Cancun an opportunity for MP

It’s been a year since the disappointment of the UN talks in Copenhagen, which failed to deliver a legally binding, global agreement for tackling climate change. And whilst progress has stalled, millions of poor people on the front line of extreme weather have continued to face floods, droughts, fires and storms, which have wiped out crops and destroyed their livelihoods.

It is a great injustice that those countries, whose carbon emissions and contribution to climate change have been miniscule compared to that of richer nations, are bearing the brunt of the climate change. It is time for richer countries to commit the funds needed to both help countries to adapt to the effects of climate change and develop their societies in a low carbon way.

A green fund of $100bn a year by 2020 must be agreed by rich countries, to help poor countries adapt. And many countries are already adapting - farmers in South Africa are planting faster maturing crops to make the most of less reliable rains and in Vietnam, communities are planting mangrove trees along the coastline to diffuse storm waves and protect livelihoods. Oxfam believes that rich countries should identify new ways to raise the billions of dollars needed, such as agreeing a financial transaction tax on banks and introducing a levy on shipping. The sooner the money is delivered, the cheaper it will be to tackle climate change. Estimates suggest that every dollar spent on adaptation could save $60 in damages.

The new UK Government says it aims to be the greenest government ever, pledging to cut CO2 emissions by 10 per cent by the end of the year. Leadership from the UK at the talks is crucial if we are to see any international action. Cancun is an opportunity for Greg Barker and his colleagues to define it as a moment in history for re-energised progress towards the climate deal that is so desperately needed by millions around the world.

Mary Frampton

Oxfam Campaigner

East Sussex