Ex-international development secretary to preside over COP26 summit

Published by Scott Challinor on February 14th 2020, 7:07am

Alok Sharma, who was promoted to business secretary in Thursday’s cabinet reshuffle, has been tasked with running the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow this November.

Sharma will take the reins after ex-minister Claire O’Neill was sacked by prime minister Boris Johnson.

The press office at Number Ten revealed that Sharma would preside over the UN summit later on Thursday, after his ascension to business secretary had already been made public.

O'Neill was supportive of Sharma’s appointment, tweeting: "Alok is a very good person who I am sure will get to grips quickly with the challenge…”

During the conference, several nations are set to bring forward plans to reduce carbon emissions as part of the Paris Agreement and Sharma's new post will see him play a central role in negotiations.

Speaking at a UK-Africa investment summit in January, Sharma spoke passionately about climate change and discussed the “undeniable implications” it has.

He said: "The huge burden of climate change will not be shared equally or fairly across the world. Many developing countries are already bearing the brunt of its impact.”

Share this article


Leaders of Great Britain

About Leaders of Great Britain

Leaders of Great Britain hosts a series of engaging events featuring prominent figures from the worlds of politics, sports, business, and entertainment. Our goal is for every attendee to leave these gatherings with profound leadership insights that transcend boundaries. Learn More.


Related News Stories


Authored By

Scott Challinor
Business Editor
February 14th 2020, 7:07am

Follow Us

Follow @LeadersGBNI on Twitter for more live updates

Share this article


Popular Stories

NEWS | Published April 17th 2024, 5:05 pm

The Resilient Voyage of HFH Managing Director Mike Holliday

NEWS | Published April 17th 2024, 3:03 pm

Abide Zenenga: Pioneering Special Needs Education in the UK

NEWS | Published April 12th 2024, 10:10 pm

Mike LeGassick's Quest to Revolutionise Financial Advising

NEWS | Published April 10th 2024, 9:09 am

Three New Board Directors Elected at the CIPP

© Copyright 2024, Leaders of Great Britain.