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tv   BBC News  BBC News  December 1, 2023 1:45pm-2:01pm GMT

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point, we just set out. that is my point, we can meet targets that are already more ambitious than anyone else's but we can do so in a more pragmatic way that saves families, five, ten, £15,000. why wouldn't you do that, it is my question? i think that's the right thing to do for britain, demonstrate global leadership on this issue, notjust in the past but in the future, do so in a way that saves families up and down our country thousands of pounds. that seems to me to be entirely reasonable, sensible and the right thing to do for britain. next, can we turn to sky?— thing to do for britain. next, can we turn to sky? thank you, prime minister. we turn to sky? thank you, prime minister- can _ we turn to sky? thank you, prime minister. can you _ we turn to sky? thank you, prime minister. can you honestly - we turn to sky? thank you, prime minister. can you honestly say - we turn to sky? thank you, prime l minister. can you honestly say hand on heart that none of the people you have spoken to today have raised any concern about the recent changes you made in green policy in the uk? hand on heart, made in green policy in the uk? hand on heart. 10096. _ made in green policy in the uk? hand on heart, 100%, no. _ made in green policy in the uk? hand on heart, 100%, no. not— made in green policy in the uk? hand on heart, 10096, no. not a _ made in green policy in the uk? ham. on heart, 100%, no. not a single leader i have spoken to today has spoken about that. do you know why? most of their targets are less ambitious than the uk's. just take
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one example, the phase—out of petrol cars, where we previously had a date that was 2030. what did i do that was apparently so dramatic? i changed it to 2035. do you know why no one has raised it with me? it is because basically every other country in the road is using 2035 as their target. country in the road is using 2035 as theirtarget. france, spain, italy, germany, australia, sweden, multiple states in america, canada. that's why. because what we are doing is eminently reasonable and we have done more than everyone else and what everyone has spoken to me about todayis what everyone has spoken to me about today is how the uk is playing a leadership role. they are grateful to us, notjust for the leadership we have shown in reducing emissions, but for the actual practical support we are providing them. the £1.6 billion that i announced today is going to do enormous good in lots of different countries around the world, helping them make that transition. investing in clean fuels, research and development, being innovative with climate finance products they will need to
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use. helping to restore their forests, that is what they have been talking to me about it today and they are enormously appreciative of all of our efforts and are keen for us to keep doing what they are doing. that is the tenor of the conversations i've had today, i can give you that one example on a phase—out date for electric cars demonstrates how distorted this debate has become. i shifted eight to be in line with basically every other country and it is somehow betrayed as some extreme measure! i think thatjust betrayed as some extreme measure! i think that just tells you that this debate has been polarised by extremes and that isn't healthy or good for the country. next, gb news. the £1.6 billion announced for climate change finance today more than £800 million is beyond what you pledge before, how can you afford this given the cost of living crisis at home? wouldn't money be better off spent on people at home not doing more to virtue signal on a global stage?—
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doing more to virtue signal on a global stage? doing more to virtue signal on a ulobal staue? ., ., ~' , global stage? look, remember, we have a statutory _ global stage? look, remember, we have a statutory commitment - global stage? look, remember, we have a statutory commitment in - have a statutory commitment in legislation to spend 0.7% of our gdp on aid. when i was chancellor, precisely because i thought that it was right that we prioritised the situation at home given that we have just been through a pandemic at the time and everyone could see the damage that had done to our economy, the impacts on the tax burden, i thought it was a sensible decision to come off that target and that is what i did. again, i got an enormous amount of criticism for that at the time but i thought it was the right thing to do. reducing our aid budget temporarily while we are going through this period where we need to restore the public finances in the wake of notjust a once in a century pandemic but now an energy crisis, i thought that was a reasonable thing to do. of course we care about our obligations to the most vulnerable people around the world, we are a compassionate country, we would have been, will continue to do so. i care deeply about that, i think everybody does, but they do also think that there is a limit. particularly when things are difficult at home and the
