PM speech at COP28 climate summit: 1 December 2023
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delivers a speech at the COP28 climate summit 2023.

I鈥檓 here at COP28 with two clear messages鈥β�
First, the world needs to do more to tackle climate change.
We鈥檝e made real progress 鈥� including at the Glasgow summit鈥�
鈥ut the climate science and mounting evidence of climate-related disasters鈥β�
鈥how we鈥檙e not moving quickly or effectively enough.
So I鈥檓 calling on major emitters to dramatically accelerate delivery on what they鈥檝e already promised.聽聽
Everyone can do more.
And聽let鈥檚 be very clear 鈥� the聽UK is leading the charge.
We鈥檙e absolutely committed to our Net Zero targets.聽
We鈥檝e already decarbonised faster than any other major economy.
Our emissions are down 48 percent since 1990.聽
Compared to limited cuts from others.
And a 300 percent increase from China.
We鈥檙e also one of the largest climate donors, because we want to help those suffering the impacts of climate change.聽
My pledge from September of聽拢1.6 billion for the Green Climate Fund was the UK鈥檚 biggest single climate change commitment.
And we鈥檙e going further鈥� announcing聽拢1.6 billion today for renewable energy, green innovation and forests鈥�
鈥elivering on the historic Glasgow deal to end deforestation 鈥� because we can鈥檛 tackle climate change without nature.聽
We鈥檙e also leveraging the genius of the City of London to deliver billions more in private finance.聽
Again the UK is leading by example鈥� and we need others to step up.聽
Because my second message is this鈥β�
As I said in September, we won鈥檛 tackle climate change unless we take people with us.
Climate politics is close to breaking point.聽
The British people care about the environment.
They know that the costs of inaction are intolerable.聽
But they also know that we have choices about how we act.聽
So yes we鈥檒l meet our targets鈥�
鈥ut we鈥檒l do聽it in a more pragmatic way, which doesn鈥檛 burden working people.聽
We鈥檝e scrapped plans on heat pumps and energy efficiency, which would have cost families thousands of pounds.聽
We鈥檒l help people to improve energy efficiency and cut bills 鈥� but we won鈥檛 force them too.聽
We鈥檒l support nature across the UK.
Just this week I announced a huge new effort with 34 landscape recovery projects, a new national park 鈥� and more.聽
And we鈥檒l harness the opportunities of technology and green industry to deliver net zero in a way that benefits the British people.聽
And today I can share more proof on the progress we鈥檙e making.聽
I鈥檓 pleased to announce a new deal between Masdar and RWE鈥�
鈥hich includes a commitment to jointly invest up to 拢11 billion into the UK鈥檚 new windfarm at Dogger Bank 鈥� which will be the biggest in the world. 聽
This is a huge boost for UK renewables鈥β�
鈥reating more jobs鈥�
鈥elping to power 3 million homes鈥�
鈥nd increasing our energy security.
And, by the way, this comes just days after we announced 拢30 billion of investment at our Global Investment Summit鈥� and 拢21 billion of investment from South Korea.聽
We鈥檝e quite frankly never seen a week like it.
In Dubai today, I鈥檝e also had conversations with a range of leaders 鈥� including Israel, Qatar, Egypt聽and聽Jordan 鈥� about the situation in Israel and Gaza.聽
Our position is clear and consistent.
We鈥檝e been categorical in our support for Israel鈥檚 right to self-defence and to go after the architects of the atrocities of 7th聽October鈥�
鈥hile stressing Israel鈥檚 obligation to act in line with international humanitarian law.聽
I strongly welcomed聽the pause in fighting to get hostages out鈥�
鈥nd we鈥檝e been using the opportunity to get more aid into Gaza.聽
The UK has trebled its aid, but still not enough is getting in via Rafah and other crossings.聽
So we are actively exploring other routes, including by sea.
The breakdown of the truce today is deeply disappointing, not least because a growing number of hostages were聽coming home.聽
I pay tribute to the role of Qatar in helping facilitate these efforts聽鈥撀燼nd聽I聽hope the process can be resumed.聽
We want all聽the聽hostages released 鈥� and in this initial phase all women and children should be freed.聽聽
I鈥檝e said before that the number of civilian casualties and the scale of the suffering has been far too high.聽
So聽the return of hostilities is concerning to us all.聽
We鈥檙e making it clear that Israel must take聽maximum care to protect civilian life.聽
We鈥檙e opposed to anything that would involve聽the mass displacement of people.聽
We need to聽ensure that there are聽viable聽designated areas where safety can be guaranteed.聽
And we need to ensure that critical infrastructure like water supplies and hospitals are protected.聽
Again, we鈥檝e been consistent on all of this.聽
So聽I support the civilian protection plans outlined yesterday by the US Secretary of State.聽
Indeed聽this has been a central theme in our discussions with regional leaders here, including Israeli President Herzog.
Ultimately we will redouble our efforts create a political horizon in which hostages are freed and security, safety and dignity is assured.聽
We will continue to work with our partners to create a lasting peace鈥�
鈥eginning with practical steps that address the crisis now.
Thank you.