Cut in overseas aid could undermine COP26 a success, says CCC Chairman

The Chairman of the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has issued the following statement on the recent Government cut to the UK overseas aid budget and its potential impact on UK climate action. Lord Deben said:

"The cut in overseas aid could undermine all we are doing to make COP26 a success. To get global support we need the poorest nations to commit to making the jump to clean energy and to forsake coal and other fossil fuels. Britain has always understood this and helped to secure the Paris Agreement by leading the rich countries in promising to fund the transition. Now, by slashing overseas aid and breaking our solemn promise, we cannot expect developing countries to believe our word.

"They know that this Government expressly promised to honour the 0.7% aid commitment in its election manifesto. They know it is part of our law. Yet Ministers are reneging on that promise. At the COP, the rich countries - which have benefitted most from the pollution that causes climate change - have to get poor nations, which have had few of those benefits, on side. Although the Government has protected aid directly destined for mitigation of climate change, breaking our word on the wider aid budget risks undermining all our efforts.

"It is not too late to change our minds. The Government could restore the cuts expressly to signal it is trustworthy in promising help. That would give COP President Alok Sharma the support he needs to make COP26 a success and be worthy of Global Britain."