Not time to go weak on net zero, Johnson tells climate summit

BBC Summary

World leaders are meeting at the COP27 UN summit in Egypt, which kicks off in earnest on Monday.

The UK's prime minister Rishi Sunak will call for a "global mission for clean growth" when he addresses the summit later.

His predecessor, Boris Johnson, is speaking at a fringe event - he says he is the "spirit of Glasgow", referring to the UK-hosted summit last year.

Johnson calls on leaders not to go weak on net zero emissions commitments, adding he is there in a "supportive" role and glad Sunak is attending.

The UN says progress on cutting the emissions that cause global warming has been "woefully inadequate" since COP26.

The planet has already warmed 1.1C since pre-industrial times and scientists say rises must be limited to 1.5C by 2100 to avoid the worst impacts.

But experts predict carrying on with current policies would lead to a rise as high as 2.8C this century.

Poor countries are pushing for financial compensation from rich countries responsible for most historical emissions.