Boris Johnson offers UK scientists up to £1bn-worth of overseas aid in bid to tackle climate change
BORIS JOHNSON is offering UK scientists up to £1 billion-worth of overseas aid to help tackle climate change.
The PM will unveil new plans for a fund to use taxpayers’ cash to help save the environment at the UN General Assembly in New York.
But in a marked change, scientists will be able to bid for the cash to develop cutting edge technology – rather than the money going straight to NGOs in-country.
One official said: “It’s British aid for British scientists.”
The new ‘clean energy fund’ will be named in honour of British physicist and suffragette Hertha Ayrton.
Her research into the flow of water and air inspired the Ayrton fan used in the trenches in WWI to dispel poison gas.
Scientists will qualify for the cash as long as their work is going towards projects in other parts of the world.
Downing Street said the work could go on…
- Providing affordable access to electricity to some of the 1 billion who are still off grid
- Developing battery technology to replace polluting diesel generators and store ‘clean’ energy
- Designing ‘clean’ stoves like pressure cookers for some of the 2.7 billion who rely on firewood
- Making low-emission and electric vehicles to cut pollution and make transport greener.
Mr Johnson said: “I have always been deeply optimistic about the potential of technology to make the world a better place.
“If we get this right, future generations will look back on climate change as a problem that we solved by determine
The PM has been a long-term critic of the aid budget – saying it should be put to better use in helping Britain do business and strike trade deals around the world.
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In February the then backbencher backed a report which called for Britain to ignore international rules which set strict limits on how the Government can spend the money.
Former Aid Secretary Priti Patel demanded a rule change two years ago when she was told she couldn’t use the aid budget for disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Irma.
The Sun in 2017 revealed the aid budget was being used to help farm coconuts in the Carribean and saving eels in the Phillipines.
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