UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and King Charles III will not be attending the climate conference COP27, which will be taking place in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh from November 6-18.
Sunak has pulled out of attending the November summit in order to focus on domestic issues, his office said in a statement on Thursday.
He was named prime minister on Monday, and has postponed an autumn fiscal statement to November 17 as he looks to tackle a cost-of-living crisis and restore credibility damaged in the short tenure of his predecessor Liz Truss.
“The prime minister is not expected to attend the summit in Egypt due to other pressing domestic commitments, including preparations for the autumn statement,” a Downing Street spokeswoman stated.
“The UK will be fully represented by other senior ministers, as well as COP president Alok Sharma.”
The spokeswoman further said that the prime minister was “absolutely committed” to supporting the climate conference and denied the decision signalled a downgrading of climate change as a priority.
Despite being a known environmentalist and having already attended the Cop26 last year as Prince of Wales, King Charles will not attend the climate summit. The king sought advice and from government officials and being told that the climate conference would not be the best place for the new head of state to make his first overseas visit as sovereign.
By convention all overseas official visits by members of the UK royal family are undertaken in accordance with advice from the government.
Downing Street has also confirmed climate minister Graham Stuart will no longer be attending Cabinet.
