Campaigning news from Tearfund

Make Poverty History - how did we do?

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 10:10:00 GMT

Debt relief money being put to good use Zambia is proof that campaigning really does work. Saving made from debt cancellation means that this year Zambia will have 4500 new teachers, be able to build new schools and increase healthcare funding, especially for HIV/AIDS treatment. If you were wondering whether all your prayer and effort in support of Make Poverty History was worth it, this is just one reason why it was. Thank you. Make Poverty History - Our evaluation The clicking of fingers was one of the most powerful sounds of 2005 – a stark reminder that one child dies every three seconds due to extreme poverty, perpetuated not by chance but by the policies of the powerful. The Make Poverty History campaign was launched in January 2005, to capitalize on the UK’s unique international role this year, as Chair of the G8 and President of the EU. Its aim was to secure changes to key policies in 2005 and to create a step-change in the UK public’s awareness of poverty, to ensure continuing pressure for ch ...

Campaigns news

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 12:20:00 GMT

Welcome! This area of the Campaigns zone contains all the latest on Tearfund's campaigning and lobbying activities. It is also full of news from the government and others about your actions on behalf of the world's poorest communities. For wider Tearfund news, please visit our news zone.

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2006 review

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 09:59:08 GMT

Another eventful campaigning year, as progress in some areas was tempered by frustration in others. Remind yourself of the key moments that defined campaigning in 2006.

New EPAs report

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 10:41:08 GMT

Tearfund has released a new report entitled ‘Much to Lose, Little to Gain’. It looks at the potential impact of EPAs on Malawi's economy.

Researched in conjunction with the Malawian Economic Justice Network - this report gives a practical insight into the negative effects these trade agreements could have on low income countries such as Malawi.

Click here to find out more.

CC bill: Report to Parliament

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 11:51:00 GMT

The UK is the first country to introduce a law to cut carbon emissions, but there’s a real danger that the law won’t be tough enough to get our emissions under control. Tearfund is campaigning for a tougher Bill, along with other members of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition. Poor communities are already suffering the effects of our past and current emissions - we need to do all we can now to protect their future. The government consultation on the draft Climate Change Bill closed on 12 June - many thanks to all those who wrote a letter to David Miliband. Over the past few months, three Parliamentary committees have examined the draft Bill and reported to government. To read a summary of the findings made by these committees and to find out whether they have come out in support of Tearfund's demands click here. The Bill will now be re-written before it goes through Parliament in the autumn, when there will be lots more campaigning opportunities. See below for details of we want to see in the Bill, o ...

Climate Change Bill

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 11:51:41 GMT

Tearfund, as part of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition, welcomes the publication of a draft Climate Change Bill. It is a significant step forward for the UK, which could become the first country to develop a legal framework for managing carbon emissions. It sets an important example to other industrialised countries. However, Tearfund is concerned that the bill does not go far enough. Climate change is affecting poor communities right now. The targets proposed are not as ambitious as the science tells us they need to be. We have been campaigning with other members of Stop Climate Chaos for the government to introduce binding emissions reductions in the UK of at least three per cent a year. This is in line with the need to keep temperature increases at less than two degrees above pre-industrial levels. The draft bill proposes only two binding targets for emissions, reductions of 60 per cent by 2050 and 26-32 per cent by 2020, using 1990 levels as the baseline. It also provides for five-year carbon budget ...

CH4 global warming swindle

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:04:05 GMT

Tearfund was disappointed by the Channel 4 documentary, The Great Global Warming Swindle. The programme gave a platform to a small number of global warming sceptics to present views that are not representative of the world's scientific community. We have only a short time to drastically cut our greenhouse gas emissions and prevent catastrophic levels of climate change for the world's poorest communities. Tearfund's partner organisations in the developing world are already experiencing the impacts of a changing climate. For anyone who found this programme confusing, Sir John Houghton, who advises Tearfund on the science of climate change, has written a critique for the John Ray Institute (JRI), dealing with the central arguments made in the programme. Sir John is a former chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and he also used to head up the Met Office. To read Sir John's response on the JRI website click here. To read The Independent's analysis of the distortions and errors in the data ...

New report on impacts of climate change

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 14:51:00 GMT

The latest study by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts devastating impacts for the world’s poorest communities. The report by 2,500 of the world’s top climate scientists paints a bleak picture of drought, disease, floods, storms, sea level rise and crop failure. The IPCC chairman, Rajendra Pachauri, said in launching the report: 'The poorest of the poor in the world - and this includes poor people in prosperous societies - are going to be the worst hit. People who are poor are least able to adapt to climate change.' The report highlights changes that are already taking place and makes some dire predictions for the future. Here are just a few: By 2020, between 75 and 250 million people in Africa are projected to be exposed to an increase of water stress due to climate change. In some African countries, yields from rain-fed agriculture could be reduced by up to 20 per cent by 2020. In Asia, Himalayan glaciers will melt, leading to flooding followed by water shortages as th ...

