Should rich countries pay for climate change?

Speaking before the launch of Trocaire's Lenten campaign for 2008, Bishop Kirby, chairman of the organisation, said "Rich countries must take responsibility for the devastating effects climate change is having on communities and families in the developing world."

This year's campaign highlights how the developing world is being hit the hardest by changes in the climate. "It's time the world's poorest people got the support they need to help them cope with global warming," according to Trócaire's chairman.

Bishop Kirby said "Green Party leader John Gormley announced over the weekend that a carbon tax, a levy on fossil fuels, will be introduced during the lifetime of the government. Trócaire believes this tax should be introduced sooner rather than later. A significant share of the income from this tax should be then channeled into the UN Adaptation Fund to give poor countries the support and resources they need to adapt to climate change. I strongly believe that the Irish public would agree with this because the poorest people face the biggest impact from climate change and they have done little to cause it".

"Climate change is undermining the fight against poverty," according to Bishop Kirby. "Developing countries haven't caused global warming. But the world's poorest people are left to cope with the consequences for three reasons:

• they live in areas that are seeing the biggest impact of global warming,
• they depend heavily on the weather for their livelihoods,
• they are already living in poverty, therefore they are less able to cope with the impacts of these climate changes,

In an internal Trócaire survey among its partners across a variety of countries including India, Malawi, Kenya and El Salvador;

- 86% said that harsh weather conditions are having a negative effect on poor communities' food supplies.
- 90% said that climate changes are badly affecting people's water supply.
- 43% said that water supply is a source of tension and conflict in their region.

"Climate change impacts on every one of us, but the effects are not felt equally and people living in poverty are bearing the brunt" said Bishop Kirby. "According to institutions such as the UN and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change almost three times more disasters have been recorded in the last decade compared to the 1970s.

"These institutions also predict that in Africa, for example, if greenhouse emissions continue at their current rate, by 2020 between 75 and 250 million people won't have enough water. Similarly, crop production in Africa is predicted to fall by 50% by 2020, while in southern Africa crop failure is predicted to be as high as 80%" said Bishop Kirby. "Impacts like these would devastate Africa and completely destroy the progress that is being made in various countries."

Trócaire is currently helping vulnerable communities to adapt to climate change and to become more resilient and better able to cope with erratic weather patterns. This work includes water storage and irrigation projects, agricultural projects, community emergency planning programmes and supporting local 'green' technologies.

“As a global problem, all countries have a common and shared responsibility to tackle climate change” said Bishop Kirby. “Rich industrialised countries however bear particular responsibility for acton. However, any action we take must take the rights of developing countries into consideration. Poorer countries, with low carbon emissions must be allowed to continue their economic development and mustn't be punished for the sins of the developed world”.

As part of Trócaire's campaign this Lent the organisation is calling on the Irish government to commit more funding to countries that are struggling to cope with climate change. The organisation is also calling on the government to legislate Ireland's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 3% per year.

"The poor have not caused global warming but they are the first victims of it. Justice, therefore, must be at the heart of our response," said Bishop Kirby.

Trócaire also unveiled an image of Dublin's Ha'penny Bridge with the Liffey riverbed fully dried up underneath. The picture entitled, 'If Ireland ran dry, could we cope?' highlights what countries in the developing world have to face as a result climate change.

To learn more about Trócaire's campaign log onto www.trocaire.org or call 1850 408 408.

For media queries contact:

Catherine Ginty
Communications Coordinator
Trocaire
M: 086 6293994

Meabh Smith
Press Officer
Trocaire
M: 086 2776064