On 21st September Jagaran Nepal was involved in organizing People’s Climate March 2024 with the theme “Pay Up for Climate Finance Action”. Jagaran Nepal with other civil society organizations, climate activists, differently-able groups, women, farmers, workers, and indigenous and marginalized groups gathered to demand immediate and decisive action on climate finance to priorities climate justice and equity leading up to COP-29 in Baku.

This action was geared towards drawing the attention of governments and leaders of Global North on the huge overdue bill that they have to pay to the countries of the Global South for their decades of inaction and broken promises when it comes to climate action. Result of their inaction has deepened the gross inequalities and injustices endured by communities, economies, and ecosystems across the Global South. An estimated US$5 trillion per year is the initial contribution that Global North needs to pay for a much larger debt owed to the Global South as downpayment for a just future.

Jagaran Nepal was part of the organizing committee for this action. The actions held two preparatory meetings leading up to the event in September 13th and 16th. Likewise, an art workshop was held on 19th and 20th September, in order to make the action more vibrant through visual impact materials to effectively deliver the messages of the action. The workshop was focused towards making creative and informative banners, play-cards, message boards and slogans. A day before the event, on 20th September, a press meet was organized which detailed the intention of the action and called upon all citizens to join the People’s Climate Mobilization – 2024 demanding countries of the global north to pay up for climate finance in order to combat climate change while delivering climate justice.

On the main event day, around 300 individuals representing various groups including civil society organizations, climate activists, differently-able groups, women, farmers, workers, and indigenous and marginalized communities marched from Jawalakhel to Patan Durbar demanding Global North nations to PAY-UP for Climate Action.

The People’s Climate Mobilization 2024 demanded that Climate Finance meet the following principles:

• Climate finance should come from public, not private sources, to avoid profit-driven motives.
• Creation of new and additional climate finance should be prioritized, that go beyond current commitments like overseas development aid (ODA).
• Climate finance should be in the form of grants and not loans, as the Global South is already burdened with debt.
• Climate finance must be adequate, predictable, and timely to address urgent climate action needs.
• Climate finance should cover mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and just transition for affected communities.
• Distribution of funds must be transparent, accountable, and aligned with the Global South’s priorities.