In the face of a ferocious and inspiring global movement demanding real action on climate change, the UK Government has been keen to big up its own green credentials. The Conservatives have attempted to make the climate a key theme at its Annual Conference, including the apparent rejection of disposable coffee cups. And last week at the UN Climate Summit Boris Johnson pledged £1.2 billion for ‘British scientists and innovators…to create new technology to help developing countries reduce their emissions and meet global climate change targets.’
But this rather limp announcement, addressing the optics of disposable coffee cups and other meagre measures do nothing to address how an obscure government agency, UK Export Finance (UKEF), is making a mockery of all current and future UK climate aid plans.
In June this year the cross-party Environmental Audit Committee published the findings of its inquiry into UK Export Finance and called on the Government to stop financing all overseas fossil fuel projects by the end of 2021. In a quiet announcement this week, the Government responded to that recommendation with an unequivocal no, therefore committing to continue subsidising multi-billion-pound fossil fuel projects around the world.
