Andy Burnham has reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050 during an address at the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey.
The Prime Minister spoke to a sparsely attended hall on Thursday morning, despite approximately 100,000 delegates being present at the international gathering.
Burnham told attendees that Britain wanted to establish a new period of climate leadership over the next decade, saying the country would continue working with international partners to meet emissions targets.
“I have pledged a new era of British leadership over the next decade,” he said.
He also warned that the effects of climate change were already being experienced around the world, pointing to extreme heat, wildfires and drought during what he described as an abnormal summer.
UK Delegation Attends as Major G7 Leaders Stay Away
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and London Mayor Lord Khan were among those present for Burnham’s speech.
Khan was also seen taking photographs with United Nations staff during the summit.
Burnham’s attendance has attracted attention because several other major world leaders have decided not to participate in the gathering.
French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are among the G7 leaders staying away. US President Donald Trump is also not sending officials after withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement.
Burnham arrived in Antalya on Wednesday night aboard a government aircraft and was scheduled to leave on Thursday morning for Dublin, where he is due to attend a meeting with European Union leaders.
Prime Minister Highlights Fossil Fuel Dependence and Rising Energy Costs
During his address, Burnham linked the effects of climate change to global dependence on fossil fuels, pointing to rising fuel prices and energy bills amid conflicts in two regions.
“The climate crisis is not a distant threat; it is upon us all now, devastating lives and livelihoods everywhere,” he said.
“Meanwhile, two wars across two continents have sent fuel prices and gas bills soaring for families and businesses across the world. The common thread running through all of this: our dependence on fossil fuels.”
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the UK’s 2050 Net Zero target and called on other countries to work towards their own climate commitments.
“The message I carry here at my Cop as UK Prime Minister is this, we’re committed to meeting our 2050 net zero target, and committed to working with all of our partners to reach theirs,” Burnham said.
Government Faces Questions Over Domestic Energy Policies
Burnham’s climate commitments come amid questions about the government’s approach to energy policy at home.
De facto Deputy Prime Minister Louise Haigh is expected to chair a Cabinet committee meeting examining changes to electric vehicle targets. The meeting had previously been delayed amid concerns that details of the proposed decision could leak and cause embarrassment for Burnham.
The government has also recently approved drilling at the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea, while questions have been raised about the target of achieving a Net Zero electricity grid by 2030.
Ministers have also blocked plans for what would have been the UK’s largest solar farm, proposed for the Blenheim Estate in Oxfordshire.
These decisions have prompted scrutiny of how the government’s domestic energy policies align with the climate commitments outlined by Burnham at COP31.
Conservative MP Criticises Burnham’s Attendance and Climate Record
Conservative frontbencher Neil O’Brien criticised the Prime Minister’s decision to travel to Turkey for the summit, focusing on the low attendance during his speech.
“Burnham’s audience was the only thing at COP that actually came close to hitting Net Zero,” O’Brien told the Daily Mail.
He also criticised the government’s approach to energy costs and emissions, arguing that the Prime Minister had travelled internationally to address a largely empty hall while domestic energy bills remained a concern.
“If he wanted to speak to a bunch of empty chairs he could just have called a meeting of his own Cabinet,” O’Brien said.
Burnham Calls on Businesses to Support the Green Transition
The Prime Minister also urged industry leaders to contribute to the transition towards cleaner energy and help ensure that people across different income groups could participate.
He said climate action required cooperation between governments, businesses and other partners.
Burnham acknowledged that international agreement on climate science and policy had weakened, while warning that the world was now expected to reach the 1.5-degree temperature threshold.
“The consensus we once enjoyed on science and climate has gone, and the reality is now the world will reach 1.5 degrees. Climate leadership and action have become more urgent. Britain will answer the call,” he said.
UK Prime Minister Supports Turkey’s Electricity Expansion Target
Burnham also backed Turkey’s pledge to increase the proportion of global energy demand met through electricity from 21 per cent to 35 per cent by 2035.
He said greater electrification could help protect households from fluctuations in global fossil fuel prices, create employment opportunities and reduce energy bills.
“Electrification is how we protect families from global fossil fuel shocks,” he said, adding that it could also support job creation and lower costs for consumers.
