Skip to content or view screen version

Call to Climate Action COP-15

Avocada | 01.10.2008 17:50 | Climate Camp 2008 | Climate Chaos | Ecology | World

Call to Climate Action in preparation for UN Climate Conference 30th November 2009

We stand at a crossroads. The facts are clear. Global climate change, caused by human activities, is happening, threatening the lives and livelihoods of billions of people and the existence of millions of species. Social movements, environmental groups, and scientists from all over the world are calling for urgent and radical action on climate change.

On the 30th of November, 2009 the governments of the world will come to Copenhagen for the fifteenth UN Climate Conference (COP-15). This will be the biggest summit on climate change ever to have taken place. Yet, previous meetings have produced nothing more than business as usual.

There are alternatives to the current course that is emphasizing false solutions such as market-based approaches and agrofuels. If we put humanity before profit and solidarity above competition we can live amazing lives without destroying our planet. We need to leave fossil fuels in the ground. Instead we must invest in community-controlled renewable energy. We must stop over-production for over-consumption. All should have equal access to the global commons through community control and sovereignty over energy, forests, land and water. And of course we must acknowledge the historical responsibility of the global elite and rich Global North for causing this crisis. Equity between North and South is essential.

Climate change is already impacting people, particularly women, indigenous and forest-dependent peoples, small farmers, marginalized communities and impoverished neighbourhoods who are also calling for action on climate-and social justice. This call was taken up by activists and organizations from 21 countries that came together in Copenhagen over the weekend of 13-14 September, 2008 to begin discussions for a mobilization in Copenhagen during the UN's 2009 climate conference.

The 30th of November, 2009 is also the tenth anniversary of the World Trade Organization (WTO) shutdown in Seattle, which shows the power of globally coordinated social movements.

We call on all peoples around the planet to mobilize and take action against the root causes of climate change and the key agents responsible both in Copenhagen and around the world. This mobilization begins now, until the COP-15 summit, and beyond. The mobilizations in Copenhagen and around the world are still in the planning stages. We have time to collectively decide what these mobilizations will look like, and to begin to visualize what our future can be. Get involved!

We encourage everyone to start mobilizing today in your own neighbourhoods and communities. It is time to take the power back. The power is in our hands. Hope is not just a feeling, it is also about taking action. To get involved in this ongoing and open process, sign up to this email list:  climateaction@klimax2009.org

Avocada
- Homepage: http://risingtide.org.uk/copenhagen

Comments

Hide the following 2 comments

neutral humanity?

02.10.2008 09:07

'We stand at a crossroads. The facts are clear. Global climate change, caused by human activities, is happening, threatening the lives and livelihoods of billions of people and the existence of millions of species.'

Just like to make an ammendment to this text, while its true human activity is a contributing agent in climatic change lets not forget that its actually capital (as a series of social/economic relationships) that is driving climate change. If we wish to halt climate change we need to move our responses outside of the dialouge of 'green reform', while these measures may slow the crisis only a rejection of capitalism in its totality offers humanity and the millions of other species the hope of survival in a sustainable world.

social war not climate chaos!!

hmmm?


no to green capitalism

02.10.2008 16:13

in response to neautral humanity: pls check personal reflection on recent meeting for more about the need to challenge, absolutely, the idea of green capitalism  http://risingtide.org.uk/copenhagen/personalperspectives

Avocada