86 UK organisations have written an open letter to the Prime Minister calling on the government to increase – not cut – UK international climate finance and to introduce measures to generate the new public finance needed for this by fairly taxing the largest polluters and wealthiest in our society.
The letter, first covered by The Guardian, reads, “We are at a critical juncture in the climate crisis, where the UK must not take the path of inaction and delay that leads to further decline and vulnerability, but instead the UK must play a critical role in securing a thriving future for everyone in the UK and around the world,” reflecting the Prime Minister’s own words from his speech at COP29.
In response to unconfirmed reports that the government may cut climate finance from £11.6bn over the last five years, to just £9bn over the next five years, the letter states, “Such a cut would be a massive betrayal of countries and communities on the frontline of the climate crisis and of your government’s manifesto commitments to the UK public to be a climate leader and to create a world free from poverty on a liveable planet. The UK’s provision of international climate finance is absolutely central to living up to these manifesto commitments – but if the reports are true – just £9bn over five years from the fifth largest historical emitter and the sixth largest economy on earth, falls far short of these commitments and of basic fairness.”
The letter outlines that “despite many demands on the public purse” climate finance could actually be doubled “through the implementation of fair polluter pays measures such as taxing high-emitting luxury travel, a proportion of proceeds from a fair tax on extreme wealth, a frequent flyer levy, and redirecting fossil fuel producer subsidies, which through various measures could fairly raise in the region of £23bn or £37bn a year for climate action at home and overseas without unfairly costing UK households.”
Public polling consistently show these proposed measures are popular with the UK public – last year a YouGov poll found 85% say those most responsible for climate pollution should shoulder the costs of addressing the harm it causes, and another poll carried out by Dynata found that nearly eight in ten people (79%) in the UK believe governments must tax oil, gas, and coal corporations for the environmental damages they cause, such as wildfires, flooding, and drought.
Acting on climate change is in everyone’s interest – in the UK and around the world – it is about creating better and fairer lives for everyone.
Catherine Pettengell, Executive Director of Climate Action Network UK (CAN-UK) said:
“Public polling tells us that the UK public think eye-watering fossil fuel profits and luxury travel should be taxed to pay for the damage they cause to our climate. If we did this, the government could raise tens of billions of pounds a year to pay for climate action at home and overseas – bringing down food prices and better protecting us all from costly climate change impacts. Yet the wealthiest and largest polluters continue to be let off the hook, gaining profits, while people who have done the least to cause the climate crisis bear its most significant costs. This has to change.”
ENDS
Notes for editors:
- Climate Action Network UK (CAN-UK) brings together international development and environment organisations in the UK working on the poverty-nature-climate agenda to advocate for climate justice and sustainable development for all.
- CAN-UK is the UK node of Climate Action Network (CAN), a global network of more than 2,000 civil society organisations in over 140 countries driving collective and sustainable action to fight the climate crisis and to achieve social and racial justice. climatenetwork.org.
- Read the full public letter to the Prime Minister here.
- On 5th February 2026, The Guardian reported that the UK government plans to cut international climate finance for the next five years compared to the previous five years.
- The public polling cited in the public letter is available here: Protection for low-income households key to net zero support | Friends of the Earth and Peter Capaldi, Joe Lycett and Daniel Lismore back demand to make polluters pay for climate damages – as global survey finds 81% of people support polluter taxes on fossil fuel companies | Oxfam GB
- The estimates for the amount of public finance that can be raised from fair polluter pays measures come from the following sources: Fair taxes on the UK’s biggest polluters could have raised up to £23bn last year to combat the climate crisis | Oxfam GB and Computer Says Yes: How the UK can raise billions in climate finance for COP30 commitments – Christian Aid | Mediacentre
