Just days after Rishi Sunak was accused of 'backpedalling' on net-zero pledges, Macclesfield campaigners have took to the streets over climate change action.

In an already pre-planned event before last week's central government announcements, representatives of Global Justice Macclesfield began their campaign 'Polluters Must Pay! – campaigning for Climate Justice.'

This involved gathering on Exchange Street and sharing their view that big business should be taxed on contributing to our changing climate, with said fees going towards countries worst affected by environmental disaster.

In a statement, Global Justice Macclesfield said: "Countries all over the globe are suffering the impacts of climate change but the low income countries of the global south are suffering disproportionately."

"These countries are both the least responsible for the crisis and the least resourced to adapt to a changing climate, or to pay for the loss and damage incurred by the increasing number of extreme weather disasters as well as slow onset events like rising sea levels, desertification and melting glaciers.

"Last year at COP 27 the international community agreed to set up a Loss and Damage Fund to help climate vulnerable countries but how the fund will work and who will contribute to it is still being worked out.

"We are calling on the UK Government to tax corporate polluters such as fossil fuel giants and the banks that finance them and to make a significant contribution to the Loss and Damage Fund."

Earlier this year Cyclone Freddie displaced more than 0.5 million people in Malawi whilst Eastern Africa has experienced its worst droughts in 40 years following five successive years of crop failure.

Other low GDP countries which have recently been affected by extreme weather include Somalia, who are amongst the top 25 lowest GDP's in the world. The East African nation saw 43,000 people die due to drought in 2022, according to Action Against Hunger.

"Those who have done the least to cause the climate crisis are paying the highest price with loss of their lives, livelihoods, homes and cultures as well as ruined infrastructure," said Natalie Abbott from Global Justice Macclesfield.

"In the meantime fossil fuel companies continue to make massive profits and continue to be financed by big banks.

"Those responsible for driving the climate disaster need to face up to the planet wrecking effect of burning fossil fuels and pay for the damage caused."

Just four days ago, the UK government pledged "to spend £11.6 billion on international climate finance between 2021 to 2022 and 2025 to 2026.

"It follows the Prime Minister's pledge of £1.62 billion towards the Global Climate Fund, at the G20 in India."

The UK government will be contacted for further comment.

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