Alliance Of Climate Civil Society Organisations Rally In Seville For Global Levies To Make Polluters Pay
The rally centered around a bold new demand for Solidarity Levies—international taxes on fossil fuels, aviation, shipping, financial transactions, and billionaires—to fund climate resilience and equitable development in countries most affected by climate change.
The action accompanies an open letter signed by more than 47 NGOs – representing 231 organisations – underscoring the broad and diverse backing for the call to Make Polluters Pay.
The rally centered around a large banner declaring 'Make Polluters Pay: Solidarity Levies Now,' alongside placards and powerful street visuals, including Spanish-inspired traffic signs to highlight the responsibility of highly polluting sectors.
The coalition is urging world leaders at FFD4 to adopt taxes and fines on the world's most polluting industries for fueling storms, floods, heat waves, drought and wildfires, as well as other climate related disasters. World governments are also encouraged to join the Global Solidarity Levies Task Force, led by Barbados, France and Kenya, and backed by governments and institutions like the UN, IMF, and African Union. The goal: to raise much needed revenue to fight against climate change and support development and nature through international levies that reflect the responsibility of polluters and elites.
'The richest individuals and dirtiest industries are profiting while the planet burns,' said Andrew Nazdin, Director of the Glasgow Actions Team. 'Solidarity levies are not only fair — they're necessary for a liveable future.'
'We must hold oil and gas corporations to account for the enormous damage they cause,' said Rebecca Newsom, Global Political Lead for Greenpeace's Stop Drilling, Start Paying campaign. 'As fossil fuel barons rake in obscene profits, and people are battered with increasingly violent floods, storms and wildfires, it's no surprise that 8 out of 10 people support making them pay. Members of the Global Solidarity Levies Task Force and rich countries around the world should act upon this enormous public mandate: commit to higher taxes on fossil fuel profits and extraction by COP30, while ensuring that those being hit hardest by the climate crisis around the world benefit most from the revenues.'
'Right now, world leaders face a clear choice: will they do what's fair and necessary?' said Michael Sheldrick, Co-Founder of Global Citizen. 'Citizens across major economies — from the U.S. to the EU to Brazil — are on board. They want action to fix the climate crisis and support the communities being hit the hardest. The ask is simple: those most responsible for the damage should help pay for the solutions. Over 55,000 global citizens have already backed this call. It's not about politics — it's about fairness, and securing a better future for all of us.'
Louise Hutchins, from Make Polluters Pay Coalition said, 'If we're serious about ending the debt crisis in the Global South and halting climate breakdown, we need a global financial system that holds those driving the crisis to account - starting by making the big polluters pay.
For 50 years, oil and gas giants have raked in $1 trillion a year while driving devastating climate damage. The emissions of the richest 1% is more than that of half of the world combined.
Success at this summit means ending this grotesque state of affairs.'
The rally follows a march of thousands across the streets of Seville on Sunday night and is part of a broader week of action at the FfD4, where campaigners are calling for debt cancellation, progressive global taxation, and a finance system that puts people and the planet first.
The Vatican's advocacy arm bolstered these messages with a live mural, installed in the heart of Seville, calling for a solution to debt injustice.
Campaigners are demanding urgent steps to dismantle illegitimate debt burdens, establish a UN-based framework for debt resolution, and stop the influence of powerful nations and institutions that continue to impose economic domination over the Global South.
