Farmers demand climate justice
Farming communities are on the front line of the climate crisis. In an open letter, 1.8 million Fairtrade farmers and workers called for urgent action, asking governments at COP26 to be fair with their $100 billion climate promise. Their letter outlined four key actions that will help protect global food supplies and limit further damage.
Thank you! Over 30,000 of you signed a petition in support of the farmers’ requests.
A Fairtrade delegation was at COP26 representing Fairtrade producers across the world, and the millions of other small scale farmers and agricultural workers whose livelihoods are under threat from the climate crisis.
Mary Kinyua, Fairtrade’s Head of Delegation for COP26 and Kenyan flower farmer, responded to the final communique of the summit.
tHE PETITION
The petition supporting farmers’ asks has now closed, but it’s not too late to join the journey to climate justice. Sign up today to find out how you can stand with farmers and workers taking on the climate crisis.
What farmers are asking for and why
1. Deliver the $100bn
Governments must deliver now on their $100bn promise of climate finance and listen to the expertise of farmers.
Investment needs to reach farmers and workers directly, so that they can plant trees, introduce more resilient crops and ready themselves for the coming storm – and continue to grow the world’s food.
2. Be honest
Governments must be honest about their carbon emissions and cut them back in line with the scientific advice.
They must take responsibility for international aviation and shipping emissions in their carbon-cutting commitments.
3. Cut carbon trade
Future trade deals should drive trade in fair and low-carbon produce, cutting high-carbon trade.
Trade deals should be helping farmers and businesses that invest in sustainability and tackling the climate crisis, and stop encouraging fossil fuel use and driving extractive, exploitative market dynamics.
4. Regulate businesses
Governments must strengthen business regulations, so that businesses are encouraged to invest in sustainable supply chains, pay fair prices to farmers, and take ownership of the environmental issues in their supply chains.
They must be prepared to compel those who fall short to meet their responsibilities.
Read more about what farmers are asking for and why
What is cop26?
COP (Conference of the Parties) is a global UN summit on climate change and how to tackle it. This year is the 26th meeting, originally planned for 2020 but now taking place in Glasgow, in the UK, from 31 October to 12 November 2021.
COP26 is critical in ensuring the Paris Agreement progresses towards its targets and that countries are held accountable to their promises.
Why now?
COP26 is our last, best chance. Politicians must act now to protect the future of our planet and life on it.
The Paris Agreement was set in 2015 with the goal of limiting global warming to below 2°C and since then, promises have been made but very little has changed.
Now is the time to deliver on promises and drive real change to limit the effects of a changing climate.
Businesses that have signed the pledge
These Fairtrade partner businesses have committed to key actions in support of farmers and workers.
