King Charles to skip COP27: Will UK sacrifice climate issue to solve energy crisis?

A few days ago, British newspapers highlighted that British King Charles III will be absent from the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP27), which will be held on the Red Sea coast in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in November.

The controversy stirred when The Times reported that the king's absence is based on “objections” from UK Prime Minister Liz Truss during their meeting at Buckingham Palace in September. This is despite the fact that Charles III, known for his interest in climate issues, was scheduled to give a keynote speech at the conference.

The Times report about the king's absence from this international summit of paramount importance suggested differences between the royal palace and the UK government under a constitutional monarchy in which the king reigns but does not rule.

Under the rules governing the relationship between the palace and the government, the king is prevented from interfering in politics. All official foreign visits by members of the royal family take place on the advice of the government. Hence, a decision such as the King's participation should first result from consultation and agreement with the Prime Minister, which the palace was forced to clarify through an official statement stating that it was the King who sought advice from the government at 10 Downing Street.

Apart from the controversy regarding the relationship between the palace and the government, it is not only the King who will be absent from the conference, as there are conflicting reports about the participation of Truss herself.

While the Daily Telegraph reported that the prime minister is likely to travel to Egypt for the summit, other newspapers such as The Times, Daily Mail, and The Sun have reported otherwise. The Times reported that Truss told British government officials and ministers that she had no plans at the moment to participate in the conference, which the United Kingdom hosted at its last session in Glasgow, Scotland.

This possible absence of the British prime minister raises widespread doubt about the UK's commitment to the zero-emissions plan, which aims to reduce greenhouse gases to zero by 2050 and transition to a carbon-neutral economy.

Energy crisis hampers 'net zero emissions'

In terms of international developments, Chatham House, a British defense think tank, said that since last November’s COP26 summit in Glasgow, the UK government's attention to the climate crisis has been deflected due to the continuing effects of Brexit and the Russian-Ukrainian war, along with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The UK government's policy strategies in dealing with war and massive price increases have raised questions about energy security and affordability and how to better support each other as the UK and Europe grapple with a cost-of-living crisis largely caused by energy as winter approaches, according to Chatham House.

Higher energy prices have provided space for those who argue that the costs of moving to “zero emissions” are an additional and unnecessary burden at a time when many families and businesses are struggling to pay their energy bills. Truss had already pledged during her election campaign to eliminate fees on clean energy bills.

“I am confident that the pressures of this winter and possibly also next winter in terms of persistently high energy bills and concerns about energy security will drive many decisions,” Sam Hall, director of the Conservative Environment Network, told The Guardian.

Doubts about commitment to climate issues

These gestures, viewed by environmental advocates as anti-green, have won plaudits from the right-wing press and climate-skeptical MPs. Truss's decisions and choices for her climate team have raised many doubts about her commitment to the “zero emissions” plans that conservative governments have worked hard on in past years.

According to The Guardian, the British prime minister wants to issue new licenses to extract oil and gas in the North Sea so that about 130 new licenses are being approved.

These plans were immediately criticized by Doug Parr, Greenpeace UK's chief scientist. He called it “a gift to the fossil fuel giants who are already making billions from this crisis.”

British newspapers noted that Truss had opposed the 2050 zero-emissions goal and even the UK's hosting of COP26 when she served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the final days of Theresa May's government. Not only that but there are a number of other matters of concern, according to observers, such as the assignment of the task of coordinating climate policy to Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has a history of climate change denial and is known for his support of fossil fuels.

Several other members of the new government oppose the ambitious climate policy, such as Steve Baker, a critic of the government's zero-emissions strategy and founder of the Net Zero Scrutiny group that works to undermine climate action. Two of Truss's advisers also have negative precedents on climate issues. Others say that Truss is a strong advocate of the role of gas as a transition fuel.

Egyptian warning to Truss

Concern about Truss's commitment to the zero-emissions strategy was not limited to the UK. A few days ago, the Egyptian government warned the UK not to step back from the global climate agenda, which The Guardian described as an unusual warning by diplomatic standards.

“The Conference Presidency is disappointed by the reports of King Charles' absence. The Egyptian Presidency of the Climate Conference recognizes the King's long-standing strong commitment to the climate issue and believes that his presence would have been a great added value to highlight climate action at this critical moment,” a COP27 spokesperson said.

“We hope this does not mean that the UK is backing away from the global climate agenda,” he added.

The Guardian said that some Commonwealth countries are also particularly concerned that Truss may have prevented the King from attending COP27 when many of these countries are among the world's most vulnerable to the climate crisis.

In a meeting prior to COP27 held in the Democratic Republic of the Congo last Monday, Egyptian Foreign Minister SamehShoukry called on developed countries to help poor countries tackle the climate crisis.

He pointed out that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, signed by world leaders at the 1992 Earth Summit, established a broad legal framework for global cooperation on combating the phenomenon, according to Reuters.

The agreement stipulates that the developed countries will provide financial support in addition to other forms of development assistance according to the capabilities of each country.

Rich countries have a long-term pledge of $100 billion a year to developing countries to help them reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impact of severe weather, but this has yet to be fulfilled.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also warned of the need for more assistance to poor countries suffering the catastrophic effects of climate change. This problem is likely one of the biggest sticking points for COP27.

“The conference should be a place to take action on loss and damage,” Guterres said, adding, “This is the first test of how seriously developed and developing governments are in bearing the increasing climate losses on the most vulnerable countries.”

In turn, the UK government spokesperson responded,“We have a record to be proud of when it comes to COPES. We are moving forward with our zero emissions plans. Forty percent of our energy now comes from clean energy sources and we will continue to deliver on those promises.”

International and domestic obligations

But international commitments to developing countries and pressured energy bills at home may not be the only reason why the Truss government's climate policy may change. According to Politico, two days after the start of the Sharm el-Sheikh conference, she will decide whether to grant permission for Britain's first new coal mine in a generation.

In March, the UK government will present an updated version of its strategy to reach net zero emissions by 2050 in response to the High Court order, which will need additional data on how the strategy works.

The Climate Change Committee (CCC), an independent body that advises the UK government on climate policy, has been scathing in its criticism of the strategy's multiple shortcomings, according to Politico.

The committee said time was running out for the UK to decide how to renovate millions of buildings to make them more energy efficient, replace gas-fired heating systems in homes, and reform the agricultural system to reduce methane production.

However, some observers still see signs of optimism. For example, new Climate Minister Graham Stuart is constantly pushing for renewables. Former Energy Minister Chris Skidmore has also been appointed to lead the UK's net zero emissions strategy review process.