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Alliance Of Climate Civil Society Organisations Rally In Seville For Global Levies To Make Polluters Pay
30 June, Seville, Spain — A global coalition of civil society leaders, including Global Citizen, the Glasgow Action Team and Greenpeace International, have rallied this morning outside the FIBES Conference Center in Seville, where world leaders gather for the 4th UN International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4). Their message: No more free riders. It's time for polluters and the ultra-rich to pay their fair share. The rally centered around a bold new demand for Solidarity Levies—international taxes on fossil fuels, aviation, shipping, financial transactions, and billionaires—to fund climate resilience and equitable development in countries most affected by climate change. The action accompanies an open letter signed by more than 47 NGOs – representing 231 organisations – underscoring the broad and diverse backing for the call to Make Polluters Pay. The rally centered around a large banner declaring 'Make Polluters Pay: Solidarity Levies Now,' alongside placards and powerful street visuals, including Spanish-inspired traffic signs to highlight the responsibility of highly polluting sectors. The coalition is urging world leaders at FFD4 to adopt taxes and fines on the world's most polluting industries for fueling storms, floods, heat waves, drought and wildfires, as well as other climate related disasters. World governments are also encouraged to join the Global Solidarity Levies Task Force, led by Barbados, France and Kenya, and backed by governments and institutions like the UN, IMF, and African Union. The goal: to raise much needed revenue to fight against climate change and support development and nature through international levies that reflect the responsibility of polluters and elites. 'The richest individuals and dirtiest industries are profiting while the planet burns,' said Andrew Nazdin, Director of the Glasgow Actions Team. 'Solidarity levies are not only fair — they're necessary for a liveable future.' 'We must hold oil and gas corporations to account for the enormous damage they cause,' said Rebecca Newsom, Global Political Lead for Greenpeace's Stop Drilling, Start Paying campaign. 'As fossil fuel barons rake in obscene profits, and people are battered with increasingly violent floods, storms and wildfires, it's no surprise that 8 out of 10 people support making them pay. Members of the Global Solidarity Levies Task Force and rich countries around the world should act upon this enormous public mandate: commit to higher taxes on fossil fuel profits and extraction by COP30, while ensuring that those being hit hardest by the climate crisis around the world benefit most from the revenues.' 'Right now, world leaders face a clear choice: will they do what's fair and necessary?' said Michael Sheldrick, Co-Founder of Global Citizen. 'Citizens across major economies — from the U.S. to the EU to Brazil — are on board. They want action to fix the climate crisis and support the communities being hit the hardest. The ask is simple: those most responsible for the damage should help pay for the solutions. Over 55,000 global citizens have already backed this call. It's not about politics — it's about fairness, and securing a better future for all of us.' Louise Hutchins, from Make Polluters Pay Coalition said, 'If we're serious about ending the debt crisis in the Global South and halting climate breakdown, we need a global financial system that holds those driving the crisis to account - starting by making the big polluters pay. For 50 years, oil and gas giants have raked in $1 trillion a year while driving devastating climate damage. The emissions of the richest 1% is more than that of half of the world combined. Success at this summit means ending this grotesque state of affairs.' The rally follows a march of thousands across the streets of Seville on Sunday night and is part of a broader week of action at the FfD4, where campaigners are calling for debt cancellation, progressive global taxation, and a finance system that puts people and the planet first. The Vatican's advocacy arm bolstered these messages with a live mural, installed in the heart of Seville, calling for a solution to debt injustice. Campaigners are demanding urgent steps to dismantle illegitimate debt burdens, establish a UN-based framework for debt resolution, and stop the influence of powerful nations and institutions that continue to impose economic domination over the Global South.
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'The Sevilla Commitment document is a global promise to fix how the world supports countries as they climb the development ladder.' "It is time to take a step forward and not only reaffirm our commitment but redouble it. We must improve debt sustainability, ensure fiscal justice, and fulfill our commitments to international cooperation," said Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain. At a time of extraordinary uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, and against a backdrop of rising debt, falling investment, shrinking aid, and with the SDGs only five years away, the Sevilla Commitment delivers a remarkable consensus among more than 190 nations committed to action for a fairer, safer future. 'FFD4 offers us a once-in-a-decade opportunity to shift the tide. The Sevilla Commitment is more than an outcome document. 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It's Time To Finance Our Future And ‘Change Course', Guterres Tells World Leaders In Sevilla
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After decades of positive contributions, the global trading system has now been 'severely disrupted' leaving exports so hampered by unilateral tariff measures and policy uncertainty that the WTO has sharply downgraded growth forecasts. Further tariff barriers on 9 July – the deadline set by the US administration – will only make the contraction in global trade worse. She reminded that the WTO has argued for the least developed nations and Africa overall to be exempted from the tariffs, ' so we can better integrate them into the world trading system, not further exclude them.' She said the Sevilla Agreement rightly recognises international trade as an engine of development. 'We therefore need to bolster stability and predictability in global trade,' through action at many levels that can grow national resources through exports, she told delegates. IMF calls for broader tax base Nigel Clarke, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), called for broadening the tax base, building strong financial management systems, coordinating support and addressing debt more sustainably. 'Many countries continue to struggle with high interest costs,' he said, calling on the international community to improve debt restructuring processes. Through its capacity development, the Fund is equipping members to chart their own paths and is also providing financial support when they need it most, he added.
