The rights group warns that wealthy nations are bowing to fossil fuel corporations, leaving vulnerable communities exposed to escalating climate impacts.
By Bunmi Yekini
Governments from across the world, including China and the European Union, unveiled new climate plans and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) at a high-level summit convened by the United Nations Secretary General in New York today. But ActionAid International says the pledges, especially from rich countries, are dangerously inadequate.
Teresa Anderson, Global Lead on Climate Justice at ActionAid International, expressed disappointment, saying the announcements fail to meet the urgency of the climate crisis.
“It’s grim, isn’t it. So many governments are running scared from the corporations that care only for short-term profits over long-term survival of the planet,” Anderson said. “You can almost see the fossil fuel corporations frolicking through the climate policy landscape, merrily swinging a wrecking ball as they go.”
She stressed that vulnerable communities in the Global South will bear the brunt of inaction, while citizens in the Global North are also at risk.
“Sadly, the lack of action and finance from the rich countries that have caused the climate crisis means vulnerable communities are facing a scary future,” she said. “The Global South is being hit first, but Global North governments are hurting their own citizens, too.”
Anderson urged wealthy polluters like the EU to move beyond symbolic promises and take meaningful steps to curb emissions.
“Rich polluting countries like the EU must go much further in practice than these lowball statements of intent,” she warned. “These insufficient climate commitments are a symptom of a deeper political sickness being felt in many countries. This is a clear signal that we need to demand more from our governments, to strengthen democracy, stand up to corporations, and fix the climate.”