The world’s poorest still need urgent action on Climate Change

As the latest round of UNFCCC talks on climate change draw to a close, international agency Oxfam is drawing attention to the lowering of expectations ahead of the next UN climate summit in Cancun, predicting the growing gap between what poor countries need and what rich countries are willing to do will stall future negotiations.

“The urgency to act on climate change for the sake of the world’s poorest people has not gone away; the public still expect action. Negotiators need to chart a course for success, restore momentum and meet expectations as we move towards Tianjin and onto Cancun,” said Oxfam’s Policy Advisor Kelly Dent.

As developed nations continue to drag their feet on reaching a fair and legally binding deal, the cost is already being measured in human lives, she added.

A ray of hope at these talks comes from the progress within negotiations on managing finance needed to enable poor countries to adapt to climate changes and develop in a low carbon way. Oxfam understands the UNFCCC has been asked to publicly report on the delivery of immediate, additional finance, something developed countries agreed to provide under the Copenhagen Accord.

Parties have also converged on the need for a new fund for longer-term finance but Oxfam warned that the fund must adequately represent women in deciding how the money should be spent.

“Women produce up to 80 per cent of food in poor countries. They are the key to food security for millions of poor people and as climate change affects agriculture, the new global climate fund must ensure they get the resources they need,” Dent said.

For more information please contact:
Karen Palmer
Media Officer
613-240-3047
karenp@oxfam.ca