Let us start by saying that climate change is real. Climate change is already affecting agriculture. After decades of all-talk-and-no-action, 1.8 million Fairtrade farmers and agriculture workers who grow some of the world’s key crops, such as coffee and cocoa, therefore, sent an open letter to urge world leaders to keep their promises of helping poor farmers to tackle climate crises and denounced developed countries for failing to honor their pledges to cut carbon and deliver 100 billion US dollars a year to help developing countries and communities adapt to global warming and develop clean economies.
The representative of the Fairtrade producer network in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean signed the open letter. A delegation of farmers will deliver it in person at the Cop26 climate change summit in Glasgow. Cop26 is the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, will take place from 31 October and 12 November 2021.
Leaders Accused of Lacking Actions Against Climate Crises
Letter warns governments that their lack of actions threatening farmers’ livelihoods and global food supplies. It accuses world leaders of failing to meet promises to “change business from exploiter to partner”, with shareholders still earning billions and million of farmers earns less than a dollar a day. Climate finance is crucial for combating climate crises but next to nothing of climate finance was reaching the poor farmers.
There are so many reasons for what we should be concerned. Above all, climate change is worsening poverty. It affects majority of women in farming households because women are often the less paid and works in challenging conditions.
Combating Climate Change at Individual Level
Farmers are taking actions to plant more trees to shade cocoa and protect tree plantation from flooding. Also, Fairtrade farmers are working in partnership with responsible buyers of their produce to give them investments through fair prices and Fairtrade premium they need to cut emissions.
Responsibilities and Pledges
Farmers urged world leaders to strengthen business regulation to encourage companies to invest in sustainable supply chain, pay fair prices. It warns that developed nations must deliver on their promise to invest in tackling climate change.
Farmers called on developed counties to deliver on promise to provide 100 billion US dollars a year in climate finance. Also, farmers ask for future trade deals to drive trade in fair and low-carbon produce, helping farmers and businesses who tackle climate crises.