The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as COP28, opens today in Dubai, with nearly 170 prime ministers and presidents expected to attend. High on the agenda are negotiations on climate aid for developing countries, to address growing challenges from the climate crisis including greater natural disasters, rising sea levels and forest destruction. 
Yet, the Washington-based Jubilee USA Network, a coalition of religious, development and advocacy groups, says most developing countries spend more on debt service than on addressing country climate crisis challenges.
“Wealthy countries pledged — in 2009 — to provide some resources for developing countries to address the growing climate crises that are impacting their people,” said Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of the Jubilee USA Network. “The commitments weren’t enough and what was committed hasn’t materialized. The climate summit needs to find out where the money is coming from and how to increase resources to address the climate crisis.”
The Jubilee USA Network was founded in the late 1990s, with a mission to work on debt, tax, trade and transparency policies that help end poverty.
Read the organization’s full statement, here.