The rich countries lead by the G8 have taken the first step in acknowledging responsibility for climate change through a plan to extend climate aid to poor countries. However, this ‘aid’ will be given as a loan where the rich countries will not only get third world countries to pay for the clean up of their climate mess but also earn interest.

How you can help

The number of climate refugees has already surpassed the number of political refugees and refugees from conflict, and by 2050 it is estimated that there will be 150 million climate refugees.

As oceans heat up tropical storms are getting worse and poor countries like Bangladesh and most recently Burma are paying the price with hundreds of thousands lives lost. As market forces drive food prices up, third world countries experience less rain and drought due to climate change resulting in a regular food crisis currently in 37 countries.

Scientist have already agreed that we humans are contributing to climate change, with the rich countries pumping out by far the majority of C02, and it is now also time to agree on who has to pay the price.

This July at the G8 Summit in Japan, the leaders of the first world will be discussing climate aid through an environmental fund that will go to relieve the effects of climate change in third world countries. However, the plan is that this ‘aid’ will be given as loans to poor countries so that they can pay for the clean up of the C02 emitting countries with interest.

That’s clever business: first let’s build our economy by emitting C02 and then have the victims of climate change pay to clean up our mess, all while we earn interest on it and get even richer. You will need to shop a lot not to feel guilty about this lack of responsibility.

Climate aid to the third world must be given as aid with no strings attached. No loan, no grant, just free aid. After all it is the same money that created climate change, so it can be given freely back to solve the problem and help the poor who are suffering the most.

To make sure that the third world will not pay for our mess, you must Act Now:

- Write your minister and demand an explanation!

- Take up this campaign and start spreading the word!