Under the very hot weather warning and typhoon signal No. 3, a group of Oxfam youth advocates, without fear of the extreme weather, lay down for their cause - "Stop Poverty Stop Climate Change; Every Little Help Counts" - in the pedestrian area of Causeway Bay. The action marks the launch of Oxfam Hong Kong's LESS CO2 LESS POVERTY campaign and its website www.oxfam.org.hk/climatechange. Oxfam calls on members of the public to commit to the cause too, and to take action to stop climate change and its devastating impacts on people living in poverty.
Oxfam Hong Kong is pleased to have songwriter, singer and guitarist Paul Wong Koon-chung as Ambassador for the LESS CO2 LESS POVERTY campaign. Showing his keen support for the campaign, Paul offered a song of his to the campaign and created the first card on the campaign website, with the message "waste less – cut waste and consumption; stop climate change and global warming, for a better world for all". Paul also pledged to support Oxfam's online petition to urge policymakers to tackle climate change.
LESS CO2 LESS POVERTY website contains real-life stories that illustrate the impacts of climate change on poor people and interactive tools including:
- Make a little card – share your tips on reducing carbon emissions, thereby reducing the impacts of climate change on poor people . Users can share their DIY cards with friends, passing the tips along.
- Make a pledge - Make a pledge to reduce your personal emissions, and call on policymakers to stop climate change and its devastating impacts on poor people. We will bring your voices to Copenhagen, where world leaders will conclude a climate agreement this December.
A series of Oxfam posters will also be on display at bus shelters – "less soaking", "less blowing" and "less drying" – to urge the public to reduce the wastage that leads to climate change and its adverse impacts on the livelihoods of poor people.
LESS CO2 LESS POVERTY campaign marks a new stage of Oxfam's STOP POVERTY! STOP CLIMATE CHANGE! campaign. With the UN climate summit only a few months away, Oxfam Hong Kong aims to rally public support for a fair and equitable international climate agreement which should be concluded in December this year. We call on leaders of rich countries to lead the way in drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and to provide funding and technologies to help poor nations cope with the effects of climate change. We also call on the HKSAR government to support adaptation in poor countries and to adopt a holistic climate policy, with unequivocal targets for emission cuts.
Oxfam Hong Kong's Campaign Coordinator Stanley So : "Each Hong Kong resident contributes an average of six tonnes of carbon dioxide a year - twice the world average. Hong Kong people share responsibility for climate problems, inducing disasters and extreme weather events. Every year, 250 million people around the world are affected by climate disasters, with poor people hit first and worst."
"Climate change is not only an environmental concern, but a crisis that is deepening poverty and undermining efforts to reduce poverty. Hong Kong people should not belittle the power of individual action. We have the responsibility and ability to solve the climate crisis –going for less waste, consumption and less carbon emissions. We can thus lessen the negative impacts of climate change on poor people and help poor people adapt to climate change."
Sophie, a Form 3 student who took part in today's action, said," I am here today because I do care about the environment. Climate change is affecting human life and so many farmers around the world. I want to help by learning more about the issue and telling my friends about it."
