Mary Creagh MP, Labour’s Shadow International Development Secretary, responding to today’s expected announcement on the Green Climate Fund, said:

“Today’s Green Climate Fund pledge is not new money, simply a re-announcement of existing funds already allocated by Government. But as David Cameron braces himself for more Tory defectors to UKIP it has exposed how bitterly divided the Conservative Party is on climate change.

“Cameron gave up hugging huskies long ago – now he just hopes he can hug his party close enough to fight the next General Election as its leader.

“Labour wants a global consensus on emissions reduction and a tough climate change commitment at the heart of the UN’s new Sustainable Development Goals. It is in Britain’s national interest to help poor countries invest in clean energy and resilience to extreme weather, as climate resilient countries are less likely to descend into conflict and instability and require costly emergency humanitarian intervention.”