Bonn Climate Change Conference
From 17 to 27 June 2019, negotiators gather in Bonn, Germany at the mid-year UN climate talks.
During next week’s UN climate conference, ActionAid demands rich governments finally deliver on financial support long promised to poor countries hit hardest by climate change, which have caused the least global warming.
Harjeet Singh, global lead on climate change at ActionAid International, says:
“For years, rich countries have blocked progress on financing to help hard-hit communities rebuild and repair the loss and damage caused by global warming, sea level rises and climate disasters. But this pressing issue is now finally on the negotiating table at the Bonn climate talks.
“Mozambique, one of the world’s poorest economies, was recently forced to take on more IMF loans to recover from the devastating Cyclone Idai. This is yet another example of countries contributing least to global warming continuing to pay the heaviest price. It’s time for those most responsible for the climate crisis to agree progressive, financing solutions that don’t load further debt and burden onto developing nations.
“But the chance of climate talks getting the world on track to avoid further climate catastrophe risks being hijacked by Big Polluters. In the three years since the Paris Agreement, the five largest public oil and gas corporations have spent more than US$1 billion on misleading climate lobbying. Polluting industries have a clear conflict of interest and have no business at climate talks.
“Young people and grassroots activists are increasingly taking to the streets to demand action and shame governments for their wilful lack of ambition to tackle the climate crisis. An injection of their energy and drive is what’s needed to keep countries on track to meet global targets to limit warming to 1.5°C and avoid catastrophic climate change.”
Notes to editors
- ActionAid International spokespeople: Harjeet Singh (Global Lead on Climate Change) and Teresa Anderson (Climate Policy Coordinator) will be at the UN climate talks in Bonn (17-27 June) with expertise on adaptation, loss & damage, finance, agriculture, carbon markets, conflicts of interest, land, bioenergy with carbon capture & storage (BECCS) and geoengineering.
- For more information, media content or interview requests: contact the ActionAid International Press Office: Jenna.Pudelek@actionaid.org +44(0)7795642990.
- About the Bonn Climate Talks: During the talks, as part of the review of the Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss & Damage, governments will discuss ways to provide international financial support to countries already struggling to cope with the harmful impacts of climate change. Recommendations will be then be put forward for consideration at (COP25) in Santiago, Chile, in December.
- A recent ActionAid briefing identifies innovative sources of finance to help wealthier countries raise funds to help nations hit by climate disasters.
- In the three years since the Paris Agreement, which had ground-breaking potential, the five largest public oil and gas corporations which have spent more than US$1 billion on misleading lobbying on climate are BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, Total and Chevron.