Media Releases

Oxfam reaction to the first anniversary of the collapse of the ceasefire on Western Sahara

November 12, 2021

One year since the collapse of the 29-year ceasefire between the Frente Polisario and Morocco, Oxfam calls on all parties to create momentum to resume peace talks as soon as possible. The most recent escalation of violence in Western Sahara threatens regional stability, and will have devastating consequences for Sahrawi refugees, who have been stranded in camps in the Algerian desert for over 45 years.

Oxfam welcomes the long overdue appointment of the new UN Personal Envoy, Staffan de Mistura; it must be a catalyst for de-escalation. Oxfam calls on the international community to give meaningful support for the UN-led peace process with the voices of civil society, in particular those of women, youth and other marginalised groups firmly at the centre.

By renewing MINURSO’s mandate, the UNSC reaffirms its commitment to a just, sustainable and mutually acceptable political solution, which will ensure the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara[1] in line with international law, supported by multiple resolutions passed by the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly.

Oxfam in Algeria has operated in the Sahrawi refugee camps alongside local partner organizations since the start of the crisis in 1975. Every day we see how communities are suffering and losing hope for their future while the efforts for an inclusive, sustainable peace have failed. Today, 94 per cent of the over 173,000 Sahrawi refugees[2] are dependent on humanitarian aid to meet basic needs such as food, water and shelter. Malnutrition rates are climbing, with food security a reality for only 12 per cent of households. This is a critical moment for the international community to stand with Sahrawi refugees and ensure that their rights, dignity and futures are protected after failing them for far too long.

[1] Resolution 2602 (2021) adopted by the Security Council at its 8890th meeting, on 29 October 2021 https://undocs.org/en/S/RES/2602(2021)

[2] WFP, Food Security Assessment for Sahrawi refugees, 2018 https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000103413/download/

Oxfam Aotearoa: Fossil of the Day award “embarrassing”

November 12, 2021

Oxfam Aotearoa has criticised the New Zealand government for winning the runner up for the “Fossil of the Day” award that Minister James Shaw received at COP26 overnight. The award, presented by the Climate Action Network (CAN), is given to the nation who has hindered COP26 negotiations the most. Oxfam Aotearoa Campaign Lead Alex Johnston said:

“It is embarrassing that our government is receiving such an ‘award’ on a global stage. This is not a good representation of Kiwis; this is not our kaupapa.”

CAN pointed out that the New Zealand government put out a revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) the night before COP, which Oxfam Aotearoa and other organisations said was inconsistent with the Paris Agreement due to its unambitious 2030 target. Oxfam previously reprimanded the updated NDC saying that it relies heavily on paying other countries to do the work for us. As CAN said in their release put out today:

“[Minister Shaw] said that just because a refreshing of the NDC has been asked of countries ‘it doesn’t mean we have to’. This comes from a country that gives off the ‘greener than thou’ vibe at the drop of a hobbits hat. Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised when it was brought to our attention that he’s also the guy who put out a revised NDC the night before COP. That one wasn’t worth the wait, unfortunately. Civil society commentators widely regarded it as a Grade A hatchet job, inconsistent with Paris temperature goals, wholly unambitious on 2030 target and relying heavily on carbon markets.”

Johnston says that the New Zealand government can’t tell other countries to close the ambition gap for 1.5 degrees if we are not willing to do that ourselves:

“The government’s delay to the Emissions Reduction Plan means we are falling further and further behind. We also can’t call for transparency when our NDC hides the fact that domestic emissions will only be cut by around 7-9% below 2005 levels by 2030 on a net-net basis.

“For Minister Shaw to undermine the encouragement to return with greater NDCs in 2022 before the final text has been agreed is extremely disappointing. It’s a reflection of the laggard pace of our domestic action. Each day we delay bolder action means more people go hungry, lose their homes and die.

“Minister Shaw needs to come back from Glasgow with the clear message: Aotearoa New Zealand must scale up our domestic response and increase ambition each year until we are doing our fair share to keep global heating to 1.5 degrees.”

Scotland to significantly increase its Climate Justice Fund

November 11, 2021

Welcoming the news that Scotland will significantly increase its Climate Justice Fund, Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland, said:

“This announcement from the First Minister has hugely raised the stakes as the COP26 talks enter their final few hours: sending a powerful message to the leaders of other rich nations that it’s simply unconscionable to leave poor countries picking up the tab for a climate crisis they did least to cause.

“Other governments must now step up and follow Scotland’s lead by making substantial new financial commitments to developing countries, where people are already losing their lives, homes and livelihoods to climate change.”

Notes to Editor

Read the full announcement by the Scottish Government here: https://www.gov.scot/news/scotland-to-boost-climate-funding/
The Scottish Government had previously announced it would boost its Climate Justice Fund to £24 million over the life of the current Parliament. It will now increase the Fund by a further £12 million.
Last week, Scotland became the first rich nation to create a dedicated fund for countries experiencing the irreversible impacts of climate change. This pioneering ‘loss and damage’ fund, set within the wider Climate Justice Fund, was originally set at £1m. Today’s announcement sees loss and damage funding doubled to £2 million.

