Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

UK Defends Boris Johnson's Plan To Jet Out Of COP26

UK Defends Boris Johnson's Plan To Jet Out Of COP26

Aviation -- especially the private kind -- is a bete noir of the environmental lobby as it emits vastly more carbon per passenger than other forms of transport.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will fly back to London from Glasgow rather than taking the train, Downing Street said Monday hours after he chided world leaders for not doing more on climate change.

Aviation -- especially the private kind -- is a bete noire of the environmental lobby as it emits vastly more carbon per passenger than other forms of transport.

Hundreds of campaigners attending the COP26 conference in Scotland's biggest city have come up from London by train, although the main line to Glasgow was hit by lengthy storm-related delays Sunday.

Johnson flew in to COP26 late Sunday from Rome, where he was attending a weekend G20 summit, aboard a chartered Airbus plane painted in a patriotic UK livery.

He will use the same jet to return to London on Tuesday, his office said, after opening a two-day COP26 summit by warning that future generations "will not forgive us" if leaders fail to act.

"It's important that the prime minister is able to move around the country and we face significant time constraints," Johnson's spokesman told reporters in Glasgow.

London is 60-90 minutes from Glasgow by plane on average, while the train journey can take more than five hours.

"The fuel we are using is sustainable and the emissions are offset as well," the spokesman stressed.

He added that under Johnson's leadership, Britain was "leading the way on efforts to get to net zero".

Other leaders have echoed Johnson's demands for climate change action but also face criticism for their own transportation choices.

US President Joe Biden's convoy in Rome numbered more than 80 vehicles, led by his bomb-proof car "The Beast", which is not known for its fuel efficiency.

Many of those cars as well as those of other delegations sat idling their engines outside the G20 summit venue as the leaders deliberated inside.

Mohamed Adow, director of Power Shift Africa, noted that Johnson's government had last week cut taxes on domestic flights, attracting scorn from campaigners on the eve of COP26.

"Boris Johnson is right to warn that the world is 'one minute to midnight' when it comes to climate change," he told AFP.

"Which is why it would have been nice to see him model some low-carbon behaviour by getting the train to Glasgow rather than flying by jet to and from London.

"Maybe if the UK government used taxes on domestic flights to improve its rail infrastructure, low-carbon forms of transportation would be easier, cheaper and more widely used.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Saudi Arabia Faces Uncertainty Over Succession After Mohammed bin Salman
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
×