COP

Using land alone to remove the world’s carbon emissions to achieve ‘net zero’ by 2050 would require at least 1.6 billion hectares of new forests, equivalent to five times the size of India or more than all the farmland on the planet, reveals a new Oxfam report today.

As the Earth Day Summit concluded, Oxfam applauded President Biden for convening world leaders in an effort to increase global climate ambition, lower emissions, and build resilience. However, more action is needed to avert dangerous climate change impacts that are already disproportionally harming those who are most vulnerable.

Over a decade ago, developed countries committed to mobilize $100bn per year by 2020 to support developing countries to adapt and reduce their emissions. The goal is a critical part of the Paris Agreement. As 2020 draws to a close, Oxfam’s Climate Finance Shadow Report 2020 offers an assessment of progress towards this goal.

“The postponement should not delay urgently needed action on climate change which is already increasing poverty and suffering around the world", said Danny Sriskandarajah, Oxfam GB Chief Executive, in response to the announcement that the UN Climate Summit is being pushed back to November 2021 ―a year after it was originally scheduled. 

(Bonn, Germany) A lack of urgency imperils the likelihood of an ambitious 2015 climate agreement, Oxfam warned today as talks continued at the latest UNFCCC meeting in Bonn, Germany.

Explaining Oxfam’s decision to join civil society movements and trade unions in walking out of the UN climate change talks today, Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of Oxfam International said:

World leaders could make significant progress toward a climate fund for developing countries when the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNCCC) resumes talks in Tianjin , China.

As the latest round of UNFCCC talks on climate change draw to a close today, Oxfam warns that there has been a clear lowering of expectations ahead of the next UN climate summit in Cancun which will stall the progress needed unless negotiations step up several gears.

Oxfam International warned that world leaders have just two days to prevent failure at the climate talks in Copenhagen – poor countries will not sign a weak deal.

Soros’ proposal shows exactly the kind of ambition and urgency we need to see from rich country governments themselves. These kinds of long-term public resources are desperately needed so that poor countries can count on regular, and large payments to help them fight climate change.