The U.K. government promised in 2019 to ensure official development assistance was compatible with the 2015 Paris Agreement. But two years on, it has been “slow” to align its aid with climate goals, according to a report from the country’s aid watchdog.
The Independent Commission for Aid Impact’s findings come just weeks before the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties, which the United Kingdom is hosting in Scotland as it promotes itself as a climate leader.
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“The U.K.’s decision to align all U.K. aid with the Paris Agreement was an important commitment, signaling its intention to be a leader in the pursuit of international climate goals,” said Tamsyn Barton, ICAI’s chief commissioner. “It recognizes that delivering sustainable development cannot be achieved without tackling climate change.”
She added: “While we applaud the government’s ambition, its progress to date has been slow. And urgent action is required for the government’s approach to achieve the kind of transformative impact that is required to tackle the climate crisis.”
The first recommendation of the ICAI report is for the government to “ensure that a commitment to align ODA with the Paris Agreement, with timebound milestones, is embedded at the heart of the forthcoming International Development Strategy.”
Civil society groups in the U.K. have been awaiting the development strategy for months, but it is rumored to have been delayed until at least December.
ICAI also recommends the development of an accountability process to monitor how aid is being aligned with the Paris Agreement across government departments and suggests working with other countries to “establish and promote international best practice” on that alignment.
“Just weeks before the U.K. hosts COP 26 in Glasgow, yet again the Conservative government is found to be miles behind where it should be on its environmental and aid commitments,” said Layla Moran, a member of Parliament and the Liberal Democrats’ spokesperson for international development.
“Urgent action is required for the government’s approach to achieve the kind of transformative impact that is required to tackle the climate crisis.”
— Tamsyn Barton, chief commissioner, Independent Commission for Aid Impact“We need to be leading by example and sending a strong signal to the world that aligning our aid with the Paris Agreement is vital,” she said. “Instead, so-called Global Britain” — an oft-used label for the country’s foreign policy strategy — “is saying, ‘Do as I say, not as I do.’”
This sentiment was echoed by those in civil society. Stephanie Draper, the CEO of U.K. NGO network Bond, said the U.K. needs to “urgently move” from ambition to “real implementation on climate action.”
“There have been some positive first steps,” she said. “But more is needed, particularly on agriculture and closing gas loopholes.”
The U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office did not respond to a request for comment by time of publication.
About the author
William Worley@willrworley
Will Worley is the Climate Correspondent for Devex, covering the intersection of development and climate change. He previously worked as UK Correspondent, reporting on the FCDO and British aid policy during a time of seismic reforms. Will’s extensive reporting on the UK aid cuts saw him shortlisted for ‘Specialist Journalist of the Year’ in 2021 by the British Journalism Awards. He can be reached at william.worley@devex.com.
