Boris Johnson tells Cop26: Parts of Paris Agreement ‘already flunked’

Boris Johnson has warned that richer countries’ record on climate change “is not exactly stellar” and they had already “flunked” parts of the Paris Agreement.

The UK Prime Minister said that words without action “are absolutely pointless” as he hosted a discussion with world leaders: including US president, Jo Biden, German chancellor, Angela Merkel and Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi.

Mr Johnson said he would be “backing the most vulnerable” countries that are facing the “cataclysmic” consequences of climate change as he pledged to call and hassle world leaders that he feels were backing out of environmental commitments.

Addressing the world leaders in his opening remarks, Mr Johnson said: “This is about all of us taking the concrete steps that will actually help the countries around the world that need it most.

“When it comes to tackling climate change, words, blah, blah, blah, without action, without deeds, are absolutely pointless and our record on deeds so far is not exactly stellar.”

Citing a speech by the Barbadian prime minister, Mia Mottley, who said that a Paris summit pledge by richer nations to be raising $100 billion of private finance each year, Mr Johnson added: “That deadline has come and gone and it will be 2023 before we hit that target, so that was one of our very first post-Paris tests and we flunked it.

“Of course, getting there eventually is better than not getting there at all but if we are late again with the rest of the 1.5 degree challenge, then we will be far too late.”