Alok Sharma to remain in post to lead climate negotiations

theguardian.com:

Alok Sharma, the UK cabinet minister who led the Cop26 climate summit last year, will remain in his post to lead international climate negotiations for the next few crucial months, despite the turmoil among his Downing Street neighbours.

Sharma, who operates from 9 Downing St, told the Guardian he was focused on continuing the work needed to cement the progress made at the UN Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow last November.

Governments from around the world agreed in Glasgow to limit global heating to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, but more work is needed for countries to come up with the emissions cuts needed to achieve this goal.

Under the UN rules, the UK remains in charge of the international climate negotiations until the next conference of the parties (Cop), scheduled to take place in Egypt this November.

Sharma told the Guardian: “I am fully committed to this role up until the end of the UK presidency in November, and my focus remains on ensuring that countries deliver on the promises they made in signing up to the Glasgow climate pact. Political leaders and governments may change but our resolve to keep alive the ambition of limiting global temperature rises to 1.5C must not. Action in this decade will determine the future of our planet.”

Sharma is now one of the longest serving cabinet ministers of this government, after the spate of resignations. Before taking on the Cop26 role full time in early 2021, he was business secretary, and previously international development secretary.

He has not endorsed any candidate in the leadership race. In a potential indication of how his role is viewed by the Tory party membership, he has frequently come bottom of the list of favourite cabinet ministers on the ConservativeHome