WHAT NOW FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE?
Social Movement Strategies for the Final Year of Struggle over the Next Universal Climate Treaty
ADVANCED RELEASE – DRAFT COPY, Lima, Peru – December 5, 2014
Report compiled from the ranks of climate justice advocates and groups by the International Institute of Climate Action & Theory University of California, Santa Barbara
AUTHORS: Patrick Bond, Michael Dorsey, John Foran, Pascoe Sabido, Jim Shultz, Nathan Thanki, Brian Tokar, Richard Widick, Emily Williams, and Leehi Yona
Objectives:
to increase climate justice participation and influence both inside the UN’s 2015 treaty process and outside, at the local frontlines of resistance to planet-killing twentieth-century fossil fuel development;
to put climate justice forces on the record, on the eve of adoption of the next universal climate change treaty, which as currently unfolding promises to institute a neoliberal path toward global climate apartheid, defaunation, and ecocide at the hands of entrenched fossil fuel interests, both private corporations and state-owned oil, gas, and energy companies.
COVER IMAGE: Richard Widick, 2006. Caracas, Venezuela 1
Table of Contents Appendix 1: Climate Justice Manifestos 74 Problem/Proposals 2 Compiled by Richard Widick and John Foran John Foran and Richard Widick The Durban Declaration on Carbon Introduction 5 Trading, Durban Group for Climate Justice, Richard Widick and John Foran Durban (October 2004)
Is the Climate Justice Movement 9 Founding Statement, Climate Justice Now! Bali Ready to Scale-jump Our Politics? (December 14, 2007) (No, not yet – but we’ll need to, sooner What does Climate Justice Mean in than later, with Latin American Europe? Climate Justice Alliance counterpower) (February 2010) Patrick Bond
Fear and Loathing of Carbon Markets: 14 People’s Agreement, World People’s A Decade and Counting of Climate Conference on Climate Change and the Justice Agitation Rights of Mother Earth, Cochabamba, Bolivia Michael K. Dorsey (April 2010)
What Now for Climate Justice? 20 Universal Declaration of the Rights of Re-Imagining Radical Climate Justice Mother Earth, Cochabamba, Bolivia John Foran (April 27, 2010)
Protecting Climate Policy from Dirty Energy The Margarita Declaration on Climate Lobbying: A Working Strategy Document Change, Margarita Island, Venezuela Pascoe Sabido 39 (July 18, 2014)
New Movement Strategies 51 A Zero Emissions Manifesto for the Climate Jim Shultz Justice Movement (September 2014) Integrate and Escalate 61 Nathan Thanki Declaration of the Ecosocialist International Network before COP20 in Lima, Peru On the Evolution of Climate Justice 64 (December 2014) Brian Tokar Contributors 113 Global Activism and Global 66 Negotiations: Stop Accepting Climate Change, Get Active! Emily Williams
Vision, Hope, and Power: 71 A Contribution to the Discussion Leehi Yona 2
Problem Proposals
The unfolding climate crisis is defined by Let’s discuss together an “inside/outside” constantly rising greenhouse gas emissions, strategy for climate justice politics, based, accelerating climate change, and the as we see it, on: ongoing failure of international/UN and domestic/State climate policy to: 1) Encouraging and participating in militant, globally-oriented but locally-grounded class 1) raise the ambition of agreed climate and environmental politics and social policy initiatives to the level that basic movement struggles linking organic, site- climate science indicates is required to specific, bottom-up resistance campaigns limit average global temperature increase against carbon mal-development, with to 1.5° degrees Celsius (the Cochabamba simple messaging aimed at… target), not +2°C (the current UNFCCC target), and not +3 °C (the implicit 2) forcing developed, principal emitter Obama-Jinping target) – while states (namely, US, China and the European acknowledging business as usual is Union, and increasingly Brazil, Russia, India, already hurtling us toward a +4°C world Canada, Australia, and South Africa) to put (the number associated with the 2012 forward strong domestic policy that enables World Bank report Turn Down the Heat: and promotes higher ambition at the UN Why a 4° World Must Be Avoided); climate talks, especially as these concern the next universal climate treaty, both in its 2) establish an environmentally and substance and in the ratification struggles socially just and democratic international to follow. climate policy process that garners sufficient popular and civil society Concretely, 1 and 2 mean participating in representation to reflect the true depth of local struggles; being the voices in local long-term, inter-generational struggles that push for linkage across public/common interest; and municipal, state, regional, and member state climate justice constituencies; arguing 3) reflexively acknowledge the ongoing that now is the time for direct action civil failure, over 20 years, of carbon trading disobedience against fossil fuel mal- schemes to raise the price of greenhouse development, and that the message of pollution to anywhere near the level these civil disobedience campaigns must be necessary to incentivize the dramatic shift globally focused, while explicitly aimed at to 100% renewables required by the developing home-state domestic political UNFCCC’s deep decarbonization mandate, will to: a) put a global price on carbon (by and the related failure to adequately regulation and taxes, not markets); b) raise explore alternative approaches such as ambition at the UN climate talks (i.e., raise direct carbon taxation and public the targets to indicate 50 percent collective investment in renewable energy. reductions by 2025 and 95 percent by 2040); c) ramp up “additional” (i.e. not already counted or committed) and democratically accountable public financing 3 of all the UNFCCC climate funds (Green recognize the need and right of the global Climate Fund, Special Adaptation Fund, Loss South for sustainable development and and Damage Mechanism), and d) transform the well-being of peoples. intellectual property rights to drive sustainable technology transfers. 6) Ideological Struggle within the leadership of climate social movements in 3) Creating a Global Public Council on favor of neutralizing the forces of Environmental Economic Truth and neoliberalism that are presently blocking Reconciliation (or some such-named entity) domestic US climate policy and inhibiting charged with open and transparent ambition within the UN policy apparatus. evaluation of UNFCCC participation, publication, and public commentary Concretely this means, a) In the US, arguing produced by corporations, civil society and for constant attack on Republican denialism social movements, and member state and the “climate lies” industry/funding governments;1 apparatus (again the Koch example); b) development of a climate truth 4) Mobilizing support for and increase the commission/court, wherein an independent visibility of public scholarship in the service body investigates the lies and systematic of climate justice politics, by means of deception of the carbon capitalists and critical analysis of: traders, evaluating the carbon markets and market-based solutions already instituted a) the power and politics of the one and or/planned by the UN; c) developing a percenters; i.e., elevation of class politics radical/anti-capitalist front within climate to the front of the environmental/climate justice politics unified against false market- justice agenda; based solutions.
