Secretary of state Penny Mordaunt made the announcement last week at the Global Environment Facility conference in Stockholm, alongside 29 other donor countries committed to help developing countries tackle environmental degradation. 

The pledge is an increase on the country’s last commitment of £210m for the 2014-18 replenishment.

Mordaunt said: “The world’s poorest communities are often the worst affected by environmental change.

“Extreme climates cause devastating drought and hunger, while deforestation and pollution destroy people’s livelihoods and health.”

Mordaunt explained that the UK’s long-running partnership with the multilateral trust fund Global Environment Facility had already achieved “great change”, including cutting greenhouse gas emissions and protecting land.

“Now we’re working with our international partners to do more so that together we can clean our oceans of plastic waste and fight the illegal wildlife trade.”

She added: “This will help developing nations, but, as we are all affected by the environment, it is a win for us in the UK too.”

Last week the UK also committed £450m to help victims of the civil war in Syria, including by providing emergency medical support.