Climate Change at G8: significant progress

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 16:32:00 GMT

Tearfund says important steps to halt climate change were made at the G8 summit in Heiligendamm, Germany, following 24 hours of negotiations and months of behind-the-scenes bargaining. But we are disappointed at the failure of all G8 countries to agree a clear target to keep temperature rise well below 2 degrees above historic levels. The G8 leaders committed themselves to making ‘substantial cuts’ in CO2 emissions. They said that a framework for this would be worked out through the UN by 2009. This means that the separate meetings posited by the US administration will now feed into the UN negotiations. EU leaders, with Japan and Canada, also signalled their commitment to aim for global carbon emissions cuts of 50 per cent by 2050. Andy Atkins, Advocacy Director for Tearfund says, ‘The G8 leaders have jumped some important hurdles but there is a long way to the finishing line. It is significant that they have agreed to start talks in Bali in December and conclude them by 2009 under the authority of the ...

Tearfund reaction to G8

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 12:13:00 GMT

Tearfund has given this year's G8 summit a 5 out of 10 - particularly on Africa. This is tragically close to failure. Here is our response to the summit's communiqué on development.Andy Atkins, Tearfund's advocacy director, says, 'These unfulfilled Gleneagles G8 promises will cost millions of lives. Two years after the grand promises of Gleneagles, the true ambivalence of the G8's concern for Africa is becoming apparent. The early success of Gleneagles is being squandered by paltry responses on AIDS, trade and aid.Climate changeG8 leaders, supported by the +5 countries of Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa, have jumped some important hurdles but there is still a long way to go. Only if the UN negotiations get underway at Bali and are concluded successfully in 2009, will we be able to say that the world is on course to avert catastrophic climate change. If we pass a tipping point of a global temperature rise of 2 degrees, which could happen within the next 50 years, more than a billion people cou ...

Welcome Gordon Brown

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 11:19:30 GMT

On Wednesday 28 June, Gordon Brown collected the keys to 10 Downing Street and became the 52nd Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In January 2005, during a trip to Tanzania, Gordon Brown talked about how his upbringing has influenced his interest in Africa, saying, 'My father was a Church of Scotland minister, and there were many contacts between the Church of Scotland and Africa. We repeatedly heard the stories of people coming back from Africa, including this area, Malawi and Kenya, telling us what needed to be done.' During his time at the Treasury as Chancellor of the Exchequer, he championed issues such as education for all and debt relief. It's an encouraging precedent, but as he moves into No 10 we need to ensure his new government takes action on issues like climate change and trade justice. As Christians, we believe that we're called to pray for our leaders. Please spend a few moments praying for Gordon Brown. Please pray that he will govern diligently that his government will place t ...

WTO talks collapse

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 11:24:00 GMT

Talks between the US, EU, India and Brazil - the G4 - broke down on June 21st after failure to agree on cuts to tariffs and subsidies. This is the latest ‘collapse’ in a series of breakdowns and re-starts since the current round of WTO talks was kicked off in Doha in 2001. Background In 2001, a new round of WTO negotiations was launched in Doha, Qatar. In recognition of the fact that global trade rules and practices were failing poor countries, this round was said to be a ‘development round’ – with the needs and interests of developing countries at its core. However, from their inception, the negotiations have been far from development-focussed. The concerns and interests of developing countries have been increasingly sidelined and the voice of the poorest ignored. Given the lack of progress over the last five years, four key players – the G4 – had resorted to exclusive meetings to try to break the deadlock. Cause of recent breakdown The reason for the latest breakdown is the US and EU’s consistent refus ...

E-mail Portuguese Prime Minister

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 10:15:00 GMT

Negotiation on trade agreements between the European Union (EU) and some of the world's poorest countries are at a critical stage, as the EU tries to get the agreements signed before the end of the year.

The EU promised that any new trade deal would prioritise sustainable development, but right now the texts on the table put the EU's own interests above those of millions of the world's poorest people and their environment.

Portugal has now taken over the Presidency of the EU from Germany and we want Portugese Prime Minister, Jose Socrates to know that trade could lift millions of people out of poverty if the rules helped farming and industry in poor countries to grow sustainably.

Your voice can make a difference.

