Dear Minister

Here's an example you can use (but personalising this message would be much more effective).

This year the UK will emit more carbon dioxide than the country now known as Bangladesh has in its entire history. Yet, as you know, Bangladesh is already suffering from the impacts of climate change. Money for tackling climate change should be compensation for a problem rich industrialised countries have caused. However, I am very concerned that the UK is using climate change money to further injustice. The Department for International Development (DfID) is pushing both in Bangladesh and across developing countries for the majority of money for tackling climate change to be given as loans. This does nothing to repay the climate debt we owe, but will only increase the unjust financial debts of countries such as Bangladesh. I call on you to ensure that all money for tackling climate change is given as grants rather than loans. DfID is insisting, against the wishes of the Bangladesh's Ministry of the Environment and Forests, that the World Bank manages the trust fund. Because it continues to be run by rich countries, the use of the World Bank to manage climate change money is opposed by governments and campaigners across developing countries. The Bank has a long history of imposing economic conditions on developing countries, fuelling unjust debts and promoting dirty development. In contrast, there are examples of funds being managed in Bangladesh in democratic and transparent ways, with active participation by civil society. I call on you to facilitate local democratic ways of managing the Bangladesh Trust Fund, rather than insisting that the World Bank manage the Fund. I am pleased that you have said money for tackling climate change should be additional to aid. But the money for Bangladesh, and all UK money being spent on tackling climate change in developing countries, is counted as aid and is from existing aid budgets. I call on you to guarantee that all money for tackling climate change is given as new money, rather than including climate change money to Bangladesh as counting towards meeting UK aid commitments. In Copenhagen many developing countries rightly resisted the unjust Accord negotiated by a few countries. The Copenhagen Accord would allow rich countries to continue to burn huge amounts of fossil fuels for decades to come. I was therefore appalled to see the UK government telling developing countries they must sign the Accord if they want any climate change money. This is blackmail. I call on you to ensure the UK pays its climate debt to all developing countries and stops bullying regarding signing the Copenhagen Accord.

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