UK's Johnson to urge climate action over 4-day trip to US

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was travelling to United States on Sunday with senior Cabinet officials to urge world leaders attending U.N. General Assembly to take urgent action on climate change ahead of this fall's COP26 climate summit in Scotland.

Johnson is set to co-host a meeting on climate change with U.N. Secretary General António Guterres on Monday. two will discuss need to help developing countries mitigate impact of climate change.

“This week, as world leaders arrive in New York for biggest diplomatic event of year, I will be pushing m to take concrete action on coal, climate, cars and trees so we can make a success of COP26 and keep our climate goals within reach,” Johnson said in a statement.

Britain is hosting COP26 climate summit from Oct. 31 to v. 12 in Glasgow. conference is billed as a pivotal moment to persuade governments, industry and investors to make binding commitments on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and to make progress on reducing global warming to below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

British government says 100 world leaders have confirmed y will attend conference. But Alok Sharma, British official serving as conference’s president, was t able to confirm Sunday wher Chinese President Xi Jinping has committed to attending talks, or wher China would definitely be sending a delegation.

“On issue of wher Xi Jinping is going to come, that is t yet confirmed. rmally se things come a bit closer to summits. I am very, very hopeful that we will have a delegation from China,” Sharma told BBC.

He told Sky News that Beijing, as world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter, would have to be a key part of any climate change agreement.

“y have said to me y want COP26 to be a success. ball is in ir court. We want m to come forward and make it a success toger with rest of world,” he said.

Johnson, Sharma and newly-appointed British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss arrive in New York on Sunday for a four-day visit to U.S.

After U.N. General Assembly, Johnson and Truss will visit White House for talks on climate, pandemic and international security. It will be Johnson’s first visit to White House since President Joe Biden took office.

IM: AP