Create a Climate for Justice

Together with our sister agencies in the CIDSE and Caritas networks- representing 170 countries worldwide- SCIAF launched an international campaign for Climate Justice in 2009.

Looking towards the UN climate talks in Copenhagen in December 2009, we called for a fair, ambitious and binding deal that would ensure that industrialised nations would shoulder their historical responsibility for the emissions that are causing climate change, while helping those most vulnerable to the effects to adapt and survive.

The world’s eyes turned to Copenhagen, but the negotiations were marred by stalling tactics, rows and blame games.

Despite Archbishop Desmond Tutu handing over the signatures of over half a million people who backed the campaign worldwide, to the head of the UN climate process, the talks failed to come up with the necessary result.

SCIAF’s policy analyst, Rowan Popplewell, said:

“Leaders must set a firm deadline for agreeing a comprehensive and binding deal in the coming months. They may be lagging behind, but the level of commitment demonstrated by people in Scotland, and around the world, in the run up to Copenhagen has shown unequivocally that the public is resolutely behind a strong climate change deal.”

SCIAF believes the world must accept nothing less than a fair, ambitious and legally binding agreement which sees other developed countries follow Scotland’s lead and commit to emissions cuts of more than 40% by 2020.

We also need to see wealthy nations provide $195 billion in funding by 2020 – on top of existing aid commitments - to help developing countries adapt and survive.

Copenhagen was a disappointment - decisions have essentially been postponed until 2010. So we are still fighting for a fair and binding climate change deal which protects the world’s poorest people, and we need your continued support – take action here!