New Jubilee Centre book

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 16:04:21 GMT

Christianity, Climate Change and Sustainable Living is a groundbreaking new book looking at a Christian response to climate change. Focusing on sustainable consumption and production and supported by Tearfund, the Jubilee Centre and World Vision among others; the book offers a scientific, sociological, economic and theological analysis. The book also provides practical actions for individuals and churches. Firmly rooted in the good news of the Christian faith, this is above all, a constructive hopeful book offering a realistic vision of a better future. If you want to go deeper in examining this crucial aspect of our response to climate change, order your copy priced £9.99 here. View YouTube videos of the authors talking about the book here.

Tory Quality of Life Report

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 15:19:08 GMT

Tearfund broadly welcomes the conclusions of the Conservative Party’s Quality of Life Policy Group report that covers environment, energy, waste and transport.The report recommends cuts in carbon emissions of at least 80 per cent by 2050 and includes aviation and shipping; two of Tearfund's key demands for the Climate Change Bill. The report recognises the need for a global deal to cap global temperature rise at less than two degrees to be in place by 2009. However, it levels criticisms at the current UN process, without making recommendations on any way forward. It also does not make concrete proposals on how helping poor countries adapt to climate change should be a part of this global deal. Tearfund urges the Conservative Party to adopt the recommendations (with clearer and stronger messages to the UN talks) and turn this blueprint into official party policy. To read a more detailed analysis of Tearfund's response to the report click here

UN conference pushes for global climate change deal

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 14:19:37 GMT

On 24th September world leaders met in New York for a high-level UN summit on climate change, convened by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. Participants agreed that a comprehensive global climate change deal must be negotiated within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and be in place by 2012. They reinforced that all other initiatives must feed into the UNFCCC. Tearfund welcomes the Chairs summary which supports the start of formal negotiations at the UNFCCC conference in Indonesia this December, calling for a ‘breakthrough on climate change in Bali.’ This sends an important signal to negotiators as they plan for that meeting. It also makes it clear that other meetings outside of the UN (including a meeting hosted by George Bush on 27-28th September) must feed back into the formal process. Adaptation was given a separate session during the meeting where many countries highlighted the impact of climate change on the most vulnerable people. Better adaptation planning and increased fundin ...

Campaigners mark Stop EPAs Day

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 09:09:53 GMT

Hundreds of organisations across the world have joined together to mark Stop EPAs Day (September 27) and call for trade agreements that work for the needs of the poorest. In the UK, 17 Christian leaders, including Tearfund president Dr Elaine Storkey, have written to Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander, calling on him to ensure that negotiations 'result in trade agreements that help to bring about justice', and warning that current negotiations 'threaten to undermine recent progress towards making poverty history'. Read the full letter here. Tearfund is encouraging campaigners to mark the day, which coincides with the fifth anniversary of the launch of the negotiations, to add their voices to the thousands worldwide by writing to their MP. Click here to take action. To find out more about activities around the world click here.

Bush climate change summit

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:35:33 GMT

President Bush's Major Economies climate change summit on 26-27th September made no progress towards achieving an international agreement on cutting emissions and distracted from ongoing UN talks.

The meeting attended by the UN and senior representatives of seventeen countries, gave no clear support for negotiations beginning at the UN talks in Bali this year. Nor did it give any support on the need for mandatory emissions targets which must be part of any post-2012 deal. The meeting also failed to achieve any progress towards agreeing a long-term goal for reducing emissions.

The Major Economies summit was a missed opportunity for President Bush to play a key role in driving forward progress on climate change.

For a more detailed response to the meeting click here.

Urgent action for Myanmar

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 10:57:00 GMT

Despite substantial natural resources, Myanmar (formerly Burma) is one of the poorest nations in the world, currently ranked 130 out of 173 on the Human Development Index. Decades of oppression, human rights abuses, economic stagnation and isolation have led to high levels of internal displacement within the country. Many people have fled Myanmar and many more are subject to continued forced relocation, remain behind bars or are under house arrest. Myanmar is also one of the least aided poor countries in the world, with UN-imposed economic sanctions in place for many years. In a bid to control its deficit, the military junta government has reduced spending on vital basic services, such as health and education. Particularly vulnerable are women and children, especially displaced communities living in the villages and border areas of Myanmar. Large-scale systematic human rights abuses take place in the country, and respect for the basic rights of freedom, of speech, the media, assembly and associati ...

