Energy and Climate Change Minister Ed Miliband said the government will give £100 million to help reduce the impacts of deforestation.

The funding will ensure that rainforest countries can develop and improve their infrastructure without negative effects on the environment.

Seventeen per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions are caused by forestry and land use change, according to Mr Miliband.

Mr Miliband's comments, were made available in advance, during the UN climate talks in Poznan, Poland, attended by about 100 environment ministers.

Some tropical foresting countries have been seeking public funding to protect their forests under a new climate treaty.