Debt for Climate (D4C) is a global grassroots movement led by the Global South. Its primary demand is the cancellation of financial debt for Global South countries to address the Global North’s ecological and colonial debt and enable a just energy transition.
Debt for Climate has multiple regional chapters, including Debt for Climate Africa (D4C Africa), which sees debt cancellation as crucial to enabling regeneration across the continent.
The Debt for Climate movement is driven by a belief in climate justice, equity and economic sovereignty. The emphasis is on fairness, recognising that Global South nations, though contributing the least to climate change, suffer the most. D4C urges Global North countries to own their current and historical role in the crisis.
D4C builds people power through:
By combining diverse action tactics, it highlights debt, its connection to extractivist industries, and the role of institutions like the World Bank and IMF.
In 2022 and 2023 D4C Africa expanded its network across Uganda, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, and Zambia, particularly during the international climate summit, COP27.
Key milestones include:
D4C Africa aims to create materials for education and youth empowerment, facilitate the mobilisation of activists in Africa and foster connections between global participants of the wider movement.