No Climate Justice without Trade Justice

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Small-scale farmers must be supported in the fight against climate change.

WFTO-Europe together with the International Fair Trade Movement today called on the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to introduce transparent, fair and binding mechanisms for trade justice in order to achieve climate justice in their negotiations at COP24.

More than 500 million small-scale farms provide over 80 per cent of the food consumed in the Global South. They, along with rural workers, are among the groups most affected by the devastating impacts of climate change, but their voices are not being heard in climate change negotiations.

The International Fair Trade Movement strongly urges the Parties of the UNFCCC at COP24 to recognize fair trading policies and practices as an important component of climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.

Their joint Policy Paper, “Trade Justice: A key component of buidling smallholder farmers’ climate resilience”, outlines five concrete steps needed to urgently transform the global economic system so that it works for people and planet: transparency & binding regulation; financial support; farmer-focused trainings and technical expertise; investment into agronomical research; and tax justice.

“Smallholder farmers are on the front line of climate change. They contribute to global food security and to their national economies, yet they are among the most vulnerable to climate change impacts. There is therefore an urgent need for large scale action to support these farmers to confront the challenges of climate change” said Lannette Chiti, Senior Climate Change Advisor of Fairtrade International.

Erinch Sahamm Chief Executive of World Fair Trade Organization, spoke along the same lines: “The poorest are hit hardest by climate change, a problem they did not cause. Now they suffer through increasing crop failures, water shortages and natural disasters. As a community of enterprises that exist to serve these people, the WFTO calls on world leaders to embrace bold climate action. We, as 330 enterprises across 70 countries, remain steadfastly committed to our communities and we invite world leader to join us.” 

The environmental, economic and social impacts of climate change are jeopardizing the future of agricultural and artisanal supply chains. Smallholder producers in conventional world trade suffer from volatility of prices and unfair trading practices. The Fair Trade movement promotes a fairer model of trade, which encourages sustainable production and consumption. A recent study on coffee and climate change by Le BASIC has shown that fair trading practices improve producers’ livelihoods by ensuring they receive a higher share of value created in the supply chain, helping to significantly mitigate environmental and societal costs borne by producer communities in the Global South.Trade justice is therefore a vital step towards achieving climate justice; prioritizing the needs of small-scale farmers and taking into account their increased vulnerabilities.

Francesca Giubilo, Regional Coordinator of WFTO-Europe, stated: “Climate change, inequalities, poverty and hunger do not need separate answers but a global response able to tackle the root causes of these problems and put people and planet before profit. Guaranteeing fairness in economic relationships is a necessary component of this response. In order to address the impacts of climate change smallholder producers and vulnerable communities need financial and technical support, as well as transparency mechanisms and binding regulations that would ensure fairer supply chains.”

However, Fair Trade alone cannot meet the scale of the challenges posed by climate change and the inequality in value chains; the current global economic system urgently needs to be transformed.

“The sustainability of agricultural supply chains is seriously at risk. Fair Trade alone is not sufficient to fight climate change, but fair trading practices and sustainable prices for farmers are must-have conditions to enable farmers’ resilience to climate change” stressed Sergi Corbalán, Executive Director of the Fair Trade Advocacy Office.

  • Contact

Mikkel Kofod Norgard | Junior Project Officer of WFTO-Europe
projects@wfto-europe.org | Tel: +32 2 640 63 86

Sergi Corbalán | Executive Director of the Fair Trade Advocacy Office
corbalan@fairtrade-advocacy.org | Tel: +32 2 543 19 23

 

 

  • Notes to Editor
    • The Fair Trade Advocacy Office (FTAO) speaks out on behalf of the Fair Trade movement for Fair Trade and Trade Justice with the aim to improve the livelihoods of marginalised producers and workers in the South. The FTAO is a joint initiative of Fairtrade International, and the World Fair Trade Organization (Europe and Global). Read more: www.fairtrade-advocacy.org
    • The World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) is a global community of Fair Trade Enterprises. Founded in 1989, it has over 400 members across 70 countries, counting over 330 Fair Trade Enterprises and 70 organisations and networks that support them. Through peer reviews and independent audits WFTO ensures members are mission led businesses that put people and planet first. Read more: www.wfto.com
    • Fairtrade International represents an alternative approach to conventional trade based on a partnership between producers and traders, businesses and consumers. The international Fairtrade system – made up of Fairtrade International and its member organizations – represents the worlds largest and most recognized fair trade system. Read more: www.fairtrade.net

 

  • Signatories to the Policy Statement:

World Fair Trade Organization
World Fair Trade Organization Europe
Associazione Botteghe del Mondo
Commerce Équitable France
Equo Garantito
Fédération Artisans du Monde
Forum Fairer Handel
GEPA – The Fair Trade Company
Oxfam Belgium
Polish Fair Trade Association
Scottish Fair Trade Forum
Traidcraft Exchange
Fairtrade International
Fairtrade Belgium
Fairtrade Czech Republic & Slovakia
Fairtrade Finland
Fairtrade Germany
Fairtrade Italy
Fairtrade Poland
Max Havelaar France
Fair World Project
Swiss Fair Trade
Fair Trade Advocacy Office