Comment: UK to provide $2bn to Green Climate Fund

Commenting the announcement at the G20 that the UK will contribute £1.62 billion ($2 billion) to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) [1] Gareth Redmond-King, Head of International Programme at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) said: “Climate finance is not just important to poorer, developing countries on the frontline of the floods and droughts that climate change is driving; in a globalised, interconnected world, nations increasingly depend on one another. We import half of our food in the U.K. and depend on many of these vulnerable countries for the crops we just can’t readily grow here, so their stability is vital to us.

“For the UK’s standing in the world and for building bridges, particularly with African states with huge growth potential, these kind of financial commitments to the Green Climate Fund are critical. Even although this is not new money, its use to replenish the GCF will be welcomed by developing countries that rely on it, and serve as leadership by the UK to push other wealthy developed nations closer to the collective, and long overdue promise of $100bn a year in climate finance.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. Prime Minister announces record climate aid commitment as G20 in India concludes: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-announces-record-climate-aid-commitment-as-g20-in-india-concludes

For more information or for interview requests:

George Smeeton, Head of Communications, ECIU, Tel: 07894 571 153, email: george.smeeton@eciu.net