Boris Johnson warns against climate change ‘defeatism’
November 7, 2022, 7:51 am

Boris Johnson warns against climate change ‘defeatism’

Boris Johnson at COP26 climate change summit/Official Facebook page

Former British prime minister Boris Johnson will issue a rallying call to not to allow "defeatism" in the face of the worsening economic situation to undermine the fight against global warming.

The former prime minister, who is attending the COP27 climate change summit in Egypt, will warn on Monday (Nov 7) a "corrosive cynicism" is jeopardising efforts to wean the world away from fossil fuels.

In a rare public intervention since being ousted from No 10 earlier this year, he will insist it is still possible to achieve the goal of limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius – avoiding the worst effects of climate change.

"Because the spike in oil and gas prices – and the consequent global inflation, the hikes in the cost of fertiliser and food have had an impact here and everywhere, they have led some naysayers to a corrosive cynicism about net zero," he will tell a Climate Forward event organized by The New York Times.

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"We must end the defeatism that has crept in since last year, we must end Putin's energy blackmail, we must keep up our campaign to end global dependence on hydrocarbons, and if we retain the spirit of creative and promethean optimism that we saw at Paris and Glasgow, then we can keep 1.5 alive."

Johnson emerged as an enthusiastic champion of the net zero agenda at last year's COP26 summit in Glasgow, having in the past been sceptical about green issues, and his appearance in Sharm El-Sheikh is an indication of his determination to keep its legacy alive.

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It comes two weeks after he abandoned an attempted return to No 10 after he failed to persuade Rishi Sunak to join him on a joint ticket following the resignation of Liz Truss – paving the way for the former chancellor to become prime minister.

Sunak is also in Egypt for the opening day of the conference – although it is unclear whether the two men will meet.

There is likely to be some nervousness among the prime minister's entourage that Johnson may seek to upstage his first appearance on the world stage since entering No 10.

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In an interview with The Times on Saturday, Sunak insisted their talk about the leadership had been "cordial," despite his role earlier this year in bringing Johnson down.

"We worked very closely with each other for a long time, I have an enormous amount of affection and respect for him," he said.

Source: anews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”