From 24 September to 2 October 2022, join us again for The Great Big Green Week. Together we can show decision makers that people from all walks of life are stepping up to act on climate change – and we need them to step up too.
Right now, across Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific, communities who did the least to cause the climate crisis are living with its worst effects. Droughts, food shortages, plant diseases that are destroying crops. These are often the same communities unable to earn enough for a decent life due to unfair trade and extreme global inequality, while the UK and other wealthy countries continue to benefit from a deeply unfair global trade system.
This Autumn, we are asking Fairtrade supporters around the UK to ‘sow their solidarity’ with farmers and workers fighting the climate crisis. You can also ask your local government representative to step up and make sure they have the support and finance to invest in building more sustainable futures for their communities, and the whole planet.
Fairtrade farmers are already investing what they can in the solutions needed to protect their communities and our food supply from climate breakdown. At COP26 last year, the UK government promised once again to fund the work these communities are doing to take on the climate crisis. But nearly one year on, we’re concerned that it’s taking far too long for these decade-old promises to be met, and that those communities will not have a say in how that money is spent.
We are running out of time to get this right, and we need local government representatives across the UK to know that their constituents want the government to meet their promises now before it is too late.
From mid August you will be able to order your bespoke seeds to sow your solidary for farmers and workers in your community during Great Big Green Week. You will also be able to add your name to our declaration of community support for farmers and workers and let your local Parliamentary Representative know that you are looking to them to ensure action is taken by our government by sending them a message asking them to sow the seeds of change in Parliament.
You could sow your solidarity in your own garden, in a local community garden, or you could organise a local planting event and invite your local MP, MSP or MS to join you. You could even join up with another local group focusing on sustainability, climate change or biodiversity to do a joint event.
The climate coalition already have lots of great resources to support you to organise a local event, engage your local politician and get the word out in your community.
Check out the Great Big Green Week Resources here
Check back here from mid August in to order your seeds of solidarity and find out how to let your MP know that you and your community stand in solidarity with Fairtrade farmers and workers across the world.
In the meantime, you can send any questions about getting involved in Great Big Green Week to hello@fairtrade.org.uk and we’ll be happy to help.