What Oxfam is Doing

While least responsible for causing climate change, poor people bear the brunt of its impacts. Oxfam America is launching a campaign to respond to the crisis. We are asking that the US reduce greenhouse gas pollution, and increase funding so that poor people can survive the effects of global warming.

We’ve all seen the images on the evening news: the droughts, floods, hunger, and disease. Decades of greenhouse gas emissions have finally caught up with our climate—and it’s the poorest among us who are worst affected.

Over the past 30 years, the Turkana people of Northwest Kenya have experienced a 25 percent average decrease in annual rainfall. In the former Soviet states of central Asia, countries like Tajikistan have experienced extreme drought, paradoxically coupled with floods and landslides. And in Bangladesh, where scientists have warned that a rise in sea level may flood 20 percent of their land, typhoons and floods have already increased in severity.

The outlook is frightening. But maybe that’s why climate change is finally getting the attention it deserves.

As an international relief and development organization, Oxfam America has a long history of supporting vulnerable communities through our disaster preparedness and livelihoods work. Now, we are joining the worldwide movement to use political action to stabilize our planet’s rising temperature. Our contribution? We’ll put the needs of poor people first.

We are asking that the US:

Stop harming. As one of the world’s largest producers of green¬house gases, the US must commit to reducing its emissions—and helping developing countries reduce their own emissions through clean energy technologies. By 2050, US reductions must be at least 80 percent below 1990 levels. This would help us avoid a global temperature rise of 3.6° F (2° C), the point at which the world would experience huge shocks to our water resources, food production, sea levels, and ecosystems.
Start helping. The US must commit to assisting poor people in developing countries who are already struggling to deal with climate change—by providing funding to help them adapt. With this funding, vulnerable communities could diversify their ways of earning a living and plan and budget for disasters.
Establish fair solutions. Through US climate change policies, companies producing greenhouse gas emissions should contrib¬ute toward helping poor people here and abroad.

As awareness about global warming grows, Oxfam America is determined to transform this public pressure into real policy change. We have a few key opportunities coming up soon.

A number of legislative proposals dealing with climate change, such as America’s Climate Security Act, are moving through the US Senate.
The possibility of a House proposal is increasing.
And we are engaging voters in the 2008 elections.

Each event represents a vital opportunity for Oxfam and our supporters to take action.