Tearfund supporter visits Downing street

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:50:00 GMT

Tearfund supporter Anita Payne joined polar bears and supporters of I Count, the campaign of Stop Climate Chaos, to visit Downing Street on 29 October 2007. Together, they handed in 150,000 petition cards. More than 6,000 had been signed by Tearfund supporters – demanding the UK Government does all it can to tackle climate change. Anita (in the middle of the photo), who has worked with Tearfund in Malawi and Liberia, commented: 'Poor communities around the world are already at the sharp end of climate change, with flooded homes, increasingly barren and drought-hit land.' She added, 'I'm here at Downing Street today because I believe that God requires us to love justice and live justly. We need to be good stewards of God’s earth and good neighbours to each other, not pushing poorer people into deeper poverty but living more sustainably, for everyone’s benefit.' The visit came as Environment Secretary Hilary Benn delivered a disappointing response to a public consultation on the Climate Change Bill. Rac ...

Response to Queens Speech

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:55:39 GMT

Tearfund is disappointed by the announcement in the Queens Speech that the Climate Change Bill will only propose targets of ‘at least 60 per cent’ carbon dioxide emissions cuts by 2050. The latest science tells us that in order for the UK to play its part in keeping global temperature rise as far below two degrees as possible, the 2050 target should be for at least 80 per cent emissions cuts. The government held a far reaching consultation earlier this year. Thousands of supporters from Tearfund and members of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition, as well as scientists and expert bodies on climate change, made representations pressing for cuts of at least 80 per cent by 2050. Three parliamentary committees scrutinised the bill in the summer and all commented that the target of 60 per cent was too low. Tearfund is dismayed that the government appears not to have listened to the weight of evidence demanding a higher target, and will continue to campaign for the inclusion of a target of at least 80 per cent. It i ...

Update on Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 15:48:18 GMT

With just weeks to go until the deadline for negotiations on Economic Partnership Agreements to be concluded, some countries have already initialled agreements, while others are holding out despite intense pressure to conclude them by the December 31st deadline.

UK on track for aid target

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:38:55 GMT

Recent announcements by the Chancellor look to be keeping the UK government on track to meet their overseas aid targets. The aid budget will rise to £7.9 billion a year by 2010-11, on course to meet the commitment of giving 0.7% of GDP by 2013.

The budget for international development is now the largest in the UK's history and will help the government keep the promises on aid made at the 2005 G8 in Gleneagles. For all who campaigned as part of Make Poverty History, this is a further example of the impact that campaigning can have.

Do give thanks to God that our government is keeping its aid promises to the poorest, and pray that they continue to.

Tearfund response to EPA deadline

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 09:25:13 GMT

As the January 1st deadline for concluding negotiations on Economic Partnership Agreement (EPAs) arrives, Tearfund is extremely dissapointed at the extent of the anti-development content in the agreements that have been signed.

Tearfund response to EU climate announcement

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:56:00 GMT

Today the European Commission announced new legislation on climate change and energy as part of its long term strategy for avoiding dangerous climate change. The new package confirms a 20 per cent reduction target on 1990 levels for emissions cuts within the EU by 2020. This target will be shared between the 27 member states according to GDP, but will include credits bought in from international carbon trading schemes. Tearfund broadly welcomes the EU’s new climate and energy package but is particularly concerned by the lack of ambition in setting only a 20 per cent target for 2020. The EU supported the inclusion of cuts of 25-40 per cent for developed countries at the UN climate talks in Bali, but has failed to show integrity at home by setting its own targets consistent with this range. A 20 per cent target ignores the science, and the EU’s own position on keeping global temperature rise below two degrees. Tearfund considers that the cuts should be based on a 30 per cent overall target from the o ...

CC Bill: campaign success!

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 11:18:00 GMT

Give thanks that the Government has agreed on one of our key demands and pray for the two amendments still needed to the Bill. As a result of your campaigning, we have achieved our first significant victory in the campaign for a strong Climate Change Bill. The Government has announced that it will set an annual target range for emissions reductions (what we’ve been calling annual milestones). The UK is the first country to introduce a law to cut carbon emissions, but there’s a real danger that it won’t be tough enough. Without drastic emissions cuts, the devastation caused by climate change will worsen, hitting the world’s poorest hardest. This success shows the Government is listening to us – our campaigning is working. But, there are still two crucial amendments we need to get our emissions under control: - Increase the 2050 carbon dioxide reduction target from 60 per cent to at least 80 per cent - Include the UK’s share from international aviation and shipping in emissions reduction targets ...

