatic meetings, went smoothly.Here is a look at his notable moments at the major climate summit.His whistle-stop visit to the Cop27 climate summit in Egypt marked Mr Sunak’s first outing on the international stage since he entered No 10.Alisha Rahaman Sarkar8 November 2022 07:051667890911tOn the principle that the polluters pay, the rich industrialised world has got off lightly for its crimes against the planet.One of the more controversial items on the United Nations Cop27 summit agenda is the bill for ‘loss and damage’ to the environment of the many poorer countries now critically affected by climate change.A sum of $1 trillion (a thousand billion dollars) has been suggested as a global total by the UN, in the way of recompense, and to pay for ameliorative and adaptive measures to cope with continuing environmental degradation.Cue the outrage from the rich world. It’s perfectly true that $1 trillion is a great deal of money in anyone’s language, and especially at a time of distinct economic distress and exceptional pressure on the poor of the rich nations.Read The Independent’s editorial here.Editorial: The ‘bill’ represents a tiny proportion of the riches the industrialised world has generated over the centuries, causing lasting harm to ecosystems and livelihoodsAlisha Rahaman Sarkar8 November 2022 07:011667888048German chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged $170m towards a ‘global shield’ – aimed at helping developing nations suffering damage and losses caused by climate change.’In our role as G7 presidency, we want to create together with the most vulnerable countries a global shield against climate risks,’ he said in a speech at the Cop27 climate conference.’We will also support those countries hit hardest by climate change in a targeted way in dealing with loss and damage’.Alisha Rahaman Sarkar8 November 2022 06:141667887622World leaders will take the stage again today as the Cop27 climate summit enters its second full day.Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country was recently hit by devastating floods that displaced millions while causing at least $40bn in damages, will address the conference.Ursula von der Leyen, president of the EU, will also speak today, along with European Council president Charles Michel, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa and dozens of others.Alisha Rahaman Sarkar8 November 2022 06:071667885619French president Emmanuel Macron yesterday urged the US, China and other non-European first-world nations to pay their fair share to poorer countries dealing with the impacts of the climate crisis.’We need the United States and China to step up’ on emission cuts and financial aid, Mr Macron told French and African climate campaigners on the sidelines of the Cop27 climate summit, according to AFP.’Europeans are paying,’ he said, adding: ‘We are the only ones paying.’Pressure must be put on rich non-European countries, telling them, ‘you have to pay your fair share’.’Alisha Rahaman Sarkar8 November 2022 05:331667883263British prime minister Rishi Sunak is reportedly going to announce a natural gas deal with the US after the Cop27 climate summit.Britain hopes the United States will promise about 10 billion cubic metres of liquefied natural gas (LNG) over the coming year, according to a report by The Telegraph.The discussions between the two countries are in their final stages and an announcement is expected within a fortnight.’However, it was unclear if the exact amount of gas to be sold by the US would be mentioned when the deal is publicised.The US earlier this year agreed to supply 15 billion cubic metres of LNG to the EU to help the bloc cope with the energy crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.Alisha Rahaman Sarkar8 November 2022 04:541667881851As world leaders descend on Sharm el-Sheikh for Cop27, Egyptian activists are divided as to whether holding the summit under what they say is one of the most repressive governments in the country’s history amounts to an offence or an opportunity.’Egypt is enmeshed in a full-scale human rights crisis,’ said Hossam Bahgat, a prominent Egyptian human rights activist who says he has been banned from leaving the country since 2016 and has had his assets frozen.’Our current government has one of the worst records of human rights around the world.’Rights groups say tens of thousands of government critics including journalists, human rights defenders and activists have been imprisoned under Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who was elected into office in 2014 after a military coup.’Egypt is enmeshed in a full-scale human rights crisis,’ says prominent human rights activistAlisha Rahaman Sarkar8 November 2022 04:301667880339British prime minister Rishi Sunak was abruptly rushed off stage at a Cop27 event yesterday, leaving members of the audience baffled.Mr Sunak was sharing the stage with other world leaders when his aides interrupted him, prompting him to leave the event.There has been no official statement issued by 10 Downing Street to explain the prime minister’s unplanned exit.Although it has been speculated that Mr Sunak left the event for last-minute preparations for the keynote speech he was due to make later in the afternoon.Alisha Rahaman Sarkar8 November 2022 04:05Registration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalismBy registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalistsAlready have an account? sign inRegistration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalismBy registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalistsAlready have an account? sign inCop27Rishi SunakUNAl GoreEgyptUkraineSharm el-SheikhEmmanuel Macron French president Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech at Cop27 climate summitPOOL/AFP via Getty ImagesPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in