Sam Perriman, Public Policy Lead for Tearfund said:
‘The Prime Minister’s recognition that the climate crisis is not a distant threat reflects the catastrophic reality for communities Tearfund works alongside every day. Right now, smallholder farmers are seeing their lives and livelihoods destroyed by floods, droughts and extreme temperatures.
‘Yet, the commitment to the UK being a true ‘partner’ in global climate action falls flat without greater ambition to scale up the $300bn of climate finance promised into the $1.3tn needed. Smallholder farmers cannot adapt on empty promises; they need finance to build climate resilience with interventions like flood protections, early warning systems and resilient seeds.
‘Many Christians in the UK agree with us. Nearly 2000 of them have written to Miatta Fahnbulleh MP and the UK delegation at COP31 demanding climate finance, a just transition and fair food systems for smallholder farmers.
‘As the UK steps into the G20 Presidency, it is encouraging to hear that climate resilience is on the agenda. Andy Burnham must deliver for communities most impacted by the climate crisis, especially those who have done the least to cause it.’
ENDS
Note to editors
For further information email [email protected]. For out of hours media enquiries: 07929 339813 or [email protected].
- Sam Perriman is Tearfund’s Public Policy lead and available for interview (UK based).
- Tearfund is a Christian charity that partners with churches in more than 50 of the world’s poorest countries. We tackle poverty through sustainable development, responding to disasters and challenging injustice. We believe an end to extreme poverty is possible. Tearfund is also a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee. For more information about the work of Tearfund, please visit www.tearfund.org.
