COP26: Fairtrade farmers and businesses call on world leaders to beef up agricultural resilience
After 1.8 million farmers from around the world called on governments to follow through on their climate promises, businesses have signed a pledge of support
Leading Fairtrade partners, including top brands such as Ben & Jerry’s, M&S, and Waitrose, have pledged to take accountability for their climate impact and work to bolster the climate resilience of global supply chains, following an open letter signed by 1.8 million Fairtrade farmers.
The businesses have signed a pledge ahead of the COP26 Climate Summit next month calling on world leaders to respond to the needs of farmers in climate vulnerable countries. The Glasgow Summit will see a group of Fairtrade farmers from around the world deliver in person a letter demanding that governments follow through on their promise to provide $100bn in climate finance to support low-income nations’ efforts to tackle the escalating climate crisis.
In addition to calling on governments to “set ambitious, science-based rules and targets which do not allow unscrupulous businesses to ignore the damage they are causing to the planet, and which encourage responsible business to do more”, signatories of the pledge from businesses also commit themselves to paying producers fair prices, supporting farmers to cut their emissions and transition to climate resilient production methods, and measuring their supply chain carbon emissions and climate risks.
“This is an issue of justice, so together with our fans and Fairtrade we call on world leaders to take urgent action,” said Cheryl Pinto, global values led sourcing manager at pledge signatory Ben & Jerry’s. “1.5C warming will disproportionately negatively impact disadvantaged and vulnerable populations. This means that the people who grow our food in climate vulnerable nations, where they are already suffering the consequences of climate change yet did the least to cause it, face a bleak, daunting future as their livelihoods are increasingly threatened. The $100bn climate finance promise must be met and delivered, so that it reaches farmers, strengthens their resilience, and supports a just, fair future for all.”
Earlier this week, 1.8 million Fairtrade farmers from across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean published an open letter criticising world leaders for failing to curb emissions and deliver on promises to better financially support developing countries that are suffering acutely from the impacts of climate change.
The farmers call on the G20 countries to deliver their pledge to provide $100bn a year in climate finance, which was first meant to have been raised by 2020, and deliver the funds directly to farmers and workers. Reports this week suggested industrialised nations are still $10bn short of meeting the target, but diplomats remain optimistic the target can be met with a number of countries expected to ramp up funding pledges in the coming weeks.
In the letter, the farmers warn global food security is being compromised by a failure to curb emissions and invest in climate resilience. “We grow the food eaten by people all around the world… But our ability to do so has been badly damaged by the reckless harm done to our environment from years of broken promises concerning the climate crisis,” the letter states. “You promised to cut the emissions that drive extreme weather, which dry up our fields one day and flood them the next. But emissions are increasing dangerously, while your ambition remains too low. You promised to provide climate finance, to help us keep growing food despite the changing weather. But next to nothing is reaching us.”
Speaking on behalf of the global Fairtrade campaign, Mary Linnell-Simmons, director of marketing and external relations at Fairtrade America, said: “We welcome support for farmers from these forward-looking brands and retailers. It’s imperative that businesses take a lead by earnestly committing themselves to supporting the farmers in their international supply chains. We call on other businesses to do the same. It is more important than ever that we listen to our farmers, raise their voices and ensure governments and businesses alike act now.”
The business pledge is part of Fairtrade’s Be Fair With Your Climate Promise campaign, which is calling on people from around the world to support the demands outlined in the farmers’ letter of the same name. Members of the public are invited to sign a global petition on Fairtrade’s website to pledge their support for the farmers’ call to action.
The call to action follows a recent plea from 600 global businesses for G20 governments to strengthen their climate targets, end support for fossil fuels and invest in climate action, including following through on their $100bn pledge for developing nations.
