UK to cut climate finance: comment

Commenting on reports that the Government plans to cut climate finance for the developing world [1], Gareth Redmond-King, Head of International Programme at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) said: "If true, the government's own recent national security assessment [2] would suggest such a move risks being an act of self-harm for the UK. We import two fifths of our food from overseas, much grown in countries being hit hardest by extremes of heat and flood. The UK’s climate finance helps farmers in these countries to adapt their farming to maintain both their livelihoods and our food security.

“Reneging on commitments would of course damage trust in the UK’s position at a time when it has made real progress in cutting emissions, growing clean industries and making a path to net zero, the only way the world has to halt worsening climate change. And with China potentially offering forms of climate finance to poorer nations which need it, the longer term risk is to the UK’s relative power and influence around the world."
 

ENDS

Notes to editors: 

1. The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/05/uk-cut-climate-finance-poor-countries-by-fifth

2. Defra: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nature-security-assessment-on-global-biodiversity-loss-ecosystem-collapse-and-national-security

For more information or for interview requests:

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