Menu
Press release

8 in 10 willing to act this Christmas to stop climate crisis, Christian Aid reveals

Christian Aid has praised the UK’s Christmas spirit as the international development charity publishes new polling revealing 8 in 10 people (84%) in the UK are willing to take personal action this Christmas to tackle the climate crisis. 

Coinciding with the launch of Christian Aid’s Christmas Appeal to help climate-stricken South Sudan, the polling shows around half (55%) would stop using non-recyclable wrapping paper and stop giving plastic toys (47%) to help in the fight against the climate crisis.  

In a year that has seen the COP26 climate conference hosted in Glasgow, a further four in ten (43%) would be willing to give up the Christmas crackers while those aged between 18 and 34 are most likely to act, almost 9 in 10 (89%). 

John Sentamu, the former Archbishop of York now Baron Sentamu of Lindisfarne and Masooli and new Chair of Christian Aid, said: “Now we know that climate crisis is wreaking havoc in our global home. We are, therefore, glad that the British public is willing to make personal sacrifices for the good of everyone. Christmas is a time of joy and celebration for many, but as Christians we never lose sight of our neighbours near and far who may be suffering, especially those on the frontline of a crisis they have done little to cause. 

“And although we appreciate these personal actions are not going to stop climate change on their own, they show that people are committed to taking action. What we need now is for richer nations to provide the finance needed to fund sustainable and long-term solutions to tackling climate change once and for all.” 

The polling for Christian Aid also reveals that news reports, like those from South Sudan that has recently suffered its worst floods in 60 years, makes almost seven in 10 (68%) of the British people more worried about the climate crisis. 

According to the UN, more than 700,000 people have been affected in South Sudan by unrelenting floods from weeks of heavy rain. Homes have been swept away, farmlands devastated, and families and livestock have been forced to seek safety.  

Christian Aid, together with its local partner African Aid Development (ADA), is providing emergency life-saving support including blankets, mosquito nets, water purification tablets and cash to flood affected families in Fangak County in Jonglei state.  
 
Working with local partner UNIDOR, Christian Aid is also using recently awarded Scottish Government funding to provide farming seeds, tools and fishing kits to families in Unity State facing a food crisis because of the impact of flooding on their harvests.    

James Wani, Christian Aid’s Country Director in South Sudan, said: “The scale of the flooding is unprecedented and overwhelming. People have lost their crops and their livestock. When the water does finally recede, people will return to nothing.”   

Mr Wani added: “South Sudan has experienced flooding for three years in a row, but the intensity keeps increasing. We are only going to see the hunger crisis escalate over the next few months.”  

One of the many people Christian Aid is helping is Adut Mariu, a woman who lives in the village of Biet in Northern Bahr El Ghazel, South Sudan. She is married with three children.  

For a long time, Adut has had no choice but to give her children dirty water. “We were in desperate need,” Adut said. “To look after my children, they had to drink the dirty river water. The water has many diseases. There is cows’ dung, there is donkeys’ dung...People also wash in there.” 

Last year flooding devastated homes and livelihoods. Adut explained: “This village was under water. No one could move. The traders who went to the market couldn’t find a way back. The children that could go to school stopped going. It destroyed everything.” 

Thanks to donations, Adut’s community were able to build a borehole to extract water from a naturally occurring source with support from Christian Aid’s local partner, SPEDP. “It’s disease free. We drink it with peace of mind,” Adut said.  

John Sentamu added: “Through our gifts this Christmas we can help more mothers like Adut in South Sudan facing the impossible choice between dirty water or none at all. Any small donation could help communities build boreholes, so more parents can give their children clean water whatever the weather. They could provide seeds, tools and the training needed to rejuvenate flood-damaged land so more families can enjoy nutritious food.   

“This Christmas, please donate what you can to help those hit by climate-caused floods in South Sudan.” 

The public can help Christian Aid combat extreme hunger in South Sudan and across the globe by giving what they can to its Christmas Appeal at caid.org.uk/Christmas.  

ENDS. 

Notes to editor: 
John Sentamu, the former Archbishop of York and new Chair of Christian Aid, is available for broadcast interviews. For images and video of Adut Mariu, please visit the Christian Aid website here.  

A note on methodology: 
Savanta interviewed 2197 UK adults online from 3rd Dec to 5th Dec 2021. Data were weighted to be nationally representative of UK adults by age, gender, region, working status and social grade. Savanta is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.   

The challenge in South Sudan: 
The climate crisis is leaving people hungry, homeless, and heartbroken. Those living in South Sudan are particularly vulnerable. Combined with years of conflict and the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a growing humanitarian and hunger crisis.   
More severe and frequent floods and droughts have significantly disrupted lives. In 2020 alone, 1million people were affected by floods. Most communities say flooding is the biggest and most likely risk they face.*  
Floods and droughts have far-reaching effects on health, access to nutritious food and drinking water, and livelihoods. Combined with ongoing conflict and the economic fall-out of Covid-19, there is widespread displacement and a growing hunger crisis in South Sudan.    
Some of the most vulnerable communities are those dependent on agriculture, such as in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state in north-west South Sudan.   
The flooding last year left families in the region without adequate food, water or shelter. It killed large numbers of livestock and destroyed crops. What’s more, water borne diseases increased due to contaminated water.  
Every further climate shock exacerbates these people’s vulnerability and weakens their resolve, especially female-headed households.   
*Assessment captured in South Sudan country team annual report 2020/2021.  
The solutions for South Sudan: 
Christian Aid’s Humanitarian Programme Plan (HPP) in South Sudan is helping people in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state to stand strong against the climate crisis.   
The project is being delivered through our local partner, Support for Peace and Education Development Program (SPEDP).  
The project takes a comprehensive approach to improve people’s wellbeing and resilience.   
The main activity is the rehabilitation and construction of boreholes which brings clean drinking water to communities, whatever the weather.    
Alongside these activities the project also shares messages to improve hygiene and sanitation practices; provides farming training, tools and seeds to improve food security; shows communities how to build dykes to protect their homes from flooding; and offers opportunities to improve livelihoods through savings and loans groups (VSLAs) and training.   
To date the project has helped almost 32,000 people access safe drinking water and provided some 1,900 households with farming support.   
But the need in these communities is still great. In many places, the boreholes are serving three times more people than they should be, and the dykes struggle against the ferocity of some storms.