'What have 25 COPs done before COP26? Clearly nothing'

2 November 2021, 10:16 | Updated: 2 November 2021, 12:27

Nick Ferrari grills Environment Secretary George Eustice

This is the moment Nick Ferrari put Environment Secretary George Eustice on the spot over what has historically been achieved at COP.

The exchange took place after the COP26 opening ceremony took place yesterday, which included speeches from Boris Johnson and Sir David Attenborough.

Referring to COP26, Nick said to Mr Eustice that "wasn't a lot of hope yesterday".

Speaking to the Environment Secretary, Nick stated "If it is as grim as some were saying yesterday, I don't need to remind you this is COP26. What have 25 COPs done before it? Clearly nothing."

Mr Eustice responded: "Well the Paris COP five years ago was a big step forward where countries did make commitments. And we've been building on that."

Nick replied: "So 24 that have done sweet nothing, and we have....one that has and one that might. [It's] not a great record, is it?

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"In fairness, if this was football, it would be Norwich, wouldn't it?"

In response, Mr Eustice said: "I don't think it's fair to say they've done nothing.

"But it is obviously the case that when you've got a big multilateral forum of this sort bringing together countries from around the world...with different challenges [and] different agendas, getting global agreement on these things is always going to be difficult.

"But because it's difficult shouldn't mean we give up trying to make a change.

"And I think actually significant progress has been made over the last five years. At each of those COPs progress has been made."