The Government has rewritten aid spending rules so that “every penny” of taxpayers’ cash will go on green-friendly development projects.
The whole £14bn international aid budget will only be permitted to go on projects that are compatible with the UK’s climate change goals.
Theresa May told world leaders at the G20 summit that they were the “last generation” of leaders with the power to prevent global warming.
The Prime Minister has cast around for announcements to secure her legacy and has in recent weeks landed on tackling climate change.
She has also made announcements on mental health and planning in a desperate bid to be remembered for something other than Brexit paralysis.
She told the leaders of countries including the US, China and India, some of the world’s biggest polluters: “The facts, which are clear, should guide us: we are running out of time to act.
“We are the last generation of leaders with the power to limit global warming. We will be judged by history on how we act in the next few years.”
The plans mean that aid spending on education, job creation and infrastructure will have to be compatible with the UK’s green goals.
She also set out the UK’s bid to host a major UN climate change summit at the end of 2020.
Mrs May announced £1.4bn over three years for a Global Fund for medication for 3mn people living with HIV, treatment for 2mn people living with tuberculosis and 90 million mosquito nets.
A child still dies from malaria every two minutes and every day nearly 1,000 teenage girls and young women across Africa get infected with HIV. TB is one of the top ten causes of death worldwide
Bill Gates said: “The job is not yet finished, and continued progress is not guaranteed.”
Singer and AIDS campaigner Sir Elton John: “This sets an extraordinary example for others to follow and shows that in the matter of saving millions of lives and eradicating some of the world’s greatest killer diseases there is a shared vision and commitment to reach Global Goal 3.”
