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The climate crisis is one of the greatest injustices we face. The world is well on the way to warming up to 3 ° C if it is not acted quickly and drastically.
People lose food, water, houses and families. The effects are devastating and can no longer be ignored. This means more extreme climatic events, rising sea levels and critical threats to human life. The poorest and most vulnerable are at the forefront of this climate crisis and face their worst consequences from more frequent and intense droughts, floods and storms.
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People living in poverty face a crisis every day that they have not caused because of the inequality of wealth and power. It is deeply unfair.
This is not news for the communities that are already on the front lines of the crisis. Christian Aid works with farming communities in Malawi, pastoralists in Kenya, families living in peripheral areas in Bangladesh, and many others who have been exposed to the devastating effects of climate change in Latin America, Asia, and Africa for years. Climate change, ranging from floods and hurricanes to droughts and melting glaciers, is driving families out of their homes, leading to food crises, challenging their livelihood and fueling conflicts.
Christian Aid exists to create a world in which everyone can live a full life free from poverty. But we cannot end poverty without tackling the climate crisis and injustice and inequality at its roots. We need fundamental change in the systems that drive both climate change and poverty, and we need solutions that address the underlying factors of climate change and global inequality.
Without systemic change, climate change and the response to it will further exacerbate existing inequalities and extreme poverty. Governments and individuals will act decisively, but we can all be part of the solution. We need a new model that is sustainable and democratic and that includes everyone – we need a new deal for climate justice.
By working closely with partners and communities, Christian Aid is uniquely able to stand up for climate justice with our global neighbors living in poverty. In cooperation with our local partners, we are committed to combating climate change and calling on those in power to eliminate the causes of climate injustice. Together with passionate local activists to bring about lasting change, we emphasize that climate change is a matter of justice.
To achieve this, we have to fundamentally change our global economy: away from fossil fuels and towards sustainable energy, away from land and money, towards management and investment, and towards our consumption patterns. We believe that a better way is possible, that the ambivalence of political leadership and the resistance of powerful interest groups can and must be overcome.
As individuals, we must all make our contribution to this great change – through our political activism, our role in the workplace and our actions as consumers. We need to work together to eradicate this injustice and stop this climate crisis. The good news is that more and more people are waking up to the huge problem and the solutions they need.
Worldwide, social movements are urging their governments to remove socio-economic models that promote climate change, risk, and inequality. 2019 was the hottest year in existence, but it was also a record year for public awareness of the climate crisis, reflected in the youth strikes, protests against extinction rebellion, the global public response to the burning Amazon and bushfire in Australia, and the growing Climate change reflected disasters elsewhere in the world. Together, we can get rich governments to respond and seize this opportunity to take urgent action on climate justice.
This year we have a unique opportunity in Scotland to do just that as Glasgow prepares to host the UN Climate Change Negotiations (COP26) in November. We hope that thousands of people from all over the world come together to advance governments in the field of climate protection. We hope that the talks will provide an opportunity to prioritize grass-roots and indigenous community voices, make progress and foster global ambitions to achieve tangible results.
We also know that this moment offers an invaluable opportunity to build the power of the climate movement to continue on its path towards climate justice. If we act now, we can build a better world in which everyone can thrive. Stand with Christian Aid to fight this climate crisis. More information about the campaign with Christian Aid can be found at caid.org
Fiona Buchanan, campaign and advocacy coordinator for Christian Aid Scotland.
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