Rishi Sunak will commit an additional £1.6 billion in UK taxpayer funds for environmental projects at the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai, as Downing Street stated that China needed to do more to combat climate change.
On Friday, the Prime Minister will announce significant funding for programmes targeted at halting and reversing deforestation, conserving the natural environment, and advancing the worldwide transition to renewable energy.
The projects will help to keep the 2015 Paris Agreement objective of reducing global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius on track.
Sunak will commit £1.6 billion to international climate finance projects as part of the Government’s five-year plan to spend £11.6 billion on such projects.
Up to £500 million will be spent to combat deforestation and enhance investment in sustainable forest and land management, while £316 million will be spent on energy innovation initiatives to accelerate the worldwide transition to renewables.
An extra £185 million will be spent to encourage innovation in poor nations and to accelerate the development of new green technology.
In conversations with key regional and international leaders, the Prime Minister will also utilise his one-day journey to the Middle East to press for progress on reducing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and finding a long-term solution to the crisis.