“We have a vision to grow bigger” Magdelene, Sierra Leone. Credit:Nana Kofi Acquah/Oxfam. Perk, graphic designer and climate activist. Credit:Oxfam. Rowena planting mangrove saplings in a restoration project, Phillippines. Credit:Elizabeth Stevens/Oxfam.
Make polluters pay
The biggest climate polluters must foot the bill for a better future
- The biggest emitters of pollution are being let off the hook for the climate damage they’re causing to communities around the world.
- Fairly taxing them last year could have raised an extra £23 billion to combat the climate crisis.
- We need action now. This would create enough funding to support us all – in the UK and across the world.
The biggest climate polluters must foot the bill for a better future
- The biggest emitters of pollution are being let off the hook for the climate damage they’re causing to communities around the world.
- Fairly taxing them last year could have raised an extra £23 billion to combat the climate crisis.
- We need action now. This would create enough funding to support us all – in the UK and across the world.
A better future just became more real
It’s a grave injustice that the UK’s biggest climate polluters have been let off from paying for the global consequences of their destructive actions – while being allowed to get richer and richer.
Our new report shows how fairly taxing the biggest carbon polluters could support us all by:
- generating billions every year for communities around the world facing the worst impacts of the climate crisis despite having done the least to cause them.
- powering UK climate action to ensure a fair switch to renewable energy - reducing bills and harmful emissions.
Why not fairly tax the use of private jets and superyachts? Why not redirect the billions in public money that’s being used to support fossil fuel production?
It just makes sense.
It would help create a more equal world. One where those of us vulnerable to the climate crisis have the resources to survive extreme weather, and the opportunity to build sustainable futures for generations to come.
People everywhere are pushing governments of the world’s richest nations to make this a reality. Join them.
Urge Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to fairly tax the biggest carbon polluters now.
Rishi Sunak speaking at the COP27 conference. Credit: Simon Walker / No10 Downing Street
Dear Prime Minister...
People everywhere are suffering from the climate crisis, while the biggest polluters become even more wealthy. It is only fair to hold these polluters to account for their damaging activities.
We ask you to make the biggest polluters pay, to generate finance that can support communities in addressing loss and damage caused by floods, storms, sea-level rise and other climate impacts.
What is loss and damage?
‘Loss and damage’ is the term used for climate impacts which cannot be or haven’t been addressed. The ‘loss’ refers to things that are irreversibly lost such as lives, a way of living or historical site, while the ‘damage’ refers to things that can be repaired or recovered such as roads, buildings or crop yields.
What is the loss and damage fund?
The loss and damage fund should be for communities most affected by the climate crisis. It should allow people to access the support needed to recover from extreme weather – such as clean water during a drought, or funds to help rebuild after homes are destroyed by floods.
Who are the polluters that should pay?
The money must be raised from those within the UK and other rich nations who are historically responsible for the crisis through their high emissions. And who have the resources to provide the money needed, such as the fossil fuel companies and the richest 1% of people.
Why must our Government act?
It’s the Government’s responsibility to raise the money for the loss and damage fund from the UK’s biggest polluters, by redirecting the subsidies that are going into polluters’ pockets and tax them properly.
How will this make a difference?
As well as helping communities recover from extreme weather events and continue their work developing solutions for the challenges they’re facing – it sends a signal to big polluters that they must take responsibility for their actions. Moving us closer to climate justice for all.
Who is most affected by the climate crisis?
Climate change is being felt most by people in countries that have done the least to cause the crisis. According to climate scientists, over 3.3 billion people live in places highly vulnerable to climate change.
Inequality and discrimination mean that this injustice is often felt more deeply as a result of race, gender, sexuality, disability, income or all of these combined.
What does Oxfam’s report reveal?
Our ‘Payment Overdue’ report breaks down four ways the UK Government could be fairly raising billions to combat the climate crisis for people in the UK and around the world – through targeting those with the deepest pockets and the highest responsibility for emissions.
This page was produced with the financial support of the European Union. The contents of this page are the sole responsibility of Oxfam Great Britain and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.