The Jubilee Blog

New COVID Variant Forces Postponement of World Trade Ministers Meeting

Meeting Agenda Had Included Vaccine Access for Developing Countries

By Olivia English

The World Trade Organization postponed a meeting where trade ministers planned to decide on vaccine access and production issues for developing countries. The meeting, scheduled for Geneva, Switzerland, was canceled because of new travel restrictions due to the COVID Omicron variant. Waiving pharmaceutical company patents on COVID vaccines and treatments featured prominently on the agenda.

“The World Trade Organization can help ensure that everyone around the world can access coronavirus vaccines and treatments," said Eric LeCompte, the Executive Director of the religious development organization Jubilee USA Network. "In spite of the lack of an in-person ministers meeting, the WTO can still take action on waiving vaccine patents."

The highest WTO decision-making body in between ministerial meetings is the General Council.

The IMF estimated that failure to achieve a 70% vaccination rate globally by mid-2022 will result in more than $5 trillion in global economic losses over the next five years. While vaccination rates in high-income countries approach 70% of the population, less than 5% of people in low-income countries received even one dose, according to a group of World Health Organization experts.

"Distributing vaccines is essential to stop food shortages and prevent economic shocks," stated LeCompte.

In the summer, Jubilee USA organized leaders of the Catholic, Methodist, Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian and United Church of Christ Churches and AFL-CIO to meet US Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai on the vaccine and trade proposals. Tai supports temporarily waiving COVID vaccine patents.

House Build Back Better Act Supports Puerto Rico

By Olivia Engling

The House of Representatives voted to increase Medicaid funding and incentives to support manufacturing jobs in Puerto Rico as part of the Build Back Better Act.

“This legislation means that Puerto Rico can access more resources that the island desperately needs,” said Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of Jubilee USA Network, which worked on debt and disaster relief for the island since 2015. "Faced with high poverty rates, debt crisis and natural disasters, Puerto Rico can really use the aid."

The Build Back Better Act provides Supplemental Security Income disability payments to Puerto Rico, benefiting 300,000 Puerto Rico residents. The bill includes the territory in child tax relief increases for the states. The legislation now heads to the Senate and if passed could be enacted into law this year.

In February, 20 major religious leaders representing Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, United Church of Christ and Evangelical Churches wrote to President Biden to support Puerto Rico. Leaders of the National and Puerto Rico Council of Churches, Catholic Charities and the General Bible Society also signed the letter to Biden.

Climate Summit Debates Funding for Developing Countries to Combat Climate Change

By Jack Scott

As the climate summit approaches its final days in Scotland, 200 countries negotiate an agreement to combat climate change. A key outstanding item is enacting the 2015 Paris agreement pledge to provide $100 billion to developing countries annually to deal with climate challenges. The OECD forecast that the financing pledge won't be met until 2023.

“Developing countries are dealing with a range of climate driven challenges from natural disasters to food shortages,” said Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of the religious development organization Jubilee USA Network. “We can't wait years for developing countries to get funding to combat the climate crisis. The crisis is now.” 

During COP26, Jubilee USA pushed world leaders to consider debt relief and using IMF emergency currency, or Special Drawing Rights, to fund the climate financing targets.

“World leaders should be looking at a range of ways to support funding for developing countries to deal with the climate crisis,”  noted LeCompte.

China and the US released a declaration pledging cooperation for a successful conference outcome and recognizing the importance of the $100 billion commitment.

COP26: New Research Shows Latin American and Caribbean Countries Face Growing Climate Risks

Debt Relief Can Fund Climate Action, Says Religious Development Group

By Olivia Engling

As climate talks continue in Scotland, new research shows that developing countries lack the resources to respond to the climate crisis.

"The Glasgow meetings are critical to protect our planet and the poor who suffer the worst impacts of climate change,” said Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of the religious development group Jubilee USA Network. “Climate-induced natural disasters and food shortages disproportionately affect developing countries."

Ahead of COP26, Jubilee USA Network and LATINDADD released the Atlas of Vulnerability, focused on 24 Latin American and Caribbean developing countries. The map and research found 75% of countries fall below the global average in country capacity to respond to climate change.

"Debt relief can be an effective tool for helping developing countries take action to respond to climate-caused challenges," noted Jubilee USA's Senior Policy Director, Aldo Caliari. Caliari was one of the authors of the new climate research and wrote a paper last year on debt, climate and pandemic response.

The IMF calculates that developing country costs to deal with climate change rises to $140 billion to $300 billion by 2030. According to the United Nations, half of developing countries pay more than 25% of their budgets servicing debt. In October, 48 vulnerable countries asked for a process to use debt relief to support climate action.

“Developing countries struggle with rising debt levels and responding to the pandemic,” added LeCompte. “Debt relief and additional aid are essential for developing countries as they fight climate change."

In 2009 wealthy countries promised $100 billion in annual financing to developing countries by 2020. According to the OECD, developed countries provided almost $80 billion in 2019 and according to 2020 estimates, it was unlikely that the $100 billion target was met. COP26 brings together delegates from 200 countries to agree on climate actions. The meeting in Glasgow, Scotland comes six years after the Paris Agreement, a deal to address the earth's warming temperature caused by fossil fuel use.