DUP MP hits out at Davos ‘climate hypocrites’
A DUP MP has hit out at “climate hypocrites” who will “zoom into Davos in hundreds of private jets to lecture the world about stopping consuming fossil fuel”.
World leaders are gathering in Davos, Switzerland, this week for the annual World Economic Forum.
Sammy Wilson sought to draw attention to “hypocritical behaviour” as he urged Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom not to heed any of the calls for policies which would “cost jobs in our energy-intensive industries”.
Ms Leadsom said the Government was “determined to meet our net zero ambitions” and also “do all we can to lead in the world in tackling this climate emergency”.
Speaking during Commons BEIS questions, Mr Wilson said: “This week, thousands of climate hypocrites will zoom into Davos in hundreds of private jets to lecture the world about stopping consuming fossil fuel, oblivious to their own hypocritical behaviour.
“Will the minister give us an assurance that she will not be heeding any of the calls for policies which would either cost jobs in our energy-intensive industries and fuel costs – the fuel prices of the millions in fuel poverty or add green burdens to consumers, farmers and motorists?”
Ms Leadsom replied: “I think (he) makes an absolutely vital point, that it’s not enough that we just look at our own behaviour here in the UK where we are determined to meet our net zero ambitions, but also that we do all we can to lead in the world in tackling this climate emergency.
“And so we have set out in our plans in the run-up to COP26 some really ambitious ideas for how we can not only work at home to decarbonise, but also help the rest of the world in their effort to solve their own problems, but also to behave better in the way that they travel.”
