Aid budget cut risk to climate finance: comment
Government plans to cut aid spending from 0.5% of GDP to 0.3% in 2027 to fund an increase in the defence budget
By Gareth Redmond-King
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Commenting on Government plans to cut aid spending from 0.5% of GDP to 0.3% in 2027 to fund an increase in the defence budget [1], Gareth Redmond-King, Head of International Programme at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) said:
"We import two fifths of our food from overseas, much of which we simply can’t grow here in the UK, and around half of that from areas most vulnerable to extremes driven by climate change, like floods and heat waves that destroy crops. [2] We are mutually-dependent on these countries, with climate finance paid for from the aid budget supporting the UK’s food security as well as the livelihoods of the farmers who produce that food. [3] Let’s be clear this can be life and death for struggling communities and this reduction could make meeting the UK's climate finance commitments even more challenging."
Notes to editors:
1. Starmer announces big cut to UK aid budget to boost defence spending: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/feb/25/starmer-planning-big-cuts-to-aid-budget-to-boost-defence-spending-say-sources
2. Climate impacts on UK food imports: https://eciu.net/analysis/reports/2023/climate-impacts-on-uk-food-imports-2
3. UK International Climate Finance and Food Imports: https://eciu.net/analysis/reports/2024/uk-international-climate-finance-and-food-imports
For more information or for interview requests:
George Smeeton, Head of Communications, ECIU, Tel: 07894 571 153, email: george.smeeton@eciu.net