National Infrastructure Strategy / Aid Budget cut - reaction

Reacting to the Chancellor’s decision today to cut the overseas aid budget to 0.5% of gross national income in 2021, Friends of the Earth’s International climate campaigner, Rachel Kennerley said: 

“The poorest countries must be supported in their efforts to move to clean energy systems and to cope with the impacts of climate breakdown – a crisis they are not responsible for causing. The aid budget is fundamental to making that happen.

“Slashing aid not only fails the world’s least wealthy countries, it also undermines UK leadership ahead of next years’ climate summit in Glasgow, where helping vulnerable countries to deal with the climate emergency will be one of the key priorities.”

Commenting on the government’s National Infrastructure Strategy, unveiled today, Friends of the Earth’s head of policy Mike Childs said: 

“With billions of pounds earmarked for a climate-wrecking road-building programme and inadequate funding for home insulation, eco-heating, buses and cycling this strategy falls woefully short of what’s needed to meet the UK’s legally-binding targets for building a green future. 

“National infrastructure projects should be the cornerstone of the fossil-free economy we need to head off the climate emergency. Ministers must ensure every major development is in line with meeting its net zero target.”

ENDS