The British government has come under fire for sending a massive 210-strong delegation to the COP30 climate conference in Brazil, generating more than 2.5 million air miles while the world's largest polluting nations stayed home.
Environmental Costs Under Scrutiny
The extensive UK contingent, which included nearly 100 civil servants, is estimated to have produced approximately 500 tonnes of CO2 through their travel to the Amazonian city of Belem. This easily surpasses last year's climate conference emissions when 470 delegates travelled to Baku, accumulating 2.3 million air miles.
Although this year's delegation is smaller than COP29, the 12,000-mile round trip to Brazil is twice the distance to Azerbaijan. Opposition parties have rounded on the government over what they describe as blatant hypocrisy while Labour professes commitment to Net Zero targets.
Miliband's Double Trip Draws Criticism
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband made his second trip to Brazil in less than a week to attend the summit, where he was scheduled to address the conference. The Daily Mail revealed that the Minister for Energy, Security and Net Zero had flown to Brazil earlier this month, returned to the UK last Sunday, then flew out again on Thursday for the final week.
Mr Miliband's two flights alone covered 24,000 miles and are thought to have cost taxpayers in excess of £20,000. He was spotted dining at the Hotel Tivoli in Belem, where rooms cost £1,250 per night after local hotels quadrupled their rates during the conference.
Lavish Accommodation and Growing Backlash
The UK's climate envoy Rachel Kyte is also staying at the Tivoli Hotel, potentially costing taxpayers £17,500 for a two-week stay. The hotel features a rooftop swimming pool and a 17th-floor restaurant with panoramic river views.
Shadow ESNZ minister Claire Coutinho told the Mail on Sunday: "Considering none of the leaders of the world's largest polluters went to COP, you have to ask how we can justify sending scores of civil servants halfway across the world and back on the taxpayer's dime."
Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK, described the event as "one of the greatest hypocritical jamborees" and pledged that a Reform government would scrap Net Zero policies and ban government officials from attending future COP conferences.
Government Defends In-Person Attendance
Officials at the Department of Energy, Security and Net Zero have defended the delegation size, insisting that in-person talks work far better than attempting to hold a summit of this scale virtually. They stated any emissions would be offset, though details remain unclear.
The UK delegation ranks as the third largest from Europe, with France sending 530 delegates and Italy 221. Brazil leads with over 4,000 official participants in the 51,118-strong total attendance, making this the second-largest COP in history.
The staggering environmental and financial costs emerge just two weeks before the budget announcement, raising further questions about government spending priorities amid ongoing economic pressures.
