LDYC has drafted a letter to the US government with our demands on Loss and Damage. If you are a young person or youth-led organization, please sign and share the letter at this link.
Dear President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris,
Dear Presidential Envoy John Kerry,
Dear United States Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer,
The climate crisis is already causing severe impacts, leading to the loss of lives and livelihoods, and damage to homes, schools, roads, and hospitals. This loss and damage is occurring around the world, but disproportionately affects those who did the least to cause it — vulnerable people, communities and countries in the Global South.
In 2020, we saw some of the most severe climate impacts on record. In just a span of three weeks, Typhoons Molave, Goni, and Vamco hit the Philippines with extreme winds and floods, displacing hundreds of thousands of Filipinos and increasing their risk of contracting COVID-19. Hurricanes Eta and Iota hit Central America in short succession, causing flooding, landslides, and more than 200 deaths. Within a period of two months, the Pacific islands saw at least four tropical cyclones, including Cyclone Yasa, one of the most intense storms on record for the region, destroying homes and crops in Fiji. Droughts in Southern Africa left 9.6 million people hungry. Australia experienced unusually severe wildfires which killed almost three billion animals. The US is not immune to loss and damage either; it faces increasingly active Atlantic hurricane seasons, flooding in the Midwest (the nation’s breadbasket), intensifying wildfires on the West Coast, and extreme weather events like the Texas freeze.
Researchers have warned that storms, floods, and other extreme weather events will continue hitting the planet more frequently. The most vulnerable people are facing grave devastation, including displacement from their homes and communities. The COVID-19 pandemic and related economic crises make it even more difficult to cope with climate-induced disasters. In the face of these issues, we need to protect people’s rights to live in a safe climate, to meet their basic needs, and to migrate freely and safely when they want or need to.
Yet governments around the world are ignoring the scale of the problem. Despite having its own article in the Paris Agreement, and its own mechanism in the UNFCCC, loss and damage still does not have its own dedicated stream of climate finance. Developed countries, who fuelled the climate crisis through decades of willful negligence and inaction, have done very little to help the billions of people in developing countries who suffer the effects of loss and damage.
As youth from around the world, we demand an end to inaction on climate-induced loss and damage. We are the generation that has to deal with more frequent and severe climate impacts than ever. Those of us in the Global South are already bearing the brunt of it. Our children will face disasters at a scale we have never seen before.
The US has polluted the most greenhouse gases of any country on earth. It continues to be one of the biggest polluters. The US government is also among the most influential in the world. Despite its outsize contribution to the climate crisis, the US government has historically blocked the provision of finance and support for developing countries experiencing loss and damage from climate change. The US government’s inaction and blocking continues to cause harm to poor and oppressed peoples around the world. A lack of finance for loss and damage also endangers the future of young people and future generations. But the new US administration, given its commitment to taking meaningful climate action, has the potential to mitigate some of this harm — if it is willing to step up and provide finance and support for loss and damage in developing nations. It must also use its position as a global superpower to influence other wealthy nations to do the same.
For these reasons, we have the following demands:
- Honour the rights of young people and future generations by prioritizing action on loss and damage.
- Champion the establishment of a new window of additional finance for loss and damage.
- Make a substantial commitment of climate finance to the above-mentioned loss and damage finance window. This should start with a commitment of $10 billion and increase annually according to the US’ fair share of global loss and damage finance need.
- Commit to making loss and damage decision-making inclusive by including youth and other oppressed peoples in policymaking.
- Meet with youth from the Loss and Damage Youth Coalition to discuss how the US, and other developed countries, will take action and provide finance for loss and damage.
For the sake of our generation, and the generations to follow, we demand that the US government put an end to inaction on loss and damage.
