NGO: Climate crisis cannot be stopped with funding less than ice cream

As world leaders gather for the COP29 climate conference, the focus is on setting a new climate financing goal to accelerate climate action in the Global South. Representatives from the non-governmental organization ActionAid International emphasized that without adequate funding, talks of climate action will remain just that – talks.

There's no such thing as a free lunch, so, there's no such thing as free climate goals either, stated Teresa Anderson from ActionAid. She added that it's impossible to prevent a planetary meltdown while spending less on climate financing than on ice cream.

"If we're serious about climate action, we need to pay for it," she said.

"Shifting the growing climate bills to the Global South is not only unfair but also a recipe for inevitable planetary collapse. This is why climate-affected countries desperately need a new climate finance goal to be agreed upon at COP29, providing real trillions of dollars in grants annually. And it is the wealthy countries of the Global North, which have been polluting for a century or more, that must finally pay real money for climate action. Until now, rich countries have been dodging their responsibilities. In 2022, developed countries together provided only $28-35 billion in grants for climate action in Global South countries. For context, the world spent twice as much on ice cream in the same year ($71 billion)," she said.

Climate change disproportionately impacts women and girls, exacerbating their vulnerability to frequent droughts and floods.

Nura Mohammed from Somaliland shared the dire situation of women and girls who face the most severe consequences of these climate disasters.

Without targeted financial support, initiatives to break the cycle of poverty and improve community resilience will remain out of reach.

Michelle Higelin, CEO of ActionAid Australia, stressed the importance of providing funds in the form of grants rather than loans, as loans only increase the debt burden on developing countries. She also noted that financing must be gender-responsive, with women having equal participation in decision-making processes.