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This event was organised by Christian Aid, Climate Action Network (CAN), Practical Action, Heinrich Boll (US), Stamp Out Poverty and The Make Polluters Pay Coalition (MPP) as part of London Climate Action Week 2022.

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Creating a new and ambitious Social Contract for people and the planet to deliver a prosperous future for all.

Recent global studies on the impacts of climate change indicate that the poorest people are paying the highest costs. A recent study by IIED in Bangladesh indicates that women headed poor, rural households are spending up to 30 per cent of their total expenditure on measures to protect themselves from the impacts of climate change including floods and storms. Similar studies in the aftermath of climate events globally indicate that despite immediate Humanitarian efforts and the promise of insurance as a risk transfer mechanism, even where these measures are working, they are insignificant when compared to the real costs.

Globally it is the poorest, those with negligible carbon footprints and who can least afford it, who are bearing the bulk of the climate losses and damages. This amounts to gross climate injustice and undermines the fundamental rights of the poorest and weakest populations on the planet. This came to the fore at COP26 in Glasgow last year hosted by the UK Government. The G77 and China negotiating group proposed that a Glasgow Loss and Damage Finance Facility be set up as a mechanism to respond to this inequality. Sadly this was denied during the negotiations with a much weaker agreement to explore possible ways forward in the proposed Glasgow Dialogue.

With the publication earlier this year of the IPCC WG2 report the spotlight returns to explore ways to respond to the climate emergency in a just way that meets the needs of the poorest and those living on the frontlines of climate change. The IPCC report clearly documents the scale of the losses and damages that are occurring highlighting that we need real progress on the journey towards COP 27 especially on concrete measures to respond to Loss and Damage.

In this session, we will explore what an equitable and just outcome for the Glasgow Dialogue might look like. How might those who consume most, states and businesses and individuals contribute their fair share to future sustainability. We will explore what a more equal climate system might look like, and we will explore some innovative ideas. With growing climate Loss and Damage, we need to show solidarity with vulnerable peoples and the most climate-vulnerable countries. We need a new negotiating impetus to put in place an ambitious ‘Solidarity package’ that ensures low-income climate-vulnerable countries not only survive but are supported to thrive.

Speakers included:

Avinash Persaud: Special advisor to PM Mottley of Barbados – giving a Caribbean perspective and proposing how funds at scale might be mobilised.

Minister Màiri McAllan, Scottish Government: 2 weeks after SB56, reporting on Scotland’s pledge at COP26 to devote finance for L&D and plans to convene high-level international meetings to advance progress on L&D finance

Eric Njuguna: Reality on the ground in Kenya and more widely on the African continent - why funding is needed

Liane Schalatek, Heinrich Boll (US): The L&D Finance Facility, describing institutional arrangements asset out in the recently published Discussion Paper

Harjeet Singh, Climate Action Network (CAN): global expert on climate impacts, migration and adaptation.

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