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Grow climate justice

A new deal to protect the planet

World governments have a vital chance to make decisions this year that could protect the future of our planet. At a summit in Copenhagen in December, they could commit to actions to further reduce the dangerous consequences of global warming.

This week in Bonn, Germany, work will begin to shape the global agreement that governments will sign in December. This new framework will come into effect when the current deal, known as the Kyoto Protocol, expires in 2012.

Read Niamh Garvey's blog from the Bonn climate change talks.

Take our online action on climate change.

See what happened at the  Stop  Climate Chaos  event  on Sandymount beach

Why is Trócaire interested in climate change?

From drought in Kenya to floods in Asia, hurricanes and landslides in Central America, poor countries are suffering the disastrous effects of climate change. Extreme changes in weather patterns are forcing people to abandon their traditional ways of collecting water and earning a living. They have to adapt to a new reality that they have not caused. Climate change is making poor people even more vulnerable and costing thousands of lives.

We asked a number of the people we work with overseas to tell us their experiences of climate change.

• 100% said they are seeing the impacts of climate change in their country (e.g. drought, flooding)

• 90% said that these weather patterns have led to a decrease in crop yields for farming communities

• 86% said that harsh weather conditions are having a negative effect on communities’ food supplies

• 90% said that climate changes are badly affecting people’s water supply i.e. drought or contamination after flooding

• 43% said that water supply is a source of tension and conflict in their region

Take action online for climate change

Take the e-action below, adding a symbolic plant to the field of change and tell Minister John Gormley and other political leaders worldwide to work for an international agreement which tackles both the causes and effects of climate change.

The campaign is asking politicians to

• Recognise and support the right to sustainable development of people in developing countries
• Provide sufficient and secure support for developing countries to help them adapt to the impacts of climate change
• Implement at least a 30-40 % cut in greenhouse gas emissions s by 2020

 

What does Trócaire want?

Trócaire is campaigning to draw attention to the unjust impact of global warming on poor countries.

• We want rich countries to pay to help developing countries adapt to and lessen the negative impacts of climate change. This money must be additional to existing development aid. We reckon it could cost rich countries $50 billion a year to make up for the damage we have caused.
• We also want the Irish and UK governments to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by agreed amounts at home to slow down global temperature rises. To set new targets, 1990 is used as a benchmark. We are currently emitting almost 25 per cent more than we did then (69.28 million tonnes a year).
• We want to see Ireland and other western countries reduce emissions by at least 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020.
• We also want Environment Minister John Gormley to go to Copenhagen in December with a strong climate change action plan in place here.

We are also members of Stop Climate Chaos ,  Climate Action Network and the Climate Change Coalition in Northern Ireland. In Europe, we are members of the CIDSE climate change campaign. CISDE is the EU network of Catholic Development Agencies.

What’s Trócaire doing about climate change overseas?

We help families and communities find ways of making a living that will let them withstand harsh weather conditions that effect crops and livestock. We also help people to become better prepared so they know how to cope during extreme weather disasters, such as flooding, drought and landslides.

Climate Change Blogs

Climate Change In-depth

Changing Lives: Climate Change in the Developing World (pdf)
This publication is based on information collected by Trócaire and highlights how climate change is affecting our work in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Ireland’s role in a climate constrained world (pdf)
An analysis of Ireland’s climate obligations, in the context of the EU’s proposed 2020 targets and effort sharing strategy, and as informed by the Greenhouse Development Rights approach.

Tackling climate change: towards an equitable response to a global crisis (pdf)
A Trócaire report on the impact of climate change in developing countries.

Trócaire Head Office, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
Tel: +353 1 6293333 / Fax: +353 1 6290661
Irish Charity No. CHY 5883, Ireland.