Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged that almost £6 billion of the UK's annual foreign aid budget will be spent on tackling climate change in poor countries. Between April 2016 and March 2021 £5.8 billion will be put into the International Climate Fund. This is a 50% increase compared to previous years.
The money will be spent on projects that encourage developing countries to adopt a greener approach, from sustainable energy sources, flood resistant crops, as well as helping to offset the effects of Western pollution on poorer countries. This pledge is the UK's contribution to United Nation plans to collect £66 billion a year by 2020 for the International Climate Fund.
David Cameron attended a major gathering of world leaders at the UN headquarters in New York on Sunday where leaders were set to discuss climate change. Ahead of the meeting Cameron said it was important to tackle climate change and poverty in a joint approach as both are required to keep future generations secure. He added: ''We can't end poverty and promote sustainable development without addressing climate change. The UK is determined to play its part, not just by reducing its emissions at home but by providing support overseas to those who need it, particularly the poorest and most vulnerable.''
However this pledge comes at a time when the Government is facing criticism for cuts made to sustainable energy sources in the UK. The move may also anger Conservative backbenchers who had opposed the initial increase in the UK's foreign aid budget.
