Nations all over the world are dealing with the pandemic crisis. But before the coronavirus catastrophe, several countries were dealing with other issues such as climate change and restoring nature. Some countries are more capable than others, and developing countries seem to have the more difficult time dealing with climate change. However, there are some “good samaritan” countries willing to help those who need assistance. Take the UK for example. The UK government announced it will commit at least $4 billion to climate change solutions in developing countries, to help protect nature and restore biodiversity over five years.
This large funding will come out of the UK’s existing commitment of about $15.6 billion allocated for international climate finance. It is aimed at delivering “transformational change” to protect ecosystems and shifting to sustainable food production and supply that will support livelihoods of the planet’s poorest.
Blue Planet Funding is the flagship program supporting the investment. They organize financing for marine conservation, maintaining forests and addressing the illegal lumber trade and deforestation, and conserving habitats like mangroves that protect communities from the impacts of climate change.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced this at the One Planet Summit, a leader-level virtual event convened by France earlier this month. The Prime Minister addressed a session on Financing for Biodiversity, and called on other nations to raise their level of funding for nature. He also requested them to mobilize public and private finance for sustainable solutions to climate change.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced that the United Kingdom will pledge up to $51 million to the Climate Compatibility Growth program, which supports developing countries to speed up their transition to green energy in their growing economies. The UK is moving aggressively toward clean power and commits to protect at least 30% of its oceans and land by 2030.
“We will not achieve our goals on climate change, sustainable development, or preventing pandemics if we fail to take care of the natural world that provides us with the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe,” Prime Minister Johnson said ahead of the One Planet Summit. He further said, “Tackling climate change and protecting nature are closely linked…thriving forests and ocean play a critical role in mitigating climate change. Our land and coastal marine ecosystems could provide up to a third of the climate mitigations needed to meet the targets set out in the Paris Agreement.”
Also last September, the Prime Minister also signed the Leaders for Nature at the UN General Assembly, which was pioneered by the UK and signed by 82 countries. The UK also funded the Blue Belt Programme to safeguard vulnerable ocean ecosystems. The nation also partnered with Germany and Norway five years ago to pledge at least $5 billion to reduce deforestation between 2015 and 2020, exceeding the target by the end of last year.
Our planet is deteriorating, and a combined effort by many nations is needed to lead it back to a healthy and progressive planet. What the UK is doing should inspire other nations to follow and continue to work to make life on earth better. After all, it’s the only home we all have.
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