New research by Cafod has revealed that the UK government still spends billions of pounds of its aid budget on fossil fuels, despite pledging to take urgent action on climate change.
The analysis, undertaken by the Overseas Development Institute in collaboration with Cafod, found that the government spends more than £600m of aid money on fossil fuels, and has made no discernible changes to its overseas support since signing up to both the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement in 2015.
In a report released on Tuesday Cafod revealed that, of the £7.8 billion of support the UK provides for energy in developing countries, 60 per cent goes toward fossil fuels.
A large proportion - 39 per cent - of the UK’s support for overseas energy is classed as Official Development Assistance, or aid, and is aimed at reaching people in poverty. Of that aid money alone, 22 per cent went to support fossil fuels, “despite ODA being targeted at helping people living in poverty – who will be hardest hit by climate change,” Cafod said.
It criticised the government for its incoherent response, saying in a statement: “CAFOD is calling on the government to develop a more coherent, cross-departmental approach to ensure overseas energy support does not undermine the UK’s commitment to climate change action and lifts people out of poverty. International Development Secretary Rory Stewart – or his successor – should ensure the UK leads the world by urgently stopping any new aid money for fossil fuels and should also retain oversight of how aid money is being spent by departments outside of DFID.”
Dr Sarah Wykes, CAFOD’s lead analyst on climate change and energy, said: “The UK wants to be a leader on climate change, so it’s shocking that UK aid money is still being spent on fossil fuels overseas. At a time when we are reducing the UK’s own reliance on fossil fuels, why are we spending billions of pounds saddling poorer nations with outdated technologies that will cause more climate damage? The whole point of development aid is to improve the lives of people living in poverty. The government needs to align its aid spending with its climate goals and urgently commit to ending all new aid for fossil fuels.”
A government spokesperson said: “Since 2011 around the world, UK aid has provided 17 million people with improved access to clean energy. The UK has committed?to net zero emissions by 2050.
“However we need to do more if we are going to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate. As the Prime Minister announced at the G20 last month, in future we will look for the greenest way to deliver UK aid.
“Developing countries will be hardest hit by climate change. We cannot eradicate poverty without also protecting the environment.”
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