The world’s forests will be better protected after support announced by the UK to help countries with vital tropical forests conserve nature, livelihoods and wildlife.
At the COP29 summit in Baku, the UK pledged £239 million to tackle deforestation in countries, including Colombia and Indonesia, recognising the critical role of forests in those countries as “carbon sinks” that absorb more CO2 from the atmosphere annually than the UK and USA emit combined.
The last government’s commitment to £11.6bn of climate finance from 2021/22 to 2025/26 will continue to be honoured. This includes at least £3 billion on nature, from which £1.5 billion will be dedicated to protecting and restoring forests.
Halting and reversing forest loss is essential to keeping global heating under 1.5°C, delivering the UK’s global commitments to protect biodiversity, and meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Tropical forests are home to two-thirds of the world’s biodiversity and 80% of global terrestrial biodiversity. Wildlife such as orangutans, tigers and jaguars are under threat, and 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods.
During COP29 in Baku the government highlighted the value of forests in ensuring a liveable climate, where people, animals and flora can thrive. The pledge was made alongside representatives of the presidencies for COP29 in Azerbaijan and COP30 in Brazil.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Forests are the lungs of our planet – without them climate security is impossible. We’re determined to play our part in mobilising finance to protect and restore global forests in these critical years for climate action.
“The climate crisis has no borders and these issues impact people back home in the UK – we’re already seeing the damage flooding and record heatwaves can do to businesses and the most vulnerable in our communities.
“Providing this funding now helps prevent the escalating costs of climate catastrophe at home and abroad, this is what the UK means by climate leadership.”
These measures will unlock private and public financing to safeguard forest ecosystems, drive restoration efforts, and create sustainable opportunities for the communities who rely on them. This also reflects the government’s commitment to the COP26 forest pledge, which aims to reverse forest loss by 2030.
The government has also announced 20 projects which will receive funding from Round One of the Ocean Community Empowerment and Nature (OCEAN) Grants Programme. These projects will deliver lasting change to the marine environment and coast communities across the world.
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