Calling for Climate Justice

We’re not all equally responsible for climate change, this is a crisis caused by the richest countries, and the richest people within them.

It’s unjust that those of us who can afford it the least are paying the highest price.

A more equal world is possible. A world where all of us at risk from the climate crisis have what we need to survive extreme weather and build sustainable futures for generations to come.

Alongside climate activists here in Cymru and across the world, Oxfam Cymru is demanding climate justice. We’re holding decision-makers in Cymru to account for their actions to reduce our emissions quickly and fairly. A just transition is essential.

Like other rich, high polluting, countries, Wales has a clear responsibility to slash our harmful emissions. But, just like at UK level, we’re simply not going fast enough.

The Welsh Government declared a climate emergency in 2019 and promised that Cymru would reach net zero – achieving a balance between the carbon emitted into the atmosphere and the carbon removed from it – by 2050, in line with the UK Government.

Whilst we’ve met our first targets, the Government’s specialist advisers, the Climate Change Committee, say Cymru is not yet on track to meet its targets for the second half of this decade and beyond.

Oxfam Cymru is working with our partners at Cymru’s climate coalition, Climate Cymru, to push for faster action which would unlock clear benefits – from warmer homes and cleaner air to better health.

With clear evidence that the world must urgently end our use of climate-wrecking fossil fuels, we’re backing calls for the Welsh Government to abandon its caution on coal by implementing a de facto ban on more coal mining while ensuring the transition to a greener, cleaner country is delivered fairly.

Importantly, we’re also calling for Cymru to become the first Race to Zero nation. Race to Zero is a UN backed global initiative rallying non-state actors to take rigorous and immediate action to deliver a healthier, fairer, greener, zero carbon world.

Race to Zero Cymru is campaigning for the Welsh Government to use the UN-backed framework to co-ordinate and accelerate climate action across all sectors and administrative levels in Cymru.

There’s no denying that accelerating climate action carries a hefty upfront price tag, but it will cut the costs of climate clean ups, like Storm Henk, and make the economy more productive.

Smart spending on energy efficient homes, improved and cheaper public transport, and active travel aren’t just eco-friendly choices; they’re economic and health no brainers, bringing benefits to people’s pockets and their well-being.

Maximising the impact of existing public funds is essential, but not enough. We need additional resources.

Oxfam is pushing for a series of UK-wide fair taxes on the biggest polluters – including fossil fuel firms – to boost investment in climate action.

We’re calling for the First Minister to press the Prime Minister to use the tax system to generate funds for climate action in Wales, while shielding the vulnerable and encouraging polluters to clean up their acts.