BORIS Johnson has insisted the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow will be a major success despite the shambolic organisation of the event so far.
The major summit will see 30,000 people, including 200 world leaders, descending on the city in November in what will be the biggest event of its kind ever to be held in Scotland.
And yet the Prime Minister has already sacked the person given the responsibility of overseeing the event and been very publicly rebuked by the old Bullingdon Club friend he hoped would succeed her.
There have been tensions between the governments in Edinburgh and London over both the cost of the event and the use of Glasgow’s Science Centre.
Speaking on Tuesday, Claire O’Neill, the former minister who was sacked as the summit’s chair, claimed the two administrations “were in an extraordinary state of standoff” over the event.
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It all comes down to the city’s science centre, which is opposite the SEC, site of the COP26 conference.
The Scottish Government booked the venue on the other side of the Clyde as their base for the event, but only after the UK Government said it would be outside the summit security zone last November.
Yesterday, Tory sources claimed the Scottish Government had failed to reply to a formal request from Michael Gove in mid-January to relinquish use of the Science Centre.
Speaking in Holyrood, the Scottish environment secretary Roseanna Cunningham said she was willing to work collaboratively.
READ MORE: COP26 in 'chaos and confusion' as conference is launched
She told MSPs: “The world is facing a climate emergency and we must move to a net-zero future in a way which is fair and just. COP26 can set us on this course but it has to be a shared endeavour, and we are determined to make sure political differences will not play any part of it. We have continually demonstrated our commitment to work in partnership and collaboration with the UK Government, Glasgow City Council and others.”
Cunningham said COP26 had the potential to be a “very significant moment” in global efforts to tackle the climate crisis. She added: “It’s really important this is not going to end up being about political differences, because on climate change there’s a huge degree of cross party collaboration, not just here – in fairness the UK Government is also one of those countries in the word prepared to commit to a net-zero target date, many countries don’t. We should celebrate progress, not get ourselves into a wrangle which will do the opposite.”
It was also revealed yesterday that David Cameron has turned down an offer to replace O’Neill, saying he already has “a lot of things” to do this year.
The former Tory chief said: “[There are] a lot of things I have already agreed to do this year, not least the work I do for Alzheimer’s Research UK, so I thought it was important that I carried on with that work.”
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon requests role for Scotland in COP summit planning
He called the climate change conference “absolutely vital”, adding that he wished the Government well.
“I’m sure that there will be a government minister, or someone, who will be able to do the job and do it very well. The Government has my backing as they go forward.”
Former Tory leader William Hague has also reportedly turned down the job. In yesterday’s Prime Minister’s Questions, Johnson insisted his government were “showing world leadership in tackling climate change”.
“We are going to have a fantastic summit at Glasgow and I look forward to it very much,” he added.
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