The Earth has one atmosphere and climate system. We must live within its limits and share the benefits fairly. The wealthy have used more than a fair and sustainable share, driving climate change and its adverse effects. The wealthy therefore owe a climate debt to the poor for:

• Their excessive demands on a shared atmosphere and climate system, requiring the poor to pay to mitigate a crisis they did little to cause (an emissions debt); and
• The damages and costs caused by climate change, requiring the poor to adapt to its adverse effects (an adaptation debt).

A growing movement of peoples and countries are calling for repayment of climate debts as the basis of an equitable, effective and science-based solution to climate change.