WaterAid and celebrities presented 25,000 climate messages to No.10

WaterAid led the charge at 10 Downing Street today to present 25,000 climate messages from the UK public. The heartfelt messages, handed over by MP Fleur Anderson, urge the Government to act at COP27 to ensure everyone has clean water they can rely on to protect themselves against the impacts of extreme weather, wherever they live.

The international charity also presented a giant postcard cheering on Rishi Sunak’s last-minute decision to attend the COP27 conference, showing images of Sharm El Sheikh, and including the phrase ‘Wish you were here’ with ‘wish’ crossed out.

This hand in coincides with the release by WaterAid of new research revealing the increased frequency and intensity of droughts across Africa over the last four decades.

WaterAid collected the thousands of messages addressed to the Prime Minister on postcards at festivals throughout the summer, as well as digitally. The postcards included designs from music stars such as Ringo Starr, FOALS, The Waterboys, KT Tunstall, Wet Leg and Scouting for Girls, as well as legendary designer Dame Zandra Rhodes.

As part of WaterAid’s Our Climate Fight campaign Brits have backed calls on the government to invest at least one third of their committed international climate budget in local projects that bring these essentials to the most vulnerable.

Fashion designer Dame Zandra Rhodes, who designed a limited-edition postcard for the campaign, said:
“The response from the UK public to WaterAid’s Climate Fight campaign shows that together our voices are powerful. Now the UK Government must stand up and take responsibility for the hand it has played in pushing the climate over the edge. The first step must be protecting those on the frontline and making their voices heard at COP27.”      
Known for his roles in Waterloo Road, ITV drama-comedy series Cold Feet, Netflix’s White Lines and the acclaimed BBC drama World on Fire, actor Cel Spellman said:
“2022 has been one of the most catastrophic years when it comes to the impacts of Climate Change. We’ve seen floods, famine, droughts, fire & a loss of nature like we’ve never seen. What’s sadder is the world’s most vulnerable people, those who have done the least to cause this, fall victim to these extreme climate events they did not cause. Investment in solutions, adaptation & aid is vital to help and support these communities and addressing the imbalance. That’s why I’m supporting WaterAid’s call on the government to step up to deliver on their promises at COP27.”

Across the world, one in ten people do not have clean water while one in five lack a decent toilet. The climate crisis is making life harder for those already struggling to access these essentials, with extreme weather like floods and slow-onset events like rising sea levels destroying facilities and contaminating unprotected water sources, while droughts dry up springs and wells.

A recent poll commissioned by WaterAid found that 2 in 3 people think climate change will have a ‘great deal’ or ‘fair amount’ of impact on access to safe and clean water (63%) in the coming 15 years. Over half (56%) of the UK population believe the UK’s foreign aid programme should prioritise providing access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene to help people adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Tim Wainwright, Chief Executive of WaterAid, said:  
“Water, sanitation and hygiene are essential to live a happy and prosperous life. Yet for millions of people, access to safe and clean water is being eroded with extreme weather events – in Pakistan, in Bangladesh, in the Horn, people are feeling the wrath of the climate as we speak. One in ten people currently don’t have access to clean water and while that is already a shocking figure, it is likely only to get worse with increased incidences of floods, droughts, and rising sea levels.
“That is why, with just a few days until COP27 in Egypt, we are asking for the UK Government to act now, so vulnerable communities on the frontline of the climate crisis have the basics they need to survive and thrive.”