‘Aid is critical in climate crisis’

THE UK needs to ensure the “eyes of the world” remain on the countries worst impacted by climate change, the Minister for Development believes.

Vicky Ford said the war in Ukraine, extreme weather and Covid-19 have all “sent us back decades” – while having a “devastating impact” on millions of people in the world’s poorest nations.

Speaking alongside the Daily Express at a panel event on the fringe of the Tory Party conference, Ms Ford said: “We can do a lot to tackle this.

“Empowering, educating and ending violence against women is a key part of how we support these countries.

“We also need to keep the eyes of the world on these incredibly vulnerable areas.” During the debate, Ms Ford also praised Liz Truss for “putting a voice for development back at the Cabinet table”.

Asked about her plans, Ms Ford said: “The issue of climate change and the issue of women and girls are absolutely at the top of my priorities.

“The situation in the Horn of Africa is the worst humanitarian situation in the world. Action is urgently needed.”

The UK has pledged a “worldleading” £11.6billion to counter climate change worldwide, Ms Ford said at the event, hosted by the Conservative Environment Network. The Chelmsford

MP added: “We need to ensure [the money] is well spent in a number of different ways.”

Tomorrow Ms Ford will arrive in Ethiopia to find out how women and girls are being impacted by extreme weather, while learning about how the UK can help.

Women feel the greater impacts from climate change because they make up the majority of the world’s poor, the UN has stated.

Eight in 10 people displaced by climate change are women, because their roles as primary care-givers and providers of food and fuel mean they are more vulnerable when flooding and drought occur.