United Front Formed as World Leaders Address Climate and Poverty IssuesGlobal Citizen, the world’s leading international advocacy organization, has partnered with world leaders to launch a new campaign titled “Power Our Planet: Act Today, Save Tomorrow.”
Spearheaded by the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, a summit was held in New York on Thursday with other leaders committed to the campaign, including Emmanuel Macron, President of France, Julius Maada Bio, President of Sierra Leone, Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain, José Ramos-Horta, President of Timor Leste, and the government of Zambia.
The campaign aims to address climate change and extreme poverty in poor nations, with a call to action for governments, banks, philanthropists, and corporations to contribute to raising funds. The communique issued implores these entities to tackle natural disasters, critical health challenges, and educational deficiencies hindering progress in poor countries.
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It read, “Leaders of nations in the Global North and Global South unite to mobilize billions to address climate change and extreme poverty Co-Chaired by Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, Supported by Emmanuel Macron, President of France; Julius Maada Bio, President of Sierra Leone; Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain; José Ramos-Horta, President of Timor Leste; and the Government of Zambia.
“Today Global Citizen, the world’s leading international advocacy organization on a mission to end extreme poverty NOW, launched its new global campaign, Power Our Planet: Act Today, Save Tomorrow, announced during the Global Citizen NOW action summit in New York City, and Co-Chaired by Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, Power Our Planet is a global effort to mobilize critical financing for developing countries to fight climate change and extreme poverty.
“Global Citizen, together with Power Our Planet’s Co-Chair and supporters, is calling for a seismic shift in the way the world’s financial systems work and is urging governments, development banks, philanthropists, and major corporations to give the world’s poor and developing nations access to the financing they urgently need to quicken their transition to clean energy, strengthen defenses against natural disasters, and more rapidly invest in critical health, food, and education programs for their populations.
“Power Our Planet will galvanize millions of global citizens worldwide to take action, raise their voices, and demand urgent changes from world leaders, starting with delivering on the financing promises they’ve already made, including closing the $16.7 billion climate finance gap outstanding from the Paris Agreement.
“The campaign will amplify their calls for action through advocacy initiatives, activations, and live events. Inflection points throughout this year will include the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, in May; the New Global Financial Pact Summit in Paris, France in June; the G20 summit in New Delhi, India, in September; Global Citizen Festival UNDER STRICT EMBARGO UNTIL THURSDAY APRIL 27 at 3:50 pm ET during the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, USA in September; and COP28 in Dubai, UAE in November.”
“Increasing inequality and climate change threaten to undo a generation’s progress on ending extreme poverty and push millions more people into entirely preventable oppression,” said Hugh Evans, Co-Founder & CEO of Global Citizen.
“Power Our Planet is a coalition of governments, leaders across sectors, global citizens, artists, and activists. Together, we’re demanding that it’s time for accountability on past promises and bold, new commitments from world leaders. And we have a clear message for the heads of the World Bank and the IMF – it’s time for major institutional reform.”
“We call on all institutions, including the World Bank, to release the funds necessary to help the world’s poorest countries to adapt, to transition, and to withstand the climate crisis, not tomorrow but NOW,” said Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados.
He further said, “The leaders of wealthy countries must step up and pay up on the $16 billion of climate financing they have promised if we are to help save the planet and save lives. The climate crisis is our reality, and adaptation is key. Join me and take action as part of Global Citizen’s Power Our Planet campaign.
