Prime Minister Andy Burnham is facing pressure to dismiss his appointed 'climate tsar,' Rachel Kyte, following revelations about her extensive air travel for official duties. In less than two years, Kyte has accumulated 250,000 miles in flights, a figure described by critics as excessive and contradictory to climate action goals.
Conservative MP Greg Smith stated that Kyte's travel, which includes business-class journeys to locations such as Rio de Janeiro, Seoul, and Barbados, constitutes a "slap in the face to taxpayers." He called for her resignation or for Burnham to abolish the role. The total cost of these flights, excluding accommodation, amounts to £107,000, generating an estimated 100 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, which is ten times the average annual emissions of an individual.
Kyte, who serves as the UK's Special Representative for Climate, was appointed to the role after it was reinstated by the Labour party. Previously, she had faced scrutiny in June of the previous year for accumulating 75,000 air miles since taking up the position in September 2024. Her recent travel includes a 10,000-mile round trip to Colombia for a conference on "Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels" and a business-class trip to Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. In the current year alone, Kyte has spent over £31,000 on more than 20 flights, the majority of which were business class.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has defended Kyte's travel, deeming the expenses "cost-effective" and "in the interests of taxpayers," asserting that her international diplomacy supports efforts to secure private finance for climate crisis solutions and accelerate the transition to clean power. The FCDO stated, "We make no apology for pursuing international climate action."
Kyte, an academic, has publicly acknowledged the environmental impact of air travel. In a 2021 interview, she expressed that "the carbon footprint wrapped up in my social and professional identity is a source of deep discomfort." The role of Special Representative for Climate carries an annual salary of £130,000. The position was originally abolished by the Conservative party in 2023 before being brought back by Labour.