Britain is doubling its support to help developing countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and help people adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The government’s Green Climate Fund (GCF) supports projects to protect and preserve natural habitats in the developing world, including in the Amazon where wildfires are destroying large areas of the forest.

The Department for International Development and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) have pledged to contribute £1.44bn to the GCF over the next four years.

Existing GCF projects are estimated to help around 300 million people cope with the effects of climate change and reduce the equivalent of 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide.

That’s equivalent to taking around 300 million cars off the road over a year or every plane out of the sky for 18 months.

The World Bank estimates 100 million people are at risk of being pushed into poverty by 2030 if action isn’t taken to tackle climate change.

Business and Energy Secretary Andrea Leadsom said: “I am delighted that the UK is leading the world in a fight against climate change. Having committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, we have a responsibility to help other countries do the same.

“The Green Climate Fund has supported millions of people in developing countries deal with the impacts of a changing climate. I’m really proud to announce that we are doubling our contribution to work with other nations to tackle this global issue.”

More than 40 countries are currently funding projects through the GCF, many alongside the private sector.