Cop26: Britain urged to back £50bn ‘reparations’ package for countries worst hit by climate change

Boris Johnson told Britain has special responsibility as former colonial power

Boris Johnson’s government has been urged to push for an expanded package of financial “reparations” for countries facing the worst damage from the climate crisis.

Although wealthy nations have committed to providing $100bn (£73bn) a year for developing countries by 2023, most of the money will come in the form of loans.

The Green Party said £50bn a year was needed in grants for the poorest countries by the end of decade – and called on the UK to take special responsibility for “reparation” payments as a former colonial power.

Greens’ co-leader Carla Denyer said a far more generous climate finance plan was needed to help low-income countries, or the Cop26 climate talks in Glasgow will end in failure.

“Real leadership and responsibility means pledging £50bn a year by 2030 – in grants, not loans – to support low-income countries adapt to the impacts of the climate crisis and help them transition to a clean green future.”

She added: “It is essential that climate finance is paid in the form of grants rather than becoming another opportunity to exploit the countries of the Global South.”

The prime minister has made climate finance for developing nations one of his four top priorities for the crucial Cop26 summit, using the slogan “coal, cars, cash and trees”.

But there was anger when it emerged last week that wealthy nations would not achieve a long-promised $100bn annual target for the fund for developing countries until 2023 – three years later than expected.

The UK is currently contributing £2.3bn a year, but as The Independent revealed in July, the cash will be swiped from the overseas aid budget – despite a requirement that it be “additional” to current aid spending.

Campaigners have warned that without a clear means of accounting, countries are free to decide what they consider to be climate finance as part of the $100bn pledge. The funding channels include developed countries’ aid budgets, as well as private money and loans.

The Green Party claimed that western countries which have historically benefited from exploitation of developing countries which now face the most damage from climate change should be “compensated” with transparent grants.

Azzees Minott, chair of the Greens of Colour group, pointed to Britain’s leading role in the industrial revolution and emissions from the spoils of Empire. “Britain has a special responsibility to the world for historic emissions that are causing loss and damage across the Global South,” she said.

Co-leader Ms Denyer added: “Boris Johnson’s pledge doesn’t go far enough, and worse still, rings hollow given the huge cut his government recently made to the international aid budget.”

The decision to cut the overseas aid budget from 0.7 to 0.5 per cent of the national income has undermined its chances of success at Cop26, development experts told MPs on Tuesday.

Mark Miller, from the Overseas Development Institute, told the international development committee: “It’s the ability to demonstrate global leadership. At this time in particular, during this once-in-a-generation development crisis, the UK has not been able to take leading commitments.”

The UK government’s top adviser has also warned the cut was likely to damage negotiations at the summit.

Lord Deben, chair of the Climate Change Committee, told The Independent on the eve of the conference that the UK had “caused climate change more than anyone else”, but not done enough to secure global funding for those now hit hardest by its effects.