(9 Dec 2011, Durban) As the COP17 Presidency gives an update on the last day of climate negotiations, Harjeet Singh, ActionAid’s Climate Justice Coordinator says:
ON CLIMATE CASH: As the Green Climate Fund looks set to be operationalised in Durban, but without anything in it:
“For every dollar we invest in preparing communities against climate disasters, seven dollars are saved in emergency response.
“It is false economy not to invest now. If governments do not act now the climate crisis will dwarf our ability to respond.
“Times are tough and budgets are tight, but rich countries can afford to deliver their $100 billion a year promise. A small tax on banks, planes and ships could raise billions. Without it, the Green Climate Fund will remain an empty vault. It would be scandalous for governments to leave Durban without agreement on at least one source of finance.”
ON THE KYOTO PROTOCOL: As the world waits to see which nations will lead on committing to a post-2012 agreement:
“How long are governments going to let the music play before one puts their foot forward and leads the dance? Every year rich nations side-step the issue, we risk driving millions more people into hunger.”
ON AGRICULTURE: As the World Bank, South Africa and rich nations at COP17 promote 'Climate Smart Agriculture' - the latest proposal to slash carbon emissions, climate proof harvests and boost agriculture through private investment:
“Durban was supposed to deliver cash for climate affected farmers. Now instead of feeding Africa, it looks set to line the pockets of big business.
“Climate Smart Agriculture is no more than pretty packaging for soil carbon markets created to profit rich nations.
“With nearly a billion hungry people in the world, the priority for poor farmers should be feeding their communities, not capturing carbon.”
ActionAid is an international poverty organisation working with poor people and governments in over 50 countries to tackle the impacts of climate change and hunger.
ActionAid spokespeople:
Harjeet Singh is ActionAid’s International Climate Justice Coordinator. He is based in New Delhi, India and supports countries to understand, assess, and address the impacts of climate change on the poor. He has worked on emergency response, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in over 20 countries for government and non-government agencies and represented ActionAid in various international forums. Prior to this, Harjeet led the Tsunami Response Programme in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for ActionAid India. Harjeet speaks English and Hindi and is available for interviews in Durban from 27 November – 10 December.
Ilana Solomon is a Senior Policy Analyst with ActionAid USA. Since 2007, Ilana has advocated for the creation of a new equitable and effective multilateral fund for climate change and for public finance for adaptation in developing countries. Ilana has authored and co-authored numerous articles and reports focused on principles for equitable and effective adaptation funding, on the need for a new global climate fund, and on proposals for how to generate substantial public finance for climate change. Ilana has participated in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meetings since 2007and is the developed country observer to the World Bank Pilot Program on Climate Resilience (PPCR). Before joining ActionAid, Ilana worked with the International Rescue Committee in Atlanta, Georgia, working on program development with women refugees. Ilana speaks English and is available for interview in Durban from 28 Nov – 9 Dec.