CHRISTIAN groups taking part in the COP29 climate talks in Baku this week have called on rich countries to “pay their climate debt” to communities struggling with the effects of the climate crisis.

Patricia Mungcal, director of humanitarian response for the National Council of Churches of the Philippines, said: “Communities in the Philippines experienced six strong typhoons in a row in four weeks. “This is not normal and it is unfair that we, the people, are subjected to disasters due to the climate crisis that we did not create.”

He said the climate finance negotiated at the summit should not be seen as aid. “We are determined that primary responsibility for the climate disaster in the Philippines lies with the world’s largest carbon emitters and that there is a climate debt that must be paid. “Climate finance is not just a call for help: it is a call for accountability for major polluters to fulfill their moral and historical obligations and fulfill their climate debt to humanity, especially the most affected and vulnerable.”

Heading into the final stage of the summit, delegates were reportedly growing testy as rich countries asked middle-income countries to contribute more to climate finance.

Maddie Armstrong, Ph.D. The Central Michigan University Earth and Ecosystem Science student, who is on the board of Young Evangelists for Climate Action and is involved in the Christian Observers Program, said: “We must leave selfish desires behind and actually put actions into words.

“Pointing fingers gets us nowhere; We are all in this world and we need to come together and take ambitious, science-backed climate action. We need to establish a realistic framework for climate finance, particularly around losses and damages for the first and worst affected countries. “The momentum at COP29 needs to pick up in the coming days.”

Azerbaijan has drafted Ed Miliband, the UK Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero, to help get the line across. Mr Miliband played a role in saving the COP summit in Copenhagen in 2009 following disagreements between developed and developing countries.

The Rt Revd Philip Huggins, a regional bishop in the diocese of Melbourne, said: “By the end of this week, we have the potential for people around the world to feel truly more hopeful about the future. Those who already know about catastrophic climate change can feel loved and cared for. The days ahead are so big.” “What a beautiful and focusing responsibility it is.”