Boris Johnson has responded to this criticism of not wearing a mask while sitting next to 95-year-old Sir David Attenborough at the Cop26 climate summit.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced backlash for not wearing a mask at the COP26 Climate Summit opening ceremony while seated next to Sir David Attenborough. Johnson was photographed at the event without a mask at the same time as the noted environmentalist wore one.
Other photos from the same session showed various combinations of both men unmasked, and Sir David unmasked while Mr Johnson covered up.
Both men spoke on the stage and removed their masks to do so, but the image spread far and wide on social media, making many people furious, including Labour MPs.
Boris Johnson has responded to this criticism of not wearing a mask while sitting next to 95-year-old Sir David Attenborough at the Cop26 climate summit.
Photographs emerged of the PM appearing to be asleep (a claim denied by Downing Street) while neighboring a masked-up Sir David on the first day of the crunch event.
The environmentalist is one of the leading voices on tackling climate change in the UK.
In his first interview, since the pictures caused a stir on social media, Christiane Amanpour of CNN questioned the prime minister on why he did not wear a mask while sitting so close to a “national treasure”. “Do you want to answer what’s going on around social media?” she said.
Johnson replied: “I’ve been wearing a mask in confined spaces with people that I don’t normally meet, and I think it’s up to people to make a judgment on whether they’re at a reasonable distance from someone and whether they’re with someone they don’t normally meet. That’s the approach we take.”
COP26
The COP26 summit took place in Glasgow and is the 26th iteration of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC. This meeting takes place annually and brings together 197 members of the convention to take action on climate change.
Country representatives discuss issues like climate change mitigation (the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions that cause the planet to warm), adaptation to irreversible environmental impacts caused by climate change, and financing to support developing countries in their efforts to move away from fossil fuels and become more resilient to the effects of climate change.
INDIA AT COP26
Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, at COP26 in Glasgow, announced that India would commit to ambitious, enhanced climate targets and cut down in carbon emissions in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
He also promised to raise the capacity of non-fossil fuel energy to 500 GW and meet 50% energy from renewable energy. He emphasized reducing emissions by one billion tonnes and bringing down the economy’s carbon intensity below 45% by 2030.
Finally, PM Modi also made the much-awaited declaration of reaching Net Zero emissions by 2070.
PM Modi’s pledges in 2021 will require an immediate shift in the government’s priorities to meet its first few goals in eight years.
The Centre for Science and Environment estimates that the promise to reduce emissions by one billion tonnes will require India to reduce carbon output by a massive 22% by 2030.
On-Net Zero, the target of 2070 is two decades after the global goal in 2050 and would require the world’s other growing economies, including China, to peak emissions, 2030 itself.
If the government realizes Mr Modi’s promises in Glasgow, India will be a beacon in fighting climate change and ensuring sustainable development.
Hopefully, these commitments will inspire other countries to keep their word, particularly the developed world that has lagged in fulfilling combined promises of billions of dollars to fund emerging economies, LDCs and the most climate-vulnerable countries in the global South.