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tax burden has had to go up to deal with covid and an energy crisis, there is a sensible balance to be struck. the measures i took which were widely criticised by lots of people is one that i believe the british public entirely support because i think that is the right priority and it shows you can do both. we can be pragmatic about our approach dabbing everyone and still, by the way, be a world leader. but also make sure we prioritise the needs of people at home. that is the balance i have struck, that is what i would as prime minister. the aid decision and the net zero decision show that attitude, making it actually real for people at home. next, telegraph.— next, telegraph. thanks, prime minister. neither _ next, telegraph. thanks, prime minister. neither president - next, telegraph. thanks, prime. minister. neither president biden nor the chinese president are here today or at the cop conference, the two largest emitters. are you worried that if the likes of china and the us don't reduce their emissions, the efforts made in the uk by your government could pale
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into insignificance? the uk by your government could pale into insignificance?— uk by your government could pale into insignificance? the uk accounts for less than — into insignificance? the uk accounts for less than 196 _ into insignificance? the uk accounts for less than 196 of _ into insignificance? the uk accounts for less than 196 of global _ for less than 1% of global emissions, write cosmic that is the reality. all of us who believe in climate change, want to make sure we live our planet in a better state for our kids and grandkids have to acknowledge that in reality what we do is going to be the difference in terms of our emissions. that doesn't mean we shouldn't do anything, of course we have a response ability to act, demonstrate and lead by example, that's what we are doing. you but you are right to say that from a practical scientific perspective, it is the large emitters that have to bring down their emissions reductions and we can help with that. lots of the conversations i have been having today are about how to be leveraged what we are doing in our country to help others around the world. whether it is exporting offshore wind technology and appoint you back to the deal be made today, massive investment in uk offshore wind from the uae. why? because we are a leader in it and that expertise can
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now be exported around the world and help others make that transition. also climate finance, i know it is a bit tech—y but there is no way to solve this problem, especially for large emitters, without providing them with financials of that means a reform of the global system. these at the world bank, the imf need to be reformed, balance sheets stretch. that work is happening and we have been a champion of it. we need to change how we approach lending to these countries, pioneering the use of climate resilient debt clauses again is something i've been talking to people about. that is how we can help large emitters, leveraging the expertise that we have in technology. also, the city of london, uk financial services and rnd. that is all the ways we can help large emitters bring down their emissions as well as leading by example. you're right, ultimately with less than 1% of emissions, we have to have other people step up to the plate as well which is again why it is entirely reasonable, going back to the first question, we can do this in a pragmatic,
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proportionate way. again, we are doing more than everyone knows, we can do it in a way that saves everyone money and by the way the only account for 1% of emissions, that seems to be the right approach. next, the eye. that seems to be the right approach. next. the eye-— next, the eye. thank you, prime minister. among _ next, the eye. thank you, prime minister. among the _ next, the eye. thank you, prime minister. among the many - next, the eye. thank you, prime l minister. among the many people next, the eye. thank you, prime - minister. among the many people you have spoken to here today are the president of kenya and tony blair, can you tell us what you talked about with both of them? it can you tell us what you talked about with both of them? it was nice to see tony — about with both of them? it was nice to see tony blair, _ about with both of them? it was nice to see tony blair, an _ about with both of them? it was nice to see tony blair, an enormous - to see tony blair, an enormous amount of experience in the middle east, it was good to catch up with him very briefly on that. the kenyan president, we have a deep partnership with rwanda which he is committed to, as i. we are both committed to, as i. we are both committed to, as i. we are both committed to making it work. i was able to catch up with him on what i spoke to you about yesterday which was that we are finalising the arrangements we have with them. it was good to check in with him on that, reiterate both of our commitment to making the partnership
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work. pauland i commitment to making the partnership work. paul and i have forged a strong relationship over this issue, he is keen to work constructively with us, we are keen to work constructively with them. this is such a vital issue for the uk so it is vital we get the details of all of this right but that is what we are doing, we are in the process of finalising it and i look forward to bringing these proposals before parliament and the british public soon. they will make it crystal clear that the wonder is a safe country for the purposes of our scheme and parliament will have make sure there is no more blocks in our courts for operationalising this scheme. i've said i wouldn't have a foreign court stand in the way of getting a flight off when the time comes and i'm confident we now have the proposals in place and we are in the proposals in place and we are in the process of finalising those. that is the opportunity of being here, having a number of very positive conversations with people on a range of different topics. lastly,...
