Rishi Sunak has backed giving aid to poorer countries affected by climate change amid calls for the UK to pay “reparations” to nations suffering due to floods and drought.
Number 10 said Britain is “already helping countries across the world deal with the impact of climate change”.
“We recognise the existential threat it poses to countries around the world, from flooding to drought, and that’s why we have made a commitment to help those countries to support them on that front,” the PM’s official spokesman said.
His comments came as Sunak attended the Cop27 climate change summit in Egypt, where he announced the UK is providing £65 million for the Nature, People and Climate Investment Fund, which supports forest communities.
Earlier, energy secretary Grant Shapps said the UK was “support of discussions” about reparations, in which industrialised nations like the UK could be help responsible for creating the conditions which has led to climate change.
But the PM’s spokesman said: “We’re not talking about reparations or liabilities, we’re talking about continuing to support countries adapt to the impact of climate change.”
His comments came after Ed Miliband, Labour’s shadow climate change secretary, said the UK has a “moral responsibility” to help poorer countries suffering as the world gets warmer.
He said: “This is about global solidarity, yes we have some historical responsibility, but this is about global solidarity and it’s absolutely part of our aid commitment.”
Miliband added: “It’s morally right and it’s also in our self-interest too because if we don’t act and if we don’t help countries around the world, we’re going to end up with the problems that countries face coming back to us.”
When it was pointed out that reparations could see China in line for payouts from the UK, he said: “I promise you, it’s not about giving money to China that’s not what this is about.
“It’s about countries like the Maldives, Pakistan and others.
“We have aid commitments and it is absolutely about recognising our moral responsibility.”