£3bn UK climate finance to be spent on supporting nature

FREMONT, CA: Boris Johnson made the announcement in a virtual address to the One Planet Summit for biodiversity in Paris. The PM said the investment was needed to protect nature, including marine life, forests, and sustainable food production. Prince Charles has also spoken at the event.

In his address, Mr. Johnson said humanity is destroying species and habitats at "an absolutely unconscionable rate." He said the £3bn, which forms part of the UK's £11.6bn contributions to a climate finance initiative, would help protect nature, whether it's marine life or timber conservation, or sustainable food production.

Programmes supported by the funding will include marine conservation, tackling deforestation, and conserving habitats such as mangroves that protect local communities from the impacts of climate change.

The PM added: "Obviously it's right to focus on climate change, obviously it's right to cut CO2 emissions but we won't achieve a real balance with our planet, unless we protect nature as well." And he spoke of the pandemic, saying it "was the product of an imbalance in man's relationship with the natural world," originating from a "collision between mankind and the natural world." The UK is committing to protect 30% of its land and ocean by the end of the decade.

Conservation group WWF said it was vital that our financing of nature restoration overseas goes alongside removing the destruction of nature from UK supply chains.