URGENT: Tell the U.S. to stop standing in the way of climate justice

Last week, I asked you to write to the U.S. government and its delegation at the U.N. climate talks happening in Bonn, Germany, and urge them to own up to their climate debt and help establish a fund for Global South communities dealing with the impacts of the climate crisis. And thousands of you took action and made it clear that we’re watching.

But as we head into the second week of negotiations, what I’m seeing is really abhorrent.

Despite the flood of emails you generated, the U.S. has completely blocked the creation of a fund for Global South communities and countries to address the loss and damage costing their lives and livelihoods because of the climate crisis. The U.S. is the largest historical emitter of greenhouse gasses and is still the second-largest emitter. It’s also the major blocker on progress to address climate change. Meaning the U.S. is a major reason why communities who have done the least to contribute to climate change are owed support in dealing with its impacts.

This obstruction from the U.S. is essentially demonstrating that the lives and livelihoods being lost primarily in the Global South are an acceptable price to pay to enrich the wealthy few, including Big Polluters.

But there is still time to expose and isolate the U.S., and we’re ramping up the public pressure in the final week of the talks. Will you take a moment to post on social media and demand the U.S. stop standing in the way of this critical policy?

Creating a fund for Global South communities and countries to address the impacts of the climate crisis is not a gesture of goodwill. And it’s not charity.

The U.S. and other Global North countries owe support, reparations, and finance to communities in the Global South who are experiencing catastrophic impacts as a result of the climate crisis. A crisis the U.S. and other Global North countries have played a huge role in causing.

But rather than acknowledge and accept their responsibility and obligation, the U.S. continues to block the creation of a fund to equitably support communities around the globe.

The U.S. is in Bonn now insisting there is no need for a fund like this. Ironically, the U.S. is even co-facilitating the very discussions on this topic. But we already know what is needed, and we know how to do it. We must stand in solidarity with Global South communities, who are owed action right now, not talk.

We still have one week to demand the U.S. stop standing in the way of a desperately needed fund for communities to address the impacts of the climate crisis. Let them know you are watching and expect them to pay their fair share of climate debt!