The "Loss and Damage Fund" to really work

 I signed the first petition I've been interested in - in years! Here it is in a nutshell...

At last year’s COP27, world leaders recognized the urgency of climate change, pledging to establish a Loss and Damage Fund for those least responsible yet most affected by climate disasters. As COP28 approaches from November 30 to December 12, the United States at this pivotal moment, holds significant influence over the future of this fund. With the potential for the World Bank to oversee the fund, there is a risk of perpetuating existing inequities that disadvantage the Global South.

At COP28 it is imperative that the promises made are not empty ones. Communities are watching as their homes disappear into the sea, storms demolish their sacred sites, and saltwater contaminates their freshwater and crops. These are the voices we amplify — voices of Indigenous Peoples and those who shoulder our warming planet’s heaviest burdens, despite contributing the least to the crisis. 

Join us in a critical movement to influence climate policy as we appeal to Presidential Climate Envoy John Kerry. We’re campaigning for the United States to lead in establishing and operationalizing the Loss and Damage Fund, as promised in previous climate summits. This fund is essential—it’s about providing financial support and recovery resources to the countries and communities most affected by climate change, especially those who have contributed least to the global emissions causing this crisis.

We call on John Kerry to guide the U.S. in supporting a Loss and Damage Fund that is independent and equitable, ensuring that the voices and rights of grassroots communities are not just heard but are the cornerstone of its operations. This fund must represent a break from the past, moving away from donor-dominated structures to one that symbolizes unity and delivers direct, debt-free support. 

This came from the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, and the information about the petition is Here. 

My take is that the World Bank wouldn't be really looking out for those who have suffered. Remember last year at COP 27 when so many African and Asian delegates came and told of their suffering from Climate Change? This fund was designed to help them and others, and not to line the pockets of politicians.