The ChariTree Foundation Joins Civil Society Call for Fair Climate Action at UN Summit

Open letter from civil society to world leaders at the UN Secretary General’s Climate Summit: Draw the line by demanding Global North countries do their fair share of climate action

As the UNSG’s Climate Summit convenes in New York on September 24, the national plans governments submit will shape our collective future and define the lived reality of billions of people on the frontlines of the climate crisis. 

We call on countries with the greatest historical emissions and highest capacity to pay – and who have so far failed to do their fair share of global climate action – to include plans to equitably phase out fossil fuels and provide public finance for just transitions worldwide in their NDCs.

When countries signed the Paris Agreement, they promised to safeguard our shared path forward by submitting stronger plans every five years. Yet, ten years later, their updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are anticipated to fall far short of preventing catastrophic climate impacts that are already deepening inequalities and devastating communities, ecosystems, and economies alike. Marginalised and vulnerable countries bear the brunt of the impacts of the climate crisis, while historically major emitting governments of the Global North continue to burn and even expand production polluting fossil fuels, fail to deliver their fair share of climate finance, or align national action with global responsibility. 

This is where we draw the line. 

We draw the line against inequalities, tyranny, genocide, destruction, and chaos.

We draw the line for rights, jobs, justice, democracy, and systems change towards a fulfilling life on a safe planet.

In the global week of actions from September 15th to 21st, people and civil society came together in a massive show of strength to resist rollback, inaction and injustices and demand real, decisive, and urgent action from world leaders: Make 2025 a turning point.

NDCs must address the historical responsibilities of countries who got rich first from burning fossil fuels, detailing equitable fossil fuel phase-out plans that reject dangerous technologies and false solutions that deepen injustice. Governments of the Global North must deliver on their commitments and obligations to provide finance to Global South countries who contributed less to the crisis yet bear the costs with no support. Together, they must showcase that the Paris Agreement remains a powerful tool and one of our best bets to tackle injustice, pollution, and violence by enabling a just transition built on peace, clean energy, and fairness. 

This world is ours. This is our line to draw.

This letter is being released ahead of the UNSG Climate Summit on September 24th, undersigned by civil society groups, social movements, and individuals taking part in the Draw the Line global mobilisations, September 15-21. 

  1. 350.org
  2. Action for Climate and Environmental Sustainability
  3. ActionAid International
  4. African Initiative for Integrated Development in the Sahel
  5. Afrique Eco 2100
  6. Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD)
  7. Asociación Ambiente y Sociedad
  8. Association des jeunes pour l’assainissement et la protection de l’environnement (Ajape)
  9. Billion Strong
  10. Bureti championships
  11. Care About Climate
  12. The ChariTree Foundation
  13. Climate Action Network Europe
  14. Climate Action Network – Réseau action climat Canada
  15. Climate Clock DRC
  16. Climate Solution International
  17. Eco-Impact
  18. Ecoresiliencenetwork
  19. Emmaüs International
  20. Fondation GoodPlanet
  21. Fridays for future Sierra Leone
  22. GHETT’UP
  23. Global Network of Civil Society Organisation for Disaster Reduction
  24. Global Platforms Network
  25. Green Disability
  26. Green Transformation and Sustainability Network
  27. Iceland Nature Conservation Association
  28. Jeunes Volontaires pour l’Environnement
  29. Life of Pachamama
  30. Oil Change International
  31. Our Kids’ Climate
  32. Regional center for International Development cooperation – RCIDC
  33. Renewable Energy Engineering Students Association
  34. Roots
  35. Santo Sunset Environment Network (Vanuatu)
  36. The Nikola Tesla Foundation International
  37. TIPPING POINT NORTH SOUTH
  38. Transforma
  39. Union of Concerned Scientists
  40. Universal Versatile Society
  41. We, The World Botswana
  42. Wellbeing Economy Alliance
  43. WiLPF Canada
  44. World’s Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ)
  45. Young volunteers for Environment cameroon
  46. YOUNGO – Children and Youth Constituency of the UNFCCC