UK govt plans to abandon £11.6 billion climate pledge

According to a leaked briefing accessed by the Guardian, the UK government is planning to abandon its 2019 commitment to double its international climate finance to £11.6 billion by 2026. The briefing attributes Covid, Ukraine aid and debt relief as the reasons behind the plan. The government has reduced its earmarked budget for international aid spending from 0.7% of Gross National Income to 0.5% after it made the commitment, squeezing the budgets all across.

Officials have refused to comment on the leak and ruled out any plans to reduce the international climate finance pledge. Any such move will further dent the developed countries' collective goal of mobilising 100 Billion USD in COP15 for climate action in developing countries.

Former Foreign Office minister Zac Goldsmith who resigned recently cautioned against Britain PM Rishi Sunak's "apathy" towards the environment. He said that this would undermine UK's international reputation. He further added that small island states would feel utterly betrayed.

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