The Archbishop of Canterbury has issued a public apology apologised after telling the BBC that leaders at Cop26 would be “cursed” if they did not reach an agreement in the next fortnight.

Justin Selby also suggested to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg that failure to act now could lead to an outcome potentially “more grave than leaders who ignored warnings about the Nazis in the 30s.”

He has since apologised “unequivocally”, in particular for any offence he caused to the Jewish community for making reference to the Second World War.

“I unequivocally apologise for the words I used when trying to emphasise the gravity of the situation facing us at COP26. ” he tweeted.

“It’s never right to make comparisons with the atrocities brought by the Nazis, and I’m sorry for the offence caused to Jews by these words.”

It comes after Boris Johnson told world leaders at the Cop26 summit today that children not yet born “will not forgive” them if they fail to confront the climate emergency

Opening the landmark event in Glasgow, the prime minister pointed out the young had a far greater stake in the looming calamity than the people in the room – whose average age was “over 60”.

“The people who will judge us are children not yet born – and their children,” Mr Johnson said, adding: “We mustn’t fluff our lines or miss our cue.