Signed,
The Loss and Damage Youth Coalition
and
Groups/Organizations
- Dhrubotara Youth Development Foundation, Bangladesh
- The Green Fighter, Rwanda
- Youth of Guinea for Climate, Guinea
- African Network of Young Leaders for Peace and Sustainable Development, Cameroon
- Gatef organizations, Egypt
- Collectif des Leaders pour le Développement durable d’Afrique, Côte d’Ivoire
- Youth for Challenge, Benin
- Jeunes volontaires pour l’environnement (JVE-Mali), Mali
- YouthNet for Climate Justice, Bangladesh
- NGO 350 Côte D’Ivoire
- Thepostman24 news agency, Bangladesh
- Youth For Environment Education And Development Foundation (YFEED Foundation), Nepal
- Association des Citoyens pour le Développement Durable en Haïti (ACIDDUH), Haiti
- Youth Foundation of Bangladesh
- Boy Brigade Nigeria
- Helping Hand International, Nepal
- Fridays for future Mendoza, Argentina
- Project Survival Pacific, Fiji
- Klima Action Malaysia – KAMY
- African Leaders Factory Initiative, Senegal
- Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Fiji
- Voice Of Hope Youth Organization, Sierra Leone
- Tuvalu Climate Action Network
- Relawan Gerak Indonesia
- YOUNGO UNFCCC Youth Constituency
- Human Dignity and Environmental care Foundation (HUDEFO), Tanzania
- Wings for Amazon, Ecuador
- Presentation Sisters in Ireland and the UK
- Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network (CYCN)
- Sustainable Beekeeping and Human Development (SuBeHuDe)
- Heal The Planet Global Organisation – HTP, Uganda
- Morya Samajik Pratishthan, India
- Women Rights & Sustainable Society, Nigeria
- LIMA Résilience, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Timorese Youth Initiative for Development (TYIFD) Youth group, Timor-Leste
- University Student Chamber International, Japan
- Green Planet, India
- Réseau Climat Des Jeunes Du Sud Sahara (RECJESS)
- Alliance for Future Generations – Fiji
- Annapurna Deaf Association, Nepal
- Alliance for Empowering Rural Communities, Ghana
- Organic Ilemba Limited, Kenya
- Kenya Environmental Action Network (KEAN)
- Fridays for Future Kenya
- One Up Action Kenya
Individuals
- Mehedi Janet, Bangladesh, Dhrubotara Youth Development Foundation
- Hyacinthe Niyitegeka, Rwanda, The Green Fighter Rwanda/ Loss and Damage Youth Coalition
- Elhadj Abdoul Diallo, Guinea, Loss and Damage Youth Coalition & Youth of Guinea for Climate
- Ineza Umuhoza Grace, Rwanda, The Green Fighter
- Erol Apo Villacorta, The Philippines, Loss and Damage Youth Coalition
- Eva Peace Mukayiranga, Rwanda, The Green Fighter
- Dom Jaramillo, Ecuador
- Brennan Strandberg-Salmon, Canada, BCCIC Climate Change
- Eva Vazquez, Spain, Loss and Damage Youth Coalition
- Anna Di Girolamo, Italy, Loss and Damage Youth Coalition
- Atef Soliman, Egypt, Gatef organizations
- Concorde Kubwimana, Rwanda, Save Environment Initiative
- Jin Tanaka, Japan, University Student Chamber International
- Mayaya K. Singu, Tanzania, Sustainable Beekeeping and Human Development (SuBeHuDe)
- Shital Birajdar, India, MSRTC
- Kivumbi Earnest Benjamin, Uganda, Heal The Planet Global Organisation – HTP
- Ganesh Ambike, India
- Magdaline Boniphace, Tanzania
- Amina Sani, Nigeria
- Alejandro Jaimes Bahamon, Colombia, FFF Bogotá
- Mohammed Naif Alghodhaifi, Yemen
- Bahati Kalimbiro Bertin, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Osckin Gankoue, Republic of Congo
- Etuknwa Itorobong Raphael, Nigeria, Raph Foods Limited / Ralph Berry Enterprise
- Saoirse Exton, Ireland, Australia, Fridays for Future, YOUNGO
- Tristan Ward, Barbados
- Dircia Sarmento Belo, Timor-Leste, Timorese Youth Initiative for Development
- Wid Ammar Mohsin, Iraq/Yemen