Jubilee ten years on

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:39:00 GMT

International debt relief has brought benefits to millions of poor people, but we still need to pray for more debt cancellation.16 May 1998. Birmingham city centre. As 70,000 people formed a human chain to protest against the gross injustice of international debt, a mass public movement against poverty was born. Jubilee 2000 captured the attention of the media, the public and the government – never before had so many people turned out for such a cause. Gordon Brown, then Chancellor, said it ‘achieved more standing together for the needs of the poor … than all the isolated acts of individual governments could have achieved in a hundred years’. It was built on the principle of Jubilee, lifted straight from the Bible. The demands of Leviticus 25 are clear – release slaves, return land to its original owners, cancel debt. Fast forward several thousand years to 1998: the failure to cancel debt was crippling some of the world’s poorest countries. Irresponsible lending, often to corrupt governments, had built u ...

Campaigns Promoters tour

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Tue, 27 May 2008 13:17:00 GMT

Do you feel passionate about ending poverty, but don't know where to start? Would you be more likely to get involved if there were others to get active with? Come and join members of our Campaigns Team for a morning of fun, training and meeting others. The event is free, and we'll be introducing you to our exciting new campaign, updating you on recent campaign victories, giving you resources to engage your church and providing you with a free lunch. Whether you are an experienced campaigner, or are looking to get more involved, this is the event for you. If you are planning to attend, please RVSP by emailing campaigning@tearfund.org or by calling the relevant number below. Sat 21 June - Manchester Location: Westhougton Pentecostal Church www.westhoughton.org Time: 9.30 - 14.00 Contact for RSVP: Mike Chesterton 0161 4371811 Sat 21 June - Reading Location: St Laurence Church, Market Place (opposite Post Office) Time: 9.30 - 14.00 Contact for RSVP: Wim Mauritz 01235 550467 Sat 28 Jun ...

Pray for the US elections

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Thu, 29 May 2008 09:47:00 GMT

Pray for a US presidential election result that benefits the world's poorest people. As the battle lines are drawn up for the US presidential election in November, Christian campaigners are hoping and praying that a change in administration will bring with it a change in policy on climate change. For better or worse, the US wields tremendous power. It can block progress on global climate talks, or it can help bring monumental change. Action on climate change is a key that can help unlock Tearfund’s vision to see 50 million people released from poverty. Many US Christians are looking to this election for renewed hope about the direction their nation is taking. As poverty becomes an increasingly prominent issue on US Christian voters’ minds, we need to encourage them, demonstrating what can be done when the church calls on politicians to act on behalf of poor people.

Put pressure on Nero

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Fri, 30 May 2008 10:45:00 GMT

Caffè Nero is one of the only high street coffee shops not to offer a Fairtrade option to customers.

They say they are passionate about coffee but we want to see them put equal emphasis on the treatment of the people behind the beans.

Caffè Nero is currently trialling Fairtrade coffee in a few selected stores around the country.

These places are Reigate, Cambridge, Canterbury, Sevenoaks, Leeds, Warrington, Heathrow Terminal 4, Covent Garden and Kilburn.

If you can't find the right store, or don't live near one of these, please ask for Fairtrade in any other Caffè Nero.

If you live near one of these Nero’s, please tell your friends and go and buy a Fairtrade coffee to prove that millions of people are passionate about Fairtrade.

Bonn Climate Talks

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:24:00 GMT

Friday 13 June While there were some new concrete proposals for how to raise money for poor countries to adapt to climate change and develop using clean technology, the UN climate talks in Bonn finished today with no substantive outcomes. Positive workshops took place in the first week where ideas to generate financing for adaptation and clean technology, including the idea of a tax on international shipping, the sale of emissions allowances to developed countries (normally these are given for free), and a fund levied from all countries based on how much each pollutes. These ideas came mainly from developing countries, although Norway and Switzerland also had proposals to put on the table. But the pace in Bonn was disappointingly slow, with little in the way of ambition from most developed countries regarding tough targets for themselves, or finance for developing countries. A scale up of ambition is needed to reassure developing countries that developed countries really are serious about tackling cl ...

Tearfund welcome green energy plan

Website.Editor@tearfund.org — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:45:37 GMT

Tearfund welcomes government’s plans for a green energy revolution Tearfund welcomes the government’s proposed strategy for a tenfold increase in renewable energy in the UK by 2020. Bold proposals have been developed to meet a European wide commitment to ensuring 20% of energy comes from renewable sources by 2020. The UK must increase renewables to meet 15% of energy use from electricity, heat and transport by 2020. The government is consulting on its proposals between now and the autumn. Their strategy includes increasing energy efficiency; potentially introducing 7,000 new onshore and offshore wind turbines; more support from small-scale electricity generation; scoping out the possibility of a tidal barrage in the Severn estuary; and encouraging the development of electric cars. Tearfund broadly supports the government’s plans – as they represent a major shift in policy tow ...