Climate justice

Make polluters pay

It’s that time again – when fossil fuel corporations gleefully tell us how much money they’ve been making from sky-high energy bills (and by avoiding paying their climate debt to the global south). At the time of writing, Chevron (the company with the largest historic carbon emissions) has announced yearly profits of $36.5 billion for 2022 – more than double what it earned in 2021. And like, other big polluters, it is investing those proceeds in inflating its own share price (through share buybacks) rather than in investing in greener energy or reducing costs for consumers.

We will be monitoring the profit announcements of other carbon majors such including BP, Shell and ExxonMobil (who it was recently reported had suppressed their own climate scientists’ evidence on the future impact of global warming) as they are reported this week – make sure to check the website and our social media for updates.

Early signs, however, suggest that BP and Shell are likely to double their profits compared with 2021 – a sure sign that the time has come to tax the obscene profits of fossil fuel giants. That makes it the perfect time to be making the case that the loss and damage fund which our movement won at the UN climate talks in November should be funded through rich countries taxing the polluters most responsible for climate breakdown.

First details of loss and damage committee

Early details on the membership of the transitional committee that will manage the loss and damage funding arrangements of the UN were announced in January. Although the rich countries on the committee have not yet been announced, progressive governments in Chile, Colombia and Brazil will all have a seat on the committee, as will Sudan, one of the least developed countries that is highly vulnerable to climate change.

This committee will meet before the end of March to start the process of deciding what a loss and damage fund will look like.

New briefing

Enclosed with this issue of Think Global is a new two-page briefing making the case that fossil fuel corporations should be made to pay climate reparations, and the scale of what we think they owe. It is based on reseearch we released and gained some media coverage for during COP27.

In addition to distributing these within your group, you could consider:

• Using the briefing to write a letter to local press talking about the annual profit announcements for the Big Five oil and gas companies and making the case for making polluters pay climate reparations.

• Running a stall with Make Polluters Pay petition sheets, A5 leaflets and the new briefing. Email activism@globaljustice.org.uk to order materials, including more copies of the briefing.

Goodbye Dan

Dan Willis, climate and finance campaigner, writes: “This is, sadly, the last Think Global update from me as I will be leaving Global Justice Now in early February to start a new role at Recourse – a development and climate advocacy organisation. It has been a fantastic experience working here and I have really enjoyed getting out (virtually at least!) to meet so many groups and members around the country. Thank you for all of the work and actions that you have taken in support of our campaigns and for making them possible.”

We are currently recruiting for a new campaigner, and although it may take a few months to get someone in place, in the meantime the rest of the staff team will continue to push to tax big polluters and make them pay for the damage that they’ve done to the planet. Email activism@globaljustice.org.uk with questions about the campaign.

Extinction Rebellion

Extinction Rebellion is putting usual tactics aside and inviting everyone to gather at parliament on 21 April to demand government action on the climate emergency. The aim is to build a genuine mass mobilisation that displays collaboration and resistance in the face of the greatest threat humanity has ever faced. Global Justice Now will be there on the day and supporting in the build-up with workshops and webinars. More info at: www.extinctionrebellion.uk/the-big-one

Key resources

NEW Making polluters pay climate reparations

Two-page briefing (Feb 2023)

Make polluters pay A5 petition leaflet (updated January 2023).

Reparations and climate justice Eight-page briefing (September 2022).

See globaljustice.org.uk/resources and order from activism@globaljustice.org.uk