LONDON: Zac Goldsmith, the British international environment minister, announced his resignation on Friday, citing the loss of Britain’s global leadership on climate issues and accusing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of being “uninterested” in environmental matters.
Goldsmith, who is aligned with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, expressed his frustration with the government’s lack of focus on the environment, positioning himself against Sunak in the deep divide within the ruling Conservative Party.
In his resignation letter, Goldsmith, who held the position of Minister of State for Overseas Territories, Commonwealth, Energy, Climate and Environment in the upper chamber of parliament, criticized Sunak directly, stating, “The problem is not that the government is hostile to the environment, it is that you, our Prime Minister, are simply uninterested.” Sunak’s office did not provide an immediate response.
Goldsmith emphasized that Britain had lost its global standing and retreated from a leadership role on climate and nature. This sentiment echoed a report published earlier in the week by the government’s climate advisers, which highlighted the country’s failure to meet its mid-century net zero target and its support for new coal and oil production.
UK Receives International Praise Over Global Climate Pact
While Boris Johnson was in power, Britain received international praise for its role in brokering a global climate pact at the COP26 summit in Glasgow in 2021. However, Sunak initially declined to attend the 2022 COP summit, only changing his decision in response to criticism. Despite creating a new government department dedicated to the country’s net zero plan and acknowledging the significance of green industries for Britain’s economic future, Sunak has faced criticism for his perceived lack of personal interest in environmental issues.
Shortly after Goldsmith’s resignation, the government announced the establishment of a multi-million pound fund aimed at creating and restoring habitats rich in wildlife. The move was seen as an attempt to counter the growing discontent within Johnson’s allies, some of whom have become increasingly critical of the government since his own resignation from parliament over a report that found he had deliberately misled lawmakers about COVID-19 lockdown parties.
Goldsmith himself was reprimanded by a parliamentary committee on Thursday for the behavior of a group of Johnson allies who were accused of attempting to intimidate the panel that had criticized Johnson’s conduct during the lockdown.
