The UK's ruling Conservative Party faces taking “the road to nowhere” if its next leader chooses to scrap net zero emissions targets, the president of the Cop26 summit has said.
Alok Sharma, a business secretary under Prime Minister Boris Johnson, said the Conservatives would face a reckoning from voters if the party dropped green policies under pressure from climate-sceptic MPs.
Britain has played a central role in tackling the climate crisis and is one of dozens of countries that have pledged to end reliance on fossil fuels and reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2050.
However, some candidates in the Tory leadership race have questioned the effects of a net zero commitment on economic growth.
Leadership candidate Kemi Badenoch MP described the 2050 net zero target as “unilateral economic disarmament”.
Questions were raised about the commitment of Penny Mordaunt to the UK’s net zero climate target.
Mr Sharma, speaking to the i newspaper, said that scrapping climate-friendly policies would be counterproductive and “economically illiterate”.
“Economically, environmentally and electorally it would be a retrograde step for us to resile from this policy,” he said. “It’s a road to nowhere.”
The Office for Budget Responsibility said the cost of unmitigated climate change could reach 300 per cent of the UK's gross domestic product, Mr Sharma said.
“I don’t want the legacy of our generation to be that we saddled future generations with huge amounts of debt," he said.
He said eco-conscious policies, such improving home insulation, were not only good for the climate but could act as a “bazooka” for economic growth.
“The fastest way of helping people reduce bills is making their homes more energy-efficient”, he said.
Mr Sharma said Australia's right-wing Liberal Party was voted out of power when its traditionally conservative base began to vote in favour of environmentally friendly policies.
These “teal voters” were right-wing, or blue, who adopted traditionally green polices.
“You had a conservative government which some people thought was tone deaf when it came to issues of climate that mattered very much for lots of voters,” Mr Sharma said.
Environmental groups have urged the Conservatives and their next leader to stick to their climate targets.
Shaun Spiers, executive director of environmental policy think tank Green Alliance, said tackling the climate and nature crisis should be central to this leadership race.
He said no candidate had put the environment at the forefront of their campaign and that it was “deeply depressing” that some seemed intent on “turning the clock back”.
“Rather than lazily dissing green initiatives, let’s hear how the candidates propose to meet the climate targets we’re lagging behind, reverse the catastrophic decline in nature and tackle the fossil-fuelled hikes in the cost of living," he said.
Sweet%20Tooth
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Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
57%20Seconds
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'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SERIES%209
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
If you go
Flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.
The stay
Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.
Fighting with My Family
Director: Stephen Merchant
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Florence Pugh, Thomas Whilley, Tori Ellen Ross, Jack Lowden, Olivia Bernstone, Elroy Powell
Four stars
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
SUZUME
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
