British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced his country's pledge to provide $100 million to support the fund dedicated to protecting the Amazon rainforest, during his meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in London.

"Beyond football, we have many common interests... (one of them) is the fight against climate change," Sunak said as he greeted Lola at 10 Downing Street.

"I am pleased to announce that we will invest in your Amazon Fund," he added, paying tribute to Lula's "leadership" in this field.

A spokesman for the Prime Ministry said Britain's contribution to the fund, which aims to reduce logging and protect biodiversity, amounts to 80 million pounds ($102 million).

Lula launched the Amazon Support Fund in 2008 during his presidency of Brazil, with a $1 billion pledge from Norway. However, his right-wing predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, who was a climate change skeptic, froze it during his term.

And with his return to the presidency in January 2023 at Bolsonaro's expense, Lula reactivated the fund from the first day he assumed office again.

The British pledge would be an additional diplomatic boon for Lula, who is seeking to push rich countries to contribute financially to efforts to save the world's largest rainforest, which is crucial to combating global warming.

Last month, US President Joe Biden announced the allocation of $ 500 million to the fund, but it needs Congress's approval, which is expected to turn into a difficult attraction between the Democratic administration and its Republican opponents.

At the beginning of the year, Germany pledged 200 million euros to protect the Amazon, of which 35 million were to the fund.

Lula has vowed to take strong action to protect the environment and strengthen the protection of the Amazon, mainly after the dissolution of oversight bodies under his predecessor Bolsonaro, who sparked international outrage during his four years as president over fires in the Amazon and systematic deforestation.