The climate crisis has rightly made headlines recently. The sobering new IPCC report states that – without doubt – serious human-caused climate change is happening now. But for the farmers and workers behind our Fairtrade favourites, this is not news.
Three years ago, Ivorian cocoa farmer Ebrottié Tanoh Florentin told us how increasingly extreme weather was already causing food shortages, crop failures and lost earnings for his community.
WATCH EBROTTIÉ’S INTERVIEW |
African Farmers Need To Be Heard
In the last few weeks, the IPCC report has backed this up [1]. The scientists who wrote the report have confirmed temperatures in Africa are rising more rapidly than the global average, and more extreme and more frequent rainfall is now expected across the continent.
This is just one example of why we need to listen to expertise of farmers and workers. They are living with the reality of the climate crisis every day. These communities, who have often looked after their local eco-systems for generations, know exactly why the climate crisis really is a crisis.
There Are Sustainable Solutions
And many Fairtrade farmers and workers are already working on sustainable solutions, from tree planting initiatives to protect against flooding to innovative and eco-friendly farming techniques.
Our politicians have a responsibility to commit serious money to supporting the solutions these communities are already developing. Because it’s centuries of exploitation of people and planet by the world’s wealthiest that has caused the climate emergency. And left millions unable to earn enough to adapt to real threats climate change poses for lives and livelihoods.
That’s why we’ve been delighted to see thousands of Fairtrade supporters like you contacting your MP, and challenging them to back a fair climate promise ahead of the COP 26 UN Climate Summit in Glasgow.
If you haven’t already, you can still contact your MP using this really simple tool.
Click Here To Ask Your MP To Get Behind Climate Justice |
Sign up to Fairtrade newsletters and we will be in touch soon with more ways to stand with those farmers and workers facing a climate crisis they did so little to cause.
Thanks as ever for your support,
Stefan
Campaigns Team, Fairtrade Foundation
P.S. Please do tell us about any other plans you already have to campaign on climate issues in advance the COP 26 conference. It’s been great to hear from campaigners all over the UK who have plans for Great Big Green Week and other initiatives. We’re always keen to hear from you and will share your plans when we can.
[1] IPCC Sixth Assessment Report
Featured Portrait: Portrait of Kouao Amah, Cocoa Farmer, Côte d’Ivoire – photo by Chris Terry (2019). Discover her story on the Fairtrade website.