COP31: UK Climate Security Ambitions Must Be Matched by Funding

Prosper Global welcomes today's announcement by UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham at COP31 in Antalya, appointing a special representative for climate security. The commitment to international cooperation is commendable, however the government must match its diplomatic ambitions with adaptation funding for communities facing the combined pressures of climate change and conflict.

Selena Victor, Senior Director of Policy & Advocacy at Prosper Global, said:

“Climate change is a threat to everyone’s security, from the food we eat to the infrastructure we depend on. We welcome the UK’s appointment of a special representative for climate security and its recognition that tackling these risks requires international cooperation.  It underscores the urgent need to ramp up our progress to reducing emissions at home, whilst also taking action to support the most vulnerable communities around the world already on the frontlines of this crisis.

“Britain’s diplomatic influence, scientific expertise, and ability to bring partners together can make a real difference. That includes pushing development banks to get climate funding to places they have struggled to reach.

“Diplomacy must be matched by funding. For families facing drought or floods alongside conflict, security means having water, protecting a harvest, and earning a living. They need resources to act before those pressures become another emergency.

“The UK must back its climate security ambitions with global climate adaptation funding that reaches communities facing the greatest risks, including in conflict-affected countries. Investing in their resilience is essential to building the shared security this appointment seeks to protect.”

For media enquiries and on-site contact at COP31, please contact: 

• Kyle DeGraw, Director of Media & Communications for Europe: kdegraw@prosperglobal.org