Miliband Vows to Fight Climate 'Defeatism' Ahead of Crucial UN Summit

In the lead-up to the crucial UN climate summit Cop30, UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has issued a rallying cry against climate "defeatism" by far-right populists. Miliband argues that tackling the climate emergency is the key issue that could turn the tide against hard-right populist movements around the world.

Miliband says progressives must make the climate their core rallying cry, as most people recognize that populist parties have got it wrong on this issue. He warns that populists want people to slip into "gloom and defeatism" over climate breakdown, but insists that "giving up would be a total betrayal."

The energy secretary sees signs of positive "tipping points" emerging, such as the rapid global shift towards renewable energy, which now attracts double the global investment of fossil fuels. He remains hopeful that the world can still limit global heating to the crucial 1.5°C threshold, despite the UN secretary-general's recent warnings of failure.

Miliband rejects the idea that large numbers of people in the UK want a return to fossil fuels, dismissing it as "unbelievably patronizing." He says people are asking for the "good jobs of the future," which can be found in the green energy revolution.