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Newspaper headlines: Queen's 'emotive plea' and COP26 deal to save forests

By BBC News
Staff

Published
Image caption, Many of the front pages lead with the Queen's message to world leaders at the COP26 climate summit, in which she urges them to act now and "rise above the politics" for the sake "of our children". The Daily Telegraph describes the speech, which was recorded at Windsor Castle on Friday after the monarch was forced to pull out of a planned appearance on medical advice, as "her most significant intervention on the environment to date".
Image caption, The Times picks up on the Queen's reference to her "great pride" in the leading role her late husband played "in encouraging people to protect our fragile planet". Like many of the papers, it pictures the monarch giving her video address while wearing a green outfit with a butterfly brooch, which was an engagement gift from Prince Philip. Behind her is a photograph of the former Duke of Edinburgh surrounded by butterflies.
Image caption, The Daily Express sees the message as "deeply personal" and "full of pride" for Prince Philip, who was an early champion for environmental causes. The 95-year-old monarch also reminded delegates that "none of us will live for ever", the paper notes.
Image caption, The Sun also focuses on the Queen's tribute to her late husband, with the headline "Phil the green". Its front page features a picture of the Duchess of Cambridge, who visited a Scouts group in Glasgow on Monday.
Image caption, The Guardian focuses on a deal agreed by world leaders to halt and reverse global deforestation over the next decade as part of a multibillion-dollar package. Leaders of countries including China, Brazil and the US are among those who will commit to the declaration, the paper reports.
Image caption, The Metro criticises billionaires Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates for partying on "gas-guzzling" superyachts in the run up to COP26 before flying to the summit by private jet. It brands their actions the "height of hycoprisy".
Image caption, "The egos have landed!" is the headline for the Daily Star. "Nothing says 'save the planet' more than the world's biggest hypocrites flying in to tell us little people how to behave," the paper says, alongside pictures of the planes, helicopters and motorcades used to transport leaders to the summit.
Image caption, The i leads on a report by MPs about smart motorways, which calls on the government to pause their rollout immediately due to insufficient data on safety. Sir Mike Penning, the former minister who first introduced smart motorways, tells the paper he supports the recommendations and urges the government to adopt them "as a matter of urgency".
Image caption, Describing the report as "damning", the Daily Mail says MPs have accused transport chiefs and civil servants of pressing ahead with the construction of smart motorways despite "major concerns". The paper says the Commons transport committee wants the rollout to be halted because of "deadly safety flaws".
Image caption, The Financial Times leads with the news that Jes Staley is stepping down as chief executive of Barclays after an investigation by regulators into the way he described his relationship with disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The investigation made no findings that Mr Staley saw or was aware of any of Epstein's crimes - but the bank's board agreed he would step down after Mr Staley said he intended to contest its conclusions, the paper reports.
Image caption, The Daily Mirror has interviewed a 76-year-old "right to die" campaigner, who chose to take her own life in an assisted suicide. Dawn Voice-Cooper, who was "crippled by ill health", had a glass of champagne and hugged friends while listening to her favourite song at a clinic in Switzerland.

The "Green Queen", as the Daily Mail describes her, appears on many front pages after her speech to the COP26 climate summit. It was, in the Mail's view, "a deeply personal ultimatum" for action from the politicians present at the gathering.

"Rise above politics for the sake of our children" is the Daily Telegraph's headline, quoting part of her video message to delegates.

The Times points to the tribute paid by the Queen to her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh - she wore a butterfly brooch he had given her as an engagement present, and had a photo of him surrounded by Monarch butterflies clearly visible behind her.

The Sun also considers the Queen's message a touching tribute to Prince Phillip - its headline - "Phil the Green".

Image source, Buckingham Palace/PA Media
Image caption, The Queen wore a green outfit and butterfly brooch for her video message

The Guardian reports that the US, China and Brazil are among the nations committing to a deal to halt and reverse deforestation. The paper says Boris Johnson will describe forests as "the lungs of our planet" when he makes the announcement later.

For the Metro, though, the summit is the height of hy-COP-risy with delegates flying in on private jets and partying on gas-guzzling yachts.

The Daily Mirror suggests the summit is a story of "Good Cop - Bad Cop". It highlights the example of 13-year-old climate activist Elsie Burrows who cycled 600 miles from Devon to Glasgow to attend - setting off three weeks ago - comparing her journey to what it says was an 85-car motorcade for President Biden on his visit to Rome before his flight to Edinburgh.

Several papers carry pictures of the activist Greta Thunberg campaigning for action, rather than more words, outside the summit.

Image source, PA Media
Image caption, Photos of teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg taking part in a demonstration at Glasgow's Festival Park feature in many of the papers

According to the Sun, whether COP26 succeeds or fails, no one can accuse Britain of not throwing the kitchen sink at it after the deployment of the Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Sir David Attenborough.

But the Daily Telegraph's view is sceptical: "Hyperbole won't cut carbon emissions" is its verdict. The paper insists practical, market-driven measures would go much further towards reaching net zero than two weeks of "grandiloquence in Glasgow".

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The Daily Mail and the i lead on what is described as the "damning" report from MPs which accuses transport chiefs of pressing ahead with smart motorways despite serious safety concerns and a lack of data.

The i says the minister who first introduced smart motorways is now backing the MPs' recommendation to pause rollout and implement improvements recommended five years ago.

"Climbdown" is the headline for the Daily Express as it reports what it says is a "French retreat" from a trade war over fishing rights. The paper says French President Emmanuel Macron backed down - after a "master-stroke" by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who had threatened to take legal action.

According to the Times, talks to be held on Thursday will focus on a new proposal from France, put to Mr Johnson.