Climate action

The climate crisis is pushing people deeper into poverty, so tackling climate change is pivotal to ending extreme poverty. If we want to stop climate change, we need to get to grips with the root causes to this ever-growing crisis so all of us can thrive not just survive.

Climate justice is ensuring that those who did the least to cause the climate crisis, but are experiencing its effects the most, are not also paying the price to fix it. The impacts of climate change are affecting people now, so we need climate justice.

True climate justice would mean the biggest, richest and most dirty of polluters would pay to fix the mess they have put us all in.

In our unequal world, the rights of a few to profit from pollution is being protected while the rest of us pay the price. The world-over, millions of us are speaking out about this injustice. We are calling for climate justice, led by those facing the worst of the climate crisis right now.

The climate crisis demands a swift transition from fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.

Because energy underpins nearly every aspect of our lives, this shift must also drive transformation across key sectors, including transport, housing, and industry.

Countries must also adapt infrastructure, agriculture, and other essential systems to withstand changing weather patterns. However, most of the solutions already exist – what is needed is the political will to make sure they are rolled out quickly and fairly.

The solutions to climate injustice start with holding the biggest polluters to account, and ensuring those most affected receive the support they need.

Wealthy nations must urgently cut emissions and provide fair financial contributions to help the countries and communities suffering the worst impacts of climate breakdown – despite having contributed the least to the crisis.

At the same time, those on the frontlines, and particularly marginalised groups and those at risk of being left behind, must have a central voice in shaping the policies that determine their future.

The climate crisis is a global crisis, and no single country can solve this problem alone. We need to work together to be able to agree a way to thrive not just survive.

We know that global meetings, agreements, papers, and reports take time – but this is a complex problem and it requires complex solutions. If you ever hear the words ‘it’s simple, all we need to do is…’ then stop listening, because it isn’t that simple. Justice is simple, finding justice never is.

Every year there are global meetings. The UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) is a global conference where world leaders, civil society, companies, and activists gather to discuss our collective response to the climate crisis.

Over the years the COPs have achieved quite a few breakthroughs – from the Kyoto agreement in 1997 where agreement to work together and that we needed to set targets, to the Paris agreement in 2015 where global targets for emissions reductions was decided.

There were also multiple years where adaptation funding, and loss and damage funding, were agreed. Working collectively has brought the world together to try to tackle the climate crisis – but as we all know, it hasn’t gone fast or far enough.

In 2023, COP28 took place in Dubai

• We demanded a planet for the 99%.
• We told the PM before he went that the UK wants to make polluters pay.
• We told global leaders that the world wants to make polluters pay. Elizabeth Wathuti, a climate activist from Kenya, presented the global petition at COP itself.
• Find out more about what was agreed at COP28.

In 2024, COP29 took place in Baku, Azerbaijan

• Again, we were pushing for climate justice.
• Read more about what happened at COP29.

In 2025, COP30 is coming up in Belém, Brazil.

• What needs to happen? We will be fighting for climate justice. More information coming soon.

Listen to young energy expert and climate activist Abigael Kima on the Hali Hewa Podcast. Episode 1 features Elizabeth Wathuti, founder of the Green Generation Initiative.

Elizabeth Wathuti has worked with Oxfam and wrote an open letter to world leaders demanding that we Make Polluters Pay.

• Join an Oxfam Student Network to take climate action at university.
• Download our School Education Resources.
• Lobby your MP by joining the Constituency Campaigner Programme.