In an open letter co-ordinated by the Climate Action Network UK (CAN-UK), published 21 May 2025, signatories call on the government to unveil an ambitious climate finance package during the upcoming Comprehensive Spending Review in June. The letter urges the Prime Minister to lead the way in setting a “high quality” fourth round of International Climate Finance (ICF4).
Campaigners argue that the UK has both a moral and financial responsibility to do more in addressing climate change, noting its role as the fifth largest historical emitter and the sixth largest economy.
The letter highlights the “unbearable injustice” faced by communities around the world that have contributed least to the climate crisis but are suffering its most severe consequences. These communities, it says, are “paying the cost with their lives, livelihoods, health, homes, lands, ecosystems, infrastructure, and futures”.
While acknowledging the pressures on public finances, the coalition points to polling which indicates strong public support for targeted taxation to fund climate action. According to recent surveys:
82% of UK adults believe it is wrong for oil and gas companies to make record profits without being held accountable for the environmental damage they cause
64% support higher taxes on the wealthiest individuals to fund climate initiatives
75% support taxing the most polluting businesses more heavily
Campaigners estimate that fair taxation on fossil fuel emitters and the super-rich could generate £115 billion over the next five years—funds that could be channelled into both domestic and international efforts to tackle climate change.
Richard Solly, Advocacy and Campaigns Officer at Jesuit Missions, said:
“In his encyclical Laudato Si', whose tenth anniversary we are about to celebrate, Pope Francis pointed out the need for richer countries to provide the necessary finance for poorer countries to deal with climate change.
“He also pointed out that it was not happening, and why: ‘The failure of global summits on the environment make it plain that our politics are subject to technology and finance. There are too many special interests, and economic interests easily end up trumping the common good…’.
“It is good that Jesuit Missions is just one of 82 organisations calling on the UK Government to play its part in providing what is needed. Let’s hope they listen.”
Jesuits are lobbying for change
This is not the first time Jesuits have raised the climate issue with the Prime Minister. In April last year, schoolchildren from four schools joined Fr Peter Gallagher SJ, Provincial of the Jesuits in Britain, to hand-deliver a climate petition to 10 Downing Street. The petition urged the government to demand serious climate action at COP29 in Azerbaijan. Read more about the petition here.
Ahead of COP30 in Brazil later this year, we recently announced our support for the global Jesuit campaign for climate justice ahead of COP30, which calls on Jesuit communities and partners worldwide to advocate for systemic change in support of those most affected by climate breakdown.
To find out more about Jesuit Missions please visit the website here.
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