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on a range of different topics. lastly...-_ on a range of different topics. lastl ,... ~ , ., , lastly,... prime minister, i hope ou can lastly,... prime minister, i hope you can hear— lastly,... prime minister, i hope you can heor me _ lastly,... prime minister, i hope you can hear me over _ lastly,... prime minister, i hope you can hear me over the - lastly,... prime minister, i hope - you can hear me over the background noise. the king has been here for two days, other world leaders are staying into the weekend. you have been here a matter of hours, you are due to leave again imminently. you will have spent more time on a private plane done on the ground at the summit, are you really taking cop28 seriously and what is so pressing that you need to leave so soon? i pressing that you need to leave so soon? ., �* ., , pressing that you need to leave so soon? ., �* .,, ., soon? i wouldn't measure our impact here by hours — soon? i wouldn't measure our impact here by hours spent, _ soon? i wouldn't measure our impact here by hours spent, i— soon? i wouldn't measure our impact here by hours spent, i would - soon? i wouldn't measure our impact| here by hours spent, i would measure it by actual things we are doing that makes a difference. as i said, the conversations i have been having with people are incredibly positive. 0ne with people are incredibly positive. one of the most productive set of discussions i've had today with the president of the world bank, the president of the world bank, the president of the imf, i participated in a panel discussion with them and we were speaking separately is about the reform of the global financial architecture that needs to happen. climate resilient debt clauses being
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used, conditional cap razors and recycling of sdrs, all of that is incredibly impactful to literally hundreds of millions of people. because of those conversations, what will happen as a result of those, who led those conversations. i started that as chancellor, and having the opportunity to further those conversations, move the conversation on will ultimately lead to outcomes which we are starting to see. we had an announcement today about another country using one of these clauses and we pioneered the way on recycling sdrs. now we are talking about deploying that money to help countries around the world in energy transition partnerships in vietnam. that is the impact we are having, white? it isn't measured and hammy as we are here because this is just one aspect of it. these conversations have been going on for years, we've been reading them, i've been participating in them and i'm very confident that what we have achieved it is significant. we have set out our stall, demonstrated our
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moral and practical leadership on this issue and furthered the agenda in ways we can make a difference. loss and damage being another example where i am already talking to people about the structure of how the loss and damage fund will be deployed. that will be a point we will have to work through as we talked about also doing things that are great for the uk. securing over £10 billion of investment in what will be the largest offshore wind farm that we have that is going to power millions of homes with clean energy, secure in the uk, is a massively positive outcome for the uk. that isjobs, energy massively positive outcome for the uk. that is jobs, energy security and cheaper energy as a result of the conversations and the work that's been happening. look, ifeel very good that this has been a very productive day but it's not the only day that we focus on tackling climate change. just this week, we announced an incredible package of measures to restore, protect and enhance our natural environment at home. a new nationalforest, a new national park, to new community forests, improving access to nature
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forests, improving access to nature for children across the country, protected landscapes, protected ecosystems, temperate rainforests that we have in the uk which are incredibly precious, we have been working on this for a while. again, we are doing that internationally here. we pioneered the interaction between nature and climate change. what did we announce today? £500,000 in forestry support to make sure that forest landscapes are sustainable, we protect that biodiversity. everybody is incredibly excited about it. we are leaders in that space. i have been able to talk to people about what we can do for them, how we are going to partner with them, that will lead to many more positive things in the future. again, it is hugely simplistic to measure the impact of our presence here by the hours we spend. you should be saying to me, you could be here for three days but that would mean nothing if i hadn't come home with £10 billion of investment in an offshore wind farm creating jobs and providing clean energy or if i hadn't been able to
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announce more money for climate finance in ways that other country like... studio: we are going to leave rishi sunak their answering questions, delivering that speech at cop28 in the united arab emirates. very bold position in the uk at the forefront of tackling climate change, calling on other countries to follow in the uk's footsteps saying the uk is leading the charge, claiming omissions in the uk down 48% and pledging £1.6 billion to green energy and forests. rishi sunak also announced a deal between master and rwe to invest up to £11 billion in the uk's new wind farm. important to note that he spent a good chunk of that speech talking about the conflict in the middle east, strongly welcoming that pours infighting which, of course, is no more following the breakdown in the truce there today. that followed king charles... rishi sunak�*s speech followed king charles' speech urging
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world leaders gathered at the summit that it was a turning point but one that, despite some progress, we remain so dreadfully far off track. we will, of course, have more on this during the day. stay with us here on bbc news.
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live from london, this is bbc news. the ceasefire is over. rockets are fired from gaza and israel resumes air strikes. the ceasefire is over and fighting has resumed. gaza's hamas—run health ministry says more than a hundred people have reportedly been killed in gaza world leaders are in dubai to talk climate change. king charles urges them to make cop28 a "turning point." some important progress has been made but it worries me greatly that we remain so dreadfully far off track. hello and welcome to bbc news now — three hours of fast—moving news, interviews and reaction.

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