An international press conference hosted by the COP26 coalition will take place to coincide with President Joe Biden’s virtual Leaders’ Summit on Climate Change this Thursday.

On April 22nd Earth Day, the largest ever historical polluter, the United States, is bringing together 40 other major emitters,  “to underscore the urgency – and the economic benefits – of stronger climate action”.

Date: Thursday 22nd April

Time: 19:00 – 20:00 BST

Online Press Event: https://zoom.us/j/91952005934

The US is set to announce it’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) towards the Paris Agreement and it is anticipated that this contribution will fall far short of the US’ fair share of climate action. This is true of most if not all countries invited to the virtual Leaders’ Summit.

The COP26 Coalition will challenge the greenwashing of world leaders’ current lack of ambition and woeful records on climate action, and call out their attempts to distract and cover up with “net-zero” pledges that rely heavily on carbon offsetting and unproven technologies rather than on an equitable phaseout of fossil fuels.

The likes of the US and UK plan to continue their production of fossil fuels while hiding behind pledges of “net-zero”. As the climate justice movement, we unambiguously oppose the false solutions and greenwashing of government and industry.

Speakers will include: 

  • Asad Rehman – War On Want
    • “Billions around the world face a daily struggle to survive in the face of a worsening climate crisis, a never ending crisis of inequality and a global health pandemic – with millions denied access to life saving vaccines. Tinkering around the edges of a broken system will simply be a death sentence for them. Fixing the climate crisis requires more than simply cutting carbon; we need bold action that meets these challenges and puts us on a pathway to a fairer and safer planet for everyone.”
  • Maria Reyes – Fridays for Future, Mexico
    • “You can refine your emissions inventories as you please, but your greenhouse gases are still in the atmosphere and the people continue to be impacted. You will claim to be ambitious and magnificent, but we know that in reality the emperor has no clothes.”
  • Brandon Wu – ActionAid USA
    • “The Biden administration wants to show that the United States can be a ‘climate leader.’ But the U.S. has never been a climate leader. In global climate talks it has always been a barrier to ambitious action, despite being the world’s largest historical climate polluter. If the Biden administration genuinely wants to turn this around, it must commit the United States to doing its fair share of global climate action. That means dramatic and urgent domestic emissions cuts, and just as importantly it also means immediate commitments to provide climate finance to support action in developing countries.”
  • Rhoda Boateng – ITUC Africa
    • “Net Zero is meaningless without meaningful participation of the most vulnerable in the design and implementation of transition plans. Achieving a just transition requires all on board – people of all colour, class, groupings – the old and young – governments, employers as well as workers. This is fair, this is just. We need a Just Transition for workers! We need a Just Transition for vulnerable and marginalised groups!”
  • Bryce Goodall – local resident, Cowdenbeath and  Mossmorran community activist  
    • “As a resident, living near the Exxon and Shell Mossmorran plant this has been a nightmare! I have experienced vibrations and soot particles entering my home over 5 miles away from these climate criminals and so have over 450 residents in the nearby towns of Lochgelly and Cowdenbeath. There have been reported cases of sleep disturbance, noise pollution and massive impacts to people’s mental health. Enough is enough – we need a just transition for the workers and communities immediately!”