The United Kingdom plans to reduce climate aid to developing countries that face the worst effects of climate change. The government will cut funding by more than one-fifth. Ministers want to reduce climate finance from £11.6 billion over the past five years to £9 billion over the next five years.

When adjusted for inflation, the drop becomes much larger. The real value of spending will fall by about 40 per cent compared to the 2021 commitment.

Treasury Moves Ahead Despite Security Concerns

The Treasury is pushing for the cuts. This comes even after warnings from UK intelligence officials. They said that damage to major ecosystems like the Amazon and the Congo could harm national security. It could also raise food prices and increase global conflict.

This decision comes just one year after the UK joined other countries in a major pledge. They agreed to help raise global climate finance to $300 billion a year for developing nations by 2035. The deal did not fix country-wise targets. Still, experts say the UK’s move may make the goal harder to reach.

Climate Experts Warn of Human Impact

Climate advocates have raised strong concerns. Mohamed Adow, Director of the Power Shift Africa think tank, warned about serious effects. “For vulnerable countries, UK climate finance isn’t an abstract budget line – it’s the difference between resilience and disaster. Cutting it at this moment will cost lives and livelihoods,” he said.

He also warned that global climate unity is already weak. He said that Donald Trump has pulled the United States out of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The US also removed its climate finance targets. He said the UK stepping back may push other countries to do the same.

Debate Over New Funding Plan

Ministers are still discussing the next phase of climate funding. The programme is known as ICF4 and runs under the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The money comes from the overseas aid budget. Last year, the UK cut this budget to 0.3 per cent of gross national income. Earlier, it had already reduced it from 0.7 per cent to 0.5 per cent in 2021.

Under the new plan, the £9 billion will mean about £2 billion a year for the next three years. After that, the amount may drop to £1.5 billion a year in 2029–30 and 2030–31. These commitments go beyond the current parliamentary term. The Treasury prefers to plan spending only within a three-year cycle. However, other departments and committees say a five-year plan will work better.

Officials May Reclassify Existing Aid

Officials are also looking at ways to relabel some current aid projects. They may count some education and health programmes as climate finance. Some officials believe up to 30 per cent of aid to the poorest nations could fall under this category, even if the projects are not directly linked to climate action.

Leadership Focus Appears to Shift

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper did not attend the COP30 summit in Brazil last November. Reports say she received her first major climate briefing only in December. Her predecessor David Lammy had taken a more active role in climate talks. He had also appointed special envoys for climate and nature. Cooper appears to focus more on issues like girls’ education.

Nature Protection Funding Also at Risk

Funding for nature protection may also face cuts. Officials are reviewing the future of a £3 billion protected fund within the climate budget. This fund supports nature-related work. Key programmes like the Blue Planet Fund will likely continue. The project supports ocean protection and grew after public concern raised by David Attenborough’s programme. However, these programmes may still receive less money.