LONDON – The head of Britain’s MI6 foreign intelligence service said today it had started monitoring large industrial countries for the first time to make sure they uphold climate change commitments.
In the first broadcast interview ever given by any serving MI6 chief, Richard Moore said the issue was “the foremost international foreign policy agenda item for this country and for the planet”.
“Of course we have a role in that space,” he told Times Radio, which branded the evolving realm of global espionage “green spying”.
“Where people sign up to commitments on climate change, it is perhaps our job to make sure that actually what they are really doing reflects what they have signed up to,” Moore added.
“As somebody used to say – ‘trust, but verify’. On climate change, where you need everyone to come on board and to play fair, you occasionally just check to make sure they are.”
In the wide-ranging interview aired today, the MI6 head also said Russian President Vladimir Putin had been warned recently Moscow would “pay a huge price” if his troops invaded Ukraine.
Russia began withdrawing its armed forces Friday after weeks of mobilisations and manoeuvres near its Ukrainian border which prompted heightened tensions with the West.
“The Russians are in absolutely no doubt of where the UK stands on this issue,” Moore added.
“And they are in absolutely no doubt of where the Biden administration stands on this issue, because channels are open.” – AFP, April 25, 2021
