According to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps the Government doesn’t believe that air travel is “the ultimate evil”. Instead, he believes travel should be free from guilt.

The comments were made by Mr Shapps as he spoke out about plans to reduce net emissions before Boris Johnson returns to Cop26’s climate summit to discuss ‘transport day. 

These comments were made amid widespread criticism about people using planes for short trips to Cop26.

According to Mr Shapps, The Telegraph reported that he believes, as Transport Secretary of the United Kingdom, we can achieve guilt-free travel within this country.

“There is a thought that travel attracts great guilt if we have to meet our various carbon emissions.

It gets worse the farther you travel. So flying is obviously the worst thing, but that’s not the belief of the British Government.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the British Government does not believe air travel is 'the ultimate evil' and travel, including aviation, should be 'guilt free'

Grant Shapps, Transport Secretary, stated that the British Government doesn’t believe air travel to be “the ultimate evil” and said all travel should be free from guilt.

He stated that any change in the way you live your life’shouldn’t be the inability of going and visiting your friends and family, and doing business’.

Boris Johnson will be returning to the climate summit’s “transport day”, where there are a number of announcements about low-carbon travel.

As negotiators prepare to examine a draft of a “cover decision”, which is a negotiated result to talks that targets climate action, the Prime Minister exhorted countries to “pull out all of the stops” ahead of Wednesday’s return to Glasgow.

A number of transport goals have been set, with the UK’s new heavy-duty vehicles being required to emit zero carbon emissions by 2040.

30 countries also signed an agreement to cooperate to create zero emission vehicles as the norm. Plans for “green shipping corridors” will also be revealed, enabling a transition to zero-emission vessels.

Together, 14 countries account for over 40% of the global aviation emissions. They have also committed to setting a new target to reduce carbon dioxide. 

The Paris Agreement’s technical components are being worked out by the negotiators. They include common timeframes for the national emissions reductions commitments as well as agreed reporting methods for countries.

Also, negotiations are ongoing to finance developing countries in order to deal with the effects of climate change.

Johnson stated: “Negotiating groups are doing the hard work in these final Days of Cop26 to make climate-change promises become reality.

“There are still many things to do.”

“Today I’ll meet with negotiators and ministers to find out where we are at the moment and where we need to go.”

“This issue is larger than any single country, and nations must come together to protect our planet and each other.

“We must do everything possible to ensure 1.5C is within reach.”

Boris Johnson is set to return to the Cop26 climate summit for 'transport day', where a series of announcements on low carbon travel are due to be made

Boris Johnson plans to attend the Cop26 climate summit to discuss ‘transport day.’ There, a host of announcements regarding low carbon travel will be made.

On Wednesday, the draft cover decision will be published. Delegations are expected to contact their capitals and leaders to discuss their positions on it, especially in countries that did not participate in the summit of world leaders.

The countries are preparing for negotiations’ final days. Nick Mabey, a climate thinker at E3G suggests that ‘high ambition outcomes’ remain on the table. And momentum is in the favor of those who push for ambitious goals.

The ‘High Ambition Coalition,’ a group of countries in danger and other nations including those from the USA and Europe is asking for countries to develop action plans that will limit temperatures to 1.5C over the next year. It also calls for long-term plans to reach the goal by 2023. However, there are some objections from countries around the world.

At Glasgow, where the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will join him as Prime Minister, he will meet other heads of delegations.