In this episode, Daithí is joined by Karol Balfe, CEO of ActionAid Ireland and Mahesh Badal, the Senior Program and Business Development Manager for ActionAid Nepal. Our two guests talk to us through the realities of climate change in the Global South, highlighting the disproportionate burden placed on the Global South, both in terms of the local effects of climate change and the mitigation of those effects. With ActionAid’s recent report ‘The Hidden Truth – Ireland's Role in the Global Fossil Fuel Industry’ showing that Ireland is ranked the 14th highest global investor in fossil fuels, Karol explains how we got here and how we can get ourselves out. A fascinating episode that really highlights the complexities of Fossil Fuel Finance, and the difficulties faced by the Global South in accessing funding for transition to green economies and becoming more resilient to climate impacts.       

Thanks very much to Sorcha O'Carolan Murphy for support with research, design and promotion.

Links:

1. Action aid Ireland: ActionAid Ireland | Charity Organizations in Ireland

2. Action Aid Nepal: ActionAid Nepal

3. Action Aid 2025 ‘Hidden Truth’ Report - https://actionaid.ie/the-hidden-truth/  

4. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC):  https://unfccc.int/   

5. UNFCC Funds - https://unfccc.int/topics/introduction-to-climate-finance  

6. 2021 United Nations Environment Program report - https://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2021

7. Global North Is Responsible for 92% of Excess Emissions - Eos

8. Ireland divests public money from the Irish Strategic Investment Fund from Fossil Fuels: Fossil Fuel Divestment Act 2018