Things are heating up

Things are heating up

Published by ssutton on November 30, 2010

I was recently in Honduras for the Fourth General Assembly of the CLAC (the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Small Fair Trade Producers). Interestingly, Day 1 opened with a great presentation on climate change by Yvette Aguilar, El Salvador’s official Rapporteur to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

There’s a reason why this talk featured so prominently on the agenda: climate change is having an enormous impact on the world's agricultural producers. It’s a true global injustice that, while countries in the global South may not be significant contributors to climate change, these producers are the ones constantly being forced to mitigate against and adapt to its devastating effects.

As FLO outlines in a recent appeal, there are ways that the Fair Trade system can support producers in adapting to the consequences of climate change. However, these coping mechanims must be paired with solid governmental commitments. Farmers and workers will continue to be affected by climate change challenges if world leaders don’t develop tangible goals and devote more funds to translating intentions into actions.

As you’ve probably heard by now, Canada’s Senate recently voted down Bill C-311, Canada’s Climate Change Accountability Act. The NDP-led legislation, passed by a majority of MPs in the Commons, was killed without debate days before COP16 (the United Nations Climate Change Conference) negotiations kicked off in Cancun yesterday. Although this is discouraging, people in both the global South and the global North are still finding ways to have their voices heard.

For example, Fair Trade producers and representatives from Africa, Asia, and Latin America are in Cancun to take part in the Development and Climate Days Conference. These individuals will be meeting to discuss climate change as a development challenge, and to showcase community-based adaptation initiatives. Topics include forced migration, financing adaptation, and lessons from Fair Trade. These sessions will allow practitioners and researchers to share their knowledge and experiences on climate change, while supporting the production and dissemination of scientific knowledge.

Noel Oettle, Chairperson of Fair Trade South Africa, outlines the importance of producers’ voices being heard: “Fair trade producers don’t want charity: rather, they would like recognition for their achievements in sustainable production, and would like to see that their efforts to adapt to climatic variability and economic uncertainty are adequately supported in the ways that they see fit."

Isn’t it time we listened?