Copenhagen Climate Summit:do we cheer them on, block them in or close them down?
Surly | 29.01.2009 13:33 | COP15 Climate Summit 2009 | Climate Chaos | Education | Sheffield
What? Mads and Sofie (Danish activists Klimax) will kick off a discussion about the movement to stop climate change.
Where? Peanut Gallery, Leeds Uni Union
When? 16th Feb 2pm - 5 pm
What? Mads and Sofie (Danish activists Klimax) will kick off a discussion about the movement to stop climate change.
Why? The UN talks in Copenhagen this December are supposed to be the place where world leaders agree a new international deal to stop climate change. But progress so far has been undermined by corporate lobbying and false, market-based solutions. When activists from across Europe hit the streets of Copenhagen, should we be calling on governments to do better, blockading them in until they come up with a good deal, or be saying they are so flawed we should try to close them down?
Most people now agree that we need to do something about climate change. But there isn't agreement on what. For corporations and most governments its a form of green (or maybe greenwashed) capitalism and before we even get there it will probably be too late. In opposition to this corporate agenda, social movements in the South have proposed 'climate justice', a transition to a sustainable world which sees the rich minority who caused climate change pay to put it right, not try and push the costs onto the poor majority.
Within this more progressive agenda proposals range from a 'green new deal' of state-led investment for social and environmental goals, to those who argue that only a grassroots anti-capitalism can get us out of this mess. This is the political background to the mobilisation around the Copenhagen climate talks and the strategic and tactical decisions activists are trying to make about it.
This is a chance for activists who are less and more involved in climate campaigning to come together and discuss all these issues. We can also talk about how we mobilise for what may be one of the most important events since the 'battle' of Seattle exactly 10 years previously.
When? 16th Feb 2pm - 5 pm
What? Mads and Sofie (Danish activists Klimax) will kick off a discussion about the movement to stop climate change.
Why? The UN talks in Copenhagen this December are supposed to be the place where world leaders agree a new international deal to stop climate change. But progress so far has been undermined by corporate lobbying and false, market-based solutions. When activists from across Europe hit the streets of Copenhagen, should we be calling on governments to do better, blockading them in until they come up with a good deal, or be saying they are so flawed we should try to close them down?
Most people now agree that we need to do something about climate change. But there isn't agreement on what. For corporations and most governments its a form of green (or maybe greenwashed) capitalism and before we even get there it will probably be too late. In opposition to this corporate agenda, social movements in the South have proposed 'climate justice', a transition to a sustainable world which sees the rich minority who caused climate change pay to put it right, not try and push the costs onto the poor majority.
Within this more progressive agenda proposals range from a 'green new deal' of state-led investment for social and environmental goals, to those who argue that only a grassroots anti-capitalism can get us out of this mess. This is the political background to the mobilisation around the Copenhagen climate talks and the strategic and tactical decisions activists are trying to make about it.
This is a chance for activists who are less and more involved in climate campaigning to come together and discuss all these issues. We can also talk about how we mobilise for what may be one of the most important events since the 'battle' of Seattle exactly 10 years previously.
Surly
Additions
Time
30.01.2009 18:02
In case you don't know, this even is happening same day in the geog dept at Leeds. Would be good maybe if they didn't clash?
Monday Feb 16th 5.30pm
Colin Challen, MP for Morley and Rothwell, Leeds.
'Too Little too late: the politics of Climate Change.'
Colin Challen is involved in the Government's Environmental Audit Coommittee and is now involved in the new Department of Energy and Climate Change. His new book 'Too Little, too late' is a hard hitting assessment of the prospects for tackling climate change.
Monday Feb 16th 5.30pm
Colin Challen, MP for Morley and Rothwell, Leeds.
'Too Little too late: the politics of Climate Change.'
Colin Challen is involved in the Government's Environmental Audit Coommittee and is now involved in the new Department of Energy and Climate Change. His new book 'Too Little, too late' is a hard hitting assessment of the prospects for tackling climate change.
someone
Now ALSO at the Common Place 7pm
10.02.2009 14:25
Those that work will be pleased to hear that the discussion will now also be at 7pm at the Common Place that day. Cheap vegan meal included and discussion will kick off around 7.30pm
Surly