- Ahmed Pathan, India, Green Planet
- Lavetanalagi Seruiraduvatu, Fiji, Alliance for Future Generations – Fiji
- Bishwamitra BHitrakoti, Nepal
- H.E Amb. Ibrahim Alpha Moigua, Sierra Leone, Save the children, Plan international, Voice Of Hope Youth Organization International
- Munyaneza Derrick Bonheur, Rwanda
- Akura Bemgba James, Nigeria, Gig & Bites Resources
- Prashant Mohesh, Mauritius, World Wide Fund for Nature
- Yashvita Singh Chauhan, India, YOUNGO
- Serge Christophe Abouna Ova’a, Cameroon, Réseau Climat Des Jeunes Du Sud Sahara ( RECJESS)
- Peterson Claude Cledanor, Haïti, Association des Citoyens pour le Développement Durable en Haïti (ACIDDUH)
- Richard Matey, Ghana, Alliance for Empowering Rural Communities
- Nesphory Mwambai, Kenya, Organic Ilemba Limited
- Billy Mazyopa, Zambia, Billy’s Child Welfare Foundation
- Sabrina Loi Xin Qi, Singapore, YOUNGO & LDYC
- Joy Amadi, Nigeria, YOUNGO
- Noah Wescombe, UK, ALLFED
- Benigna de Jesus Marques, East Timor, YOUNGO
- Genesis Whitlock, USA / Antigua
- Foid Ruhimbana, Rwanda
- Anish Shrestha, Nepal, Youth For Environment Education And Development Foundation (YFEED Foundation)
- Gbolagade Olajide, Nigeria, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, University of Lagos Students Chapter
- Birendra Rai, Nepal, HHI
- James Rice, USA
- Reynier C. Tasico, Philippines, Ma-Hop, Climate Reality Philippines, Ministry of Mapping, and YOUNGO
- Felicie Hoffmann, Belgium / United States, YOUNGO & CLEO
- Adam De Salle, Ireland
- Sabrina Guzman Skotnitsky, Canada
- Elisabeth Rieger, Germany, YOUNGO
- Frank Hoppe, Germany, Naturefriends
- Mamadou Sylla, Sénégal, LDYC
- Ariane Desrosiers, USA / Hong Kong / Canada
- Abdurrahman Labaran Inuwa, Nigeria
- Aoife Fleming, Netherlands, UN Youth Representative Sustainable Development for the Netherlands
- Isingizwe Sandra, Rwanda, LDYC
- Kervelle Reesa Baird, Trinidad and Tobago, LDYC
- Shahriar Alam, Bangladesh, thepostman24 news agency
- Ili Nadiah Dzulfakar, Malaysia, Klima Action Malaysia – KAMY
- Jessica Moh, Canada
- Raymond Kaggwa, Uganda
- Xiomara Acevedo, Colombia
- Paul Lodry Dongmo, Cameroon, African Network of Young Leaders for Peace and Sustainable Development
- Savannah Tuck, Canada, BCCIC Climate Change Branch
- MaryJane Enchill, Ghana
- Richard Gokrun, Tuvalu, TuCAN
- Anton Nemenzo, Philippines, YOUNGO
- Birahim Niang, Senegal, African Leaders Factory Initiative
- Hen Wood, UK
- Aatika Patel, Fiji
- Krisna Firmansyah Shalli, Indonesia, Relawan Gerak Indonesia
- Sadie DeCoste, Canada/UK, LDYC
- Ullah Irfan, Pakistan, YOUNGO UNFCCC Youth Constituency
- Deborah Umucyo, Rwanda
- Sarah E Swiersz, USA
- Sarah Pima, Tanzania, Human Dignity and Environmental care Foundation (HUDEFO)
- Kaime Silvestre Silva Oliveira, Brazil, Tapirape Institute
- Darien Castro, Ecuador, Wings for Amazon
- Azeez Tobi Abubakar, Nigeria, Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network (CYCN)
- Regina Leal Cumplido, Mexico, YOUNGO
- Diane Tavignot, France
- Sidonie Verdeil, France
- Basile Connan-Boulle, France, Sciences Po Environment
- Rohani, Indonesia
- Ibrahim Abdullah, Syria
Sign on to the letter here.
Sources:
Central America Hurricane: https://apnews.com/article/tegucigalpa-honduras-hurricane-iota-floods-storms-1ea056d7163e5f7792059a5909eb5811
Pacific Cyclone: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/12/17/weather/cyclone-yasa-damage-intl-hnk/index.html
Southern Africa Drought: https://reliefweb.int/disaster/dr-2018-000429-zwe
Australia Bushfires: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/28/almost-3-billion-animals-affected-by-australian-megafires-report-shows-aoe
