Dr Ruth Valerio, Director of Advocacy and Influencing at Tearfund, said:
"Despite some steps forward, the world is on track for 2.4C of global heating, subjecting millions more people to extreme heat and dangerous weather. The climate crisis is here and people are already suffering.
COP26 failed to deliver on long overdue promises or heed the loud cries of climate vulnerable nations for any support in the face of increasing climate disasters. Whilst the pledges made at this summit have put some hope for a future below 2C on the table, right now these are just words. We urgently need richer nations to turn this into reality, coming back in 2022 with 1.5C aligned climate commitments, consigning all dirty fossil fuels to the history books, and finally stumping up the long overdue $100 billion a year to help vulnerable countries adjust to a more unpredictable and dangerous future.
Climate justice won’t be achieved by a single person or decision - but millions of us will keep playing our part while we call on world leaders to play theirs."
Kuki Rokhum, Tearfund partner in India, said:
"The Glasgow talks have not secured a 1.5C future but we march on because we need climate justice. We need justice for all those who live lightly yet pay heavily - the poorest communities and indigenous peoples around the world whose lives and homes are already being destroyed by extreme weather, droughts and floods. And we walk in faith that things can change. Together we each carry with us a hope that we will see action, not just words, from this UN Climate Summit. The time to act was yesterday, but we still have today."
Laura Young, Campaigner at Tearfund and a young climate activist from Glasgow, said:
"Around half of the world’s warming has happened in my own lifetime and, for many young people, the climate emergency is the only reality we’ve known. World leaders at the Glasgow talks have fallen short in taking the urgent action that future generations demand of them but going forward we will continue to shout loudly for climate justice for vulnerable people, and a safer, fairer future for us all."
ENDS
For further information or interview requests call Sam Perriman on +44 (0) 7783 770 487 or for out of hours media enquiries please call +44 (0) 7929 339813.
Notes to editors:
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.
