The WTO meeting and climate change

Here in the UK, we’re reading headlines about rocketing petrol prices and the biggest cost of living rise in decades. But for the communities Traidcraft Exchange works with around the world, the impact of this ‘perfect storm’ is even more acute – and it’s set to get worse.

A year on from our public campaign calling for the Government to join the ACCTs trade deal, our Head of Policy, Ally Carnwath, talks us through what the campaign resulted in.

The Government started talking about ‘Global Britain’ back in late 2016, just after the Brexit referendum. Theresa May and Boris Johnson argued that we now had the chance to make new trade deals with the rest of the world, and that these trade deals would benefit the UK but also the poorest people in the world.

Fast forward to late 2021, and the Government has faltered in delivering on this promise.

Joshna Begum rose through the ranks of her local community group to become President within a short space of time.

But her community was struggling. To get to the local market meant a five-hour walk around marshland that was flooding more often thanks to climate change.

They had petitioned the local government to get a new road built - to no avail.

When Joshna stepped in, everything changed...

Thanks to our amazing supporters, we have reached a final total of £1,312,585, including £656,292 of match funding from the UK government, to help people on the front line stand strong in the face of climate change.

Let’s take a look at which countries are responsible for climate emissions, not just today and not just domestically, but historically and through trade as well.

Earth Day 2021 represented an opportunity to plant seeds that make a difference to those on the front lines of the climate crisis, whose livelihoods are threatened every day.

So, we decided to fund the planting 300 acres of fruit trees in Tanzania as part of the Regenerators Appeal - and plant one of our own at Heaton Park, Newcastle, with the help of Urban Green and Traidcraft PLC.