Oxfam responds to the launch of the Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance

November 11, 2021

Responding to the launch of the Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance (BOGA), a group of nations committed to phasing out domestic oil and gas production, Oxfam’s climate policy lead Nafkote Dabi said:

“This is a welcome initiative that we encourage all oil and gas producing nations to join. Its success will depend on which governments sign up. Committing to reach net zero emissions while continuing to extract and produce fossil fuels is an epic contradiction that must be called out once and for all.

“While this alliance is rightly open to all, it must be led by industrialised countries that have grown rich from decades of extracting and burning fossil fuels. For this initiative to work, they must lead the way to a fossil-free economic model and enable poorer countries to access the benefits of low-carbon technology.

“The International Energy Agency is clear that there is no room for new fossil fuel production if we are to limit global heating to 1.5°C, and that new production must immediately cease in industrialised countries that have historically benefited from extraction. Communities are already suffering the impacts of virtually endless droughts, rising oceans and super-charged storms. Every fraction of a degree of warming costs lives.”

Notes to editors:

The Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance (BOGA) was announced in September 2021 and is being officially launched today at 12:45GMT at the COP26 UN Climate Summit in Glasgow, UK.

The International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook 2021 said that “no new oil and gas fields are required beyond those already approved for development” under its Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario

Oxfam responds to the draft COP26 decision text

November 10, 2021

Responding to the draft COP26 decision text, Tracy Carty, head of Oxfam’s COP26 delegation said

“This draft COP decision text is too weak. It fails to respond to the climate emergency being faced by millions of people now, who are living with unprecedented extreme weather and being pushed further into poverty.

“It fails to include clear and unambiguous commitment to increase the ambition of 2030 emission reduction targets next year to keep 1.5 degrees alive. Emissions are rising, not falling and current commitments are way off track for keeping this goal within reach.

“There are just two days left to negotiate a better deal. One that commits to increase adaptation finance to 50 per cent by 2025, takes seriously developing country demands for finance for loss and damage, and sends the strongest possible signal emission reduction targets will increase next year in line with 1.5 degrees.”

COP26 week two: Oxfam urges governments to move faster

November 8, 2021

At the start of COP26 week two, Oxfam urges governments to move faster and decisively in the final five days, if they are to reach a deal that will keep 1.5°C within reach and increase support to vulnerable communities.

On keeping 1.5°C within reach, Tracy Carty, head of Oxfam’s COP26 delegation said:

“Last week saw a flurry of announcements, from halting deforestation to reducing methane emissions. And it is an important signal that more countries have committed to ending coal use, and some even fossil fuel financing abroad. Yet, for some of these announcements there is a glaring lack of detail on what they entail.

“They must not be a distraction from the urgent issue of countries needing to increase the ambition of their national emission reduction targets (NDCs) by 2030. Current pledges still add up to a catastrophic 2.7°C.

“This is a crisis COP. There is no time to waste and duck responsibility. Governments absolutely have to keep 1.5°C within reach. This week there has to be a deal that compels all countries to increase the ambition of their NDCs in line with their fair share.”

On the issue of adaptation finance:

“Adaptation finance is a lifeline for poor communities, crucial for helping countries adapt to extreme weather events which they are least responsible for. But currently, only $20 billion of the $100 billion commitment is allocated to adaptation, less than half.

“We need agreement at this COP that there will be a significant increase in adaptation finance, in line with developing country calls for a 50/50 split between adaptation and mitigation, with a greater percentage of funds provided as grants not loans. Last week an increasing number of countries, including Germany, said this call for 50 per cent needed to be taken seriously.

On Loss and damage finance:

“Even at today’s 1.1°C of warming, we are all witnessing more frequent and devastating climate impacts around the world. And the world’s poorest countries are footing the bill for a climate crisis they did little to cause.

“We saw a glimmer of hope start of week one when Scotland stepped forward and became the first rich nation to explicitly commit to finance for loss and damage. We need other rich nations to now do the same.

“We have seen long-standing resistance from developed countries on the question of how to increase resources to help developing countries facing the worst impacts of climate change. Governments have five days to show communities on the frontlines of climate change that they’re not alone.”

Oxfam is also calling for world leaders to listen to the voices of people from developing countries and act on their concerns. Margaret Masudio, a smallholder from Uganda who travelled to the COP with Oxfam to participate said:

“We are very worried, particularly for our children. How do we survive? If right now, the hardship we are facing is at this level, how about the future? Farmers are paying the price for climate change, without knowing why they are paying the price.

“At past COPs, we feel their impact very little – most of the things remained on paper. We hear policies but implementation is not done, because finance is not adequate.”

“In Uganda they have being giving support to communities that have been affected, but it is insufficient. So, at this COP my hope is that all the nations that are here are going to join hands to ensure that loss and damages are financed.”