Feb 6, 2026: The United Kingdom is preparing to significantly reduce the amount of financial support it provides to poorer countries facing the impacts of climate change, despite earlier international commitments to scale up such assistance.
According to information obtained by the Guardian, the government plans to lower its climate finance budget for developing nations over the next five years.
Under the proposed plan, UK climate funding is expected to fall from £11.6 billion allocated over the previous five-year period to £9 billion in the upcoming cycle. When adjusted for inflation, the reduction would amount to a loss of nearly 40% in real spending power compared with the level agreed in 2021.
The decision, driven largely by the Treasury, comes at a time when senior UK security officials have warned that environmental collapse in regions such as the Amazon rainforest or the Congo Basin could pose serious risks to global stability.
Intelligence assessments have linked ecosystem breakdown to rising food prices, increased displacement, and the potential for conflict, all of which could affect the UK’s national interests.
The planned reduction follows a major international pledge made last year, when wealthy nations agreed to work towards providing $300 billion annually in climate finance to developing countries by 2035.
Although individual country contributions were not fixed, analysts warn that a decrease by the UK could make the collective target more difficult to achieve.
Climate policy advocates have expressed concern that reduced funding could have severe consequences for vulnerable countries already experiencing extreme weather, food insecurity, and environmental degradation. They argue that climate finance plays a crucial role in helping poorer nations adapt to climate impacts and reduce long-term risks.
The new funding round, known as International Climate Finance 4 (ICF4), is currently being finalised within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The money will come from the overseas aid budget, which has itself been reduced in recent years. The UK’s aid spending now stands at 0.3% of gross national income, down from the long-standing 0.7% target that was in place before 2021.
According to officials familiar with the plans, the £9 billion pledge would translate into approximately £2 billion per year for the next three years, followed by lower annual amounts towards the end of the period.
The Treasury has been reluctant to commit to longer-term spending beyond the current three-year government budget framework, despite calls from MPs and policy experts for a five-year commitment to ensure predictability.
Concerns have also been raised about how climate finance is being classified. Sources say civil servants are under pressure to relabel existing development projects—such as those focused on health or education—as climate-related spending.
Critics argue that this practice risks diluting the purpose of climate finance and undermining transparency.
Funding for nature conservation programmes may also be affected, with debates ongoing over whether a ringfenced portion of the climate budget dedicated to protecting ecosystems will be maintained.
While flagship initiatives like the Blue Planet Fund are expected to continue, they may face reduced allocations.
Experts on development and climate policy warn that cutting climate finance could weaken the UK’s global standing and damage trust with developing nations.
They also note that failing to invest in climate resilience abroad could have long-term economic and security consequences at home, including higher food prices and increased geopolitical instability.
In response to the reports, a government spokesperson said the UK remains committed to international climate finance and is on track to deliver its existing £11.6 billion pledge by the end of the current financial year.
The spokesperson added that the government is reviewing its approach to ensure funding delivers measurable impact and value for taxpayers while supporting vulnerable communities.
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