Ecological debt: the particular campaign for climate change which includes an Argentinian minister

This Thursday, coinciding with the start of the G20 climate and environment meeting, the non-governmental organization Avaaz will launch a campaign in the streets of Naples, on social networks and in the Financial Times newspaper calling on the G20 countries to “recognize their ecological debt and to commit concrete funding for actions aimed at mitigating climate change and biodiversity loss “.

To do this, they included the leaders of the countries attending the meeting as the cover page of the convocation and it seems the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Argentina, Juan Cabandié. At the center of the stage is John Kerry, the President’s special climate envoy, holding a pizza, alluding to the G20 meeting in Italy.

“It is becoming increasingly clear that protecting the environment is the only way to stabilize our economies, an idea that has been recognized by G20 finance ministers, indicating that they continue to be urgent priorities, now is the time for the environment ministers to do the same ”explained Oscar Soria, Avaaz Campaign Manager.

Cabandié and Kerry appear with three other environmental leaders who Avaaz asks them to “promote an agreement so that the nations present send a strong message in which all countries and markets as well as the 20 largest economies in the world are committed to achieving systemic change that enables a just and green recovery for the world ”.

“The president of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, the British Alok Sharma, it should have a powerful menu of options where 50% of climate finance is directed quickly towards climate adaptation, as climate impacts have become increasingly severe, not only in developing countries, but also here in Europe », Indicates the press release.

In addition, he places particular emphasis on the role of John Kerry, in particular because of the influence of the United States in the green agenda: “You must restore the climate credibility of your country by concrete actions so that countries like China stop taking action. This includes the urgent delivery of the $ 100 billion in climate finance that this nation pledged long before Glasgow. Yes He must also use all his influence to force a financial reform so that the money intended for the payment of the sovereign debt is now directed towards the payment of the ecological debt, paying particular attention to the double crisis of climate change and loss of biodiversity ”.

However, Avaaz also recognizes the role that developing countries should play: “They should come up with proposals to change the rules that create inequalities and environmentally destructive incentives. Juan Cabandie from Argentina and Barbara Creecy from South Africa are seen not only as human rights defenders, but as potential interlocutors from the countries of the South to present a vision in which economic, social and ecological recovery go hand in hand ” .

In this regard, Soria expressed: “Argentina and South Africa have the opportunity, and the responsibility, to lead the appeal of the countries of the South to recognize the ecological debt contracted by the rich countries, and reorienting sovereign debt finance towards a fair and green recovery for developing countries ”.

At the end of the press release, the social movement asks the host of the summit, the Italian minister for ecological transition, Roberto Cingolani, to “guide all the G20 ministers to agree on a solid political declaration which shows the world that” there is a path towards phasing out subsidies that harm our climate and our biodiversity ”.

“The world is facing an unprecedented climate crisis: severe flooding in the north and rising temperatures that are increasing forest fires in various latitudes. Today in Argentina, the Paraná River is experiencing the greatest decline in the past 70 years, resulting in droughts and other effects on the populations that depend on this tributary, ”Soria added.