FAIRTRADE FOR THE RE AL VICTIMS OF CLIMATE CHANGE It is likely we have all witnessed the effects of climate change; the flooding in the UK over Christmas 2015 is just one example of the impact it is having in our little corner of the world. But sadly, it is those living thousands of miles away, in already vulnerable communities, who are increasingly at risk. The World Bank estimates the effects of climate change will put an additional 100 million people into poverty by 2030 - more than the entire population of the UK and Canada combined. The unpredictable fluctuations in both temperature and rainfall have already destroyed harvests in parts of the world. Farmers in developing countries like Kenya and those in the Caribbean need to adapt, or it is predicted that production of basic commodities like coffee, sugar and tea will disappear along with the livelihoods of farmers. Unfortunately, in developing countries without proper infrastructure and agricultural funding, adaptation can prove impossible for individual farmers. But what does this all mean and what can we do about it? 2015 was the year of action for climate change; world leaders came together at the Paris Climate Conference (COP21) to agree a universal, binding agreement to keep global warming below 2˚C, and the new UN Sustainable Development Goals were published, which amongst other things aim to promote sustainable agriculture, guarantee sustainable water management and combat climate change. These political decisions can seem a million miles away from everyday life. However, there is a way that we can make small changes to our daily lives which will dramatically impact the lives of vulnerable farmers, and that is Fairtrade. Many of us know that Fairtrade stands for fair pay for farmers and producers around the world. But it does so much more than that. Fairtrade works with the farmers to assess the risk to their livelihoods, and identify opportunities for the adaptation of practices and techniques whilst promoting a sustainable future-proof form of agriculture. Fairtrade producers agree to ethical and environmentally conscious practices including the banning of harmful pesticides and ensuring responsible disposal of waste. In Latin America, coffee leaf rust disease has spread through coffee farms in the region, devastating between 30% and 90% of coffee producers’ crops. The outbreak of this disease is attributed to climate change as higher temperatures allow the fungus to grow at higher climates, where coffee is produced. Now, Fairtrade farmers are receiving education and support from local experts on
how to best protect their crops from coffee leaf rust along with methods to increase individual plants’ resilience to the rapidly changing conditions in the region. Farmers are also receiving training on how to make their own organic fertilizers and installing solar driers to avoid the coffee getting wet from unpredictable rain patterns. This is just one example of how Fairtrade is supporting and empowering farmers in countries like Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua to bounce back from the impact of climate change. Fairtrade is a way for us, as consumers, as individuals, to support farmers and producers who are facing the impacts of climate change at the front line, and make a difference not only to their daily lives but also to the world that we share with them. If you do just one thing differently today, let it be switching to Fairtrade.
- Jo Cooke, charity worker supporting children to go to school in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nepal
"Climate change is destroying our path to sustainability. Ours is a world of looming challenges and increasingly limited resources. Sustainable development offers the best chance to adjust our course."
- Ban Ki-moon
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