'Cancel the debt for a livable planet': climate activists block IMF entry in Paris

An action carried out on the occasion of the G7 summit in Germany to demand the cancellation of the debt of the poorest countries so that they can face the climate crisis.

Climate activists, hands glued to the doors, blocked this Monday morning the entrance to the building of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Paris to "demand the cancellation of the debt of the countries of the South", noted a journalist from the AFP.

🔴 ACTION IN PROGRESS!

"Cancel the debt for the climate" AKA "Debt for climate"

Right now: Several dozen activists from @attac_fr, #ExtinctionRebellion and @ParisYFC are gathered to block the Paris headquarters of the IMF.#DeudaXClima #DebtForClimate #G7 pic.twitter.com/xKRWO8vtRg

— Extinction Rebellion France 🐝🌺 (@xrFrance) June 27, 2022

"G7 responsible, IMF guilty, let's cancel the debt for a livable planet", read a banner deployed in front.

A few dozen activists from Extinction Rebellion, Youth for Climate or 350.org have targeted this IMF building in a global campaign called "Debt for climate" organized on the occasion of the G7 summit in Germany to demand the cancellation of the debt of the poorest countries so that they can deal with the climate crisis.

Counterfeit bills marked “Stop fossil fuels”

Some activists glued their hands to the glass doors at the entrance of the building while others, seated on the ground in front, chained themselves to each other, their arms inside long pipes, to be more difficult to dislodge.

On the sidelines of the G7, some activists from @attac_fr @Youth4Climatefr and @xrFrance do not hesitate to stick to the walls of the IMF and demand the cancellation of the debt of the countries of the South.

pic.twitter.com/kdI6z51rTO

— Natura Sciences (@NaturaSciences) June 27, 2022

"We must give these countries the means to fight the climate crisis, they are the first victims and the last responsible", launched "Chalou", an activist from Extinction Rebellion, while her comrades threw counterfeit notes marked " Stop fossil fuels”.

“The debt crisis is primarily the result of an unfair financial system dominated by the richest countries.

The G7, the IMF and the World Bank have historical responsibilities in the development of this vicious circle of debts/overexploitation of resources”, denounced in a press release Extinction Rebellion, Attac-France and Youth for Climate France which organized the Parisian action.

“The recognition of an ecological debt by the richest countries is a fundamental requirement.

This ecological debt comes from the responsibility of the richest countries in climate change: they are the ones who are primarily responsible for the destruction of biodiversity and the plundering of resources within countries which are the least responsible and the most impacted by ongoing and future environmental crises,” they added.