Davos 2020 news – live: Trump condemned for ignoring climate change in speech as Greta Thunberg says president's tree planting pledge will not save planet

Follow here for the latest updates

Trump attacks climate change 'prophets of doom'

Greta Thunberg and Donald Trump have traded veiled barbs at Davos as climate change and sustainability lead the agenda at the World Economic Forum.

The teenage activist told the world's political and business leaders that the global youth movement inspired by her school strikes are “just the very beginning” and warned Mr Trump's pledge to join an initiative to plant one trillion trees was "nowhere near" the action required to avert catastrophe.

Despite his tree-planting vow, Mr Trump decried climate "prophets of doom"​ during his address to delegates and said the US would defend its economy, extolling the benefits of oil and gas. It comes on the same day that his impeachment trial in the Senate begins in earnest.

Please allow a moment for the liveblog to load

Key Points

• Thunberg: 'Our house is still on fire' 
• Thunberg ​gives Trump ice-cold glare 
• Climate campaigners try to win over business elite
• Trump decries climate 'prophets of doom'
• Trump's speech derided by Nobel-winning economist

[21 January 2020 16:45 · Conrad Duncan]

Hong Kong leader 'very disappointed' by credit rating downgrade

Hong Kong’s chief executive Carrie Lam has commented at Davos on the ongoing political crisis in her city, which has seen seven months of sometimes violent political protests.

Ms Lam has said she is “very disappointed” by ratings agency Moody’s decision to downgrade Hong Kong’s credit rating by one notch this week.

“I am even more disappointed by their assessment of the Hong Kong situation, and their comment on the weak institutions and governance,” she added.

The embattled leader has also insisted she could not resign over the crisis as that would “cause more uncertainty” and has dismissed calls for an independent investigation into alleged police misconduct during the protests.

Campaigners have accused Hong Kong's police of using excessive force and arbitrary arrests against demonstrators, with Amnesty International saying the use of force by police has violated international human rights law and standards.

Source: EPA 

[21 January 2020 17:05 · Conrad Duncan]

Trump says he will impose auto tariffs if Europe does not make 'fair deal'

Donald Trump has reiterated his plans to impose tariffs on European automobiles in an interview with The Wall Street Journal on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.

The president has previously threatened to impose auto tariffs on countries in the European Union as part of his ongoing battle with US trading partners. 

“They know that I’m going to put tariffs on them if they don’t make a deal that’s a fair deal,” he said, referring to negotiations for a new trade agreement with the EU.

Mr Trump also commented on climate activist Greta Thunberg, describing her as “very angry” but adding: “I don’t really know anything about her.”

[21 January 2020 17:26 · Conrad Duncan]

Trump promises ‘middle-class tax cut’ if he wins 2020 election

Here’s another potentially important detail from Mr Trump’s WSJ interview - the president has claimed his administration is developing a middle-class tax cut to be introduced if he wins a second term and Republicans regain control of Congress.

However, he declined to offer any details on the measure and said the proposal would be unveiled in 90 days.

“We’re talking a fairly substantial… middle-class tax cut that’ll be subject to taking back the House and obviously keeping the Senate and keeping the White House,” he said.

In 2018, Mr Trump put forward an unsubstantiated claim that Republicans would unveil a middle-class tax cut “of about 10 per cent” before the midterm elections.

That tax cut never materialised and Republicans went on to lose overall control of the House of Representatives to the Democrats in the November election.

Source: AFP 

[21 January 2020 17:41 · Conrad Duncan]

Trump 'living on a different planet' over climate change, Greenpeace director says

Here are some more comments from Jennifer Morgan, Greenpeace’s international executive director, on Donald Trump’s lack of urgency on climate change.

Ms Morgan has said the president’s failure to address environmental issues will eventually hurt him.

She told AP that Mr Trump is “living on a different planet because he seems to think the well-being of Americans can continue without taking into account the planetary boundaries.”

Ms Morgan added that it is clear Mr Trump has been “working to do away with very important environmental regulations and laws that have been protecting the health of Americans for decades”.

Source: AFP 

[21 January 2020 18:08 · Conrad Duncan]

Former New Zealand PM: Trump address was ‘domestic speech’ to counter impeachment trial

Helen Clark, the former prime minister of New Zealand, has described Donald Trump’s address to the World Economic Forum as “a domestic speech” designed in part to distract from his impeachment trial.

“This was a speech that was aimed squarely at the American worker,” Ms Clark said.

“The speech said, 'I'm for you. I'm for jobs, and implicitly anything goes for your jobs - doesn't matter what damage to the environment it does.’”

Mr Trump has been charged with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress by the Democrat-led House of Representatives and is now facing trial in the Republican-led Senate, which will decide if he is removed from office.

[21 January 2020 18:34 · Conrad Duncan]

Prince Charles to travel to Davos by electric car

Prince Charles will travel to the World Economic Forum (WEF) by electric car for his keynote speech on Wednesday.

The Prince of Wales will be speaking to officially launch his Sustainable Markets Council (SMC), a project to help make financial markets more sustainable.

Climate change has been high on the agenda at Davos 2020, which has already seen clashes between Donald Trump and climate activist Greta Thunberg on the issue.

Prince Charles, who last attended Davos in 1992, created the SMC in June 2019, with the support of the WEF, to accelerate the transition to sustainable markets and a decarbonised global economy.

Additional reporting by AP

Source: WPA Pool/Getty Images 

[21 January 2020 18:48 · Conrad Duncan]

Two Russians reportedly checked as 'suspected spies' released without charge

Swiss police have said two Russians who were reportedly checked as suspected spies in Davos in the months leading up to the event were released without any charges.

Switzerland’s Tages Anzeiger newspaper has reported two people were suspected of trying to spy on participants at the World Economic Forum, which hosts about 3,000 dignitaries and business figures, including world leaders.

A spokesperson for a Swiss regional police department said the Russians had claimed to be diplomats when they were picked up and questioned in August as part of a “normal check”.

However, they were not accredited as diplomats with Swiss authorities.

The two were later released and authorities have been in contact with Russian counterparts over the incident.

Additional reporting by AP

[21 January 2020 18:56 · Conrad Duncan]

That’s all for The Independent’s Davos coverage today - we’ll be back with more news tomorrow.

The biggest story of the day was the clashes between Donald Trump and teenage activist Greta Thunberg over the US president’s lack of action on climate change.

For more on that story, you can read the full details from our chief US correspondent Andrew Buncombe below:

And for more updates on US politics and the Trump administration, you can follow our live coverage of the Senate impeachment trial by following the link here.