b) carbon markets and state subsidies to 7) Continuing to develop climate justice fossil fuel corporations and state oil philosophy, politics, and policy initiatives companies; toward the horizon of global environmental and social justice, and away from global c) the climate skepticism industry; social and environmental apartheid.
– for example, by raising the example of Basic principles of Climate Justice the Koch brothers to yet higher and more philosophy and politics: all people – poor transparent visibility and using the case to and rich – have an equal right to participate publicize the political malevolence of the in climate politics at every scale, and to one percent. share the social wealth and security 5) Globalizing the university fossil fuel afforded by sustainable development, as divestment movement in ways that dictated by the carbon budget afforded by the natural limits of planet earth, as
1 For reference see the efforts of EcoEquity in this determined by agreed climate science. direction, their Climate Equity Reference Calculator, and Climate Equity Pledge Scorecard. See also Norden’s 2014 8) Further development of Climate Justice as Report Equity and spectrum of commitments in the 2015 agreement. cultural politics – this is the ongoing search 4 for and production of new meanings, and new ways of making and disseminating meaning; new definitions of wealth and well-being (buen vivir; Ubuntu); new framings and understandings of how human-made laws produce markets that compel both state and private firms and corporations to externalize costs onto labor and environment; new ethics for a new planet marked forever more by climate change. 5
Introduction toward global climate apartheid, further Richard Widick and John Foran separating the world’s haves and have-nots into two great classes of climate winners Power concedes nothing without demand, demand and losers? achieves nothing without struggle, and this time, struggle will achieve nothing without conviction Or will it instead set a course toward expressed in direct action strategies and militant tactics. Climate Justice and a more livable future for all of the world’s children and their children, and of course the animal nations limate Deadline – Paris 2015. The nations C and ecologies on which all people depend will adopt the next universal climate treaty. 2 for every kind of economic, cultural, and That treaty is now being written for spiritual sustenance? presentation as a draft text at the crucial South American COP in Lima, offering policy This IICAT report compiles and presents a designs for limiting future global average range of strategy statements, analysis, and maximum atmospheric warming to a stated documents from advocates for the path maximum increase of no more than two toward justice and away from climate degrees Celsius/3.6 degrees Fahrenheit apartheid.3 (although science tells us that 1.5 degrees would be a lot less risky, and social science Our principal purpose in producing this tells us that would be a herculean feat). report is to address the hydra-headed specter of mutually reinforcing and viciously But the national contributions to the new interconnected environmental, economic, treaty made so suffer from lack of ambition, and politico-military crises that are haunting indicate ongoing policy deadlock, and the globe and inflicting massive harm on scandalously deficient finance for populations everywhere -- especially the adaptation, and thus presage a future more poorest and most vulnerable in every likely defined by global average warming of country and region. four, six, or even ten degrees Celsius. With the stakes so high, climate justice Will the new treaty aiming at two degrees, demands, on one hand, a massive re- but likely to shoot higher, determine a path making of both domestic and global climate governance and development policy, and, 2 Read the latest “Non-paper on elements for a draft on the other, an even more massive negotiating text” (11/11/2014): http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2014/adp2/eng/11nonpa transformation of everyday life and p.pdf consumption habits, especially in the See the UNFCCC’s November 11, 2014 “DRAFT TEXT on developed world, with a corresponding ADP 2-7 agenda item 3 Implementation…”: http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2014/adp2/eng/12draftte provision of the rights and requirements of xt.pdf life for all peoples and species. Follow the National Submissions to the New Treaty here: http://www4.unfccc.int/submissions/SitePages/sessions.a spx?showOnlyCurrentCalls=1&populateData=1&expecteds 3 We hope in the future to expand this range to include ubmissionfrom=Parties&focalBodies=ADP ; more and diverse voices, especially from women, the Find the key documents also archived and analyzed by the global south, and additional public sectors or interests. corporate group C2es here: Please contact us with your feedback and with any http://www.c2es.org/international/negotiations/select- proposal that you have for participation in this open- issues-submissions-adp-2014. ended project. 6
* * * * Marches in New York City and around the world, and not toward violence. Hitherto demands alone have not been effective. * * * *
The structural violence of today’s fossil fuel- Redistribution must become the principal driven status quo against the 99 percent demand and strategy for climate justice. indicates the time is near when people will begin taking whatever actions are As you will see in what follows, the necessary. unfolding climate crisis profoundly expresses the inequalities that the modern We are entering the next stage of the world economic (culture) system has built. climate wars, as evidenced, for example, in the tar sands, fracking, mountain-top coal Inequality between and within nations has removal, and fossil fuel divestment marched in step with the accumulation of struggles of recent years in North America. obscene profits and wealth in the era of In every case, defenders of these front lines globalization, the origins of which are are fighting their own battles against roughly contemporary with the dawning powerful opponents. awareness of the climate crisis in the late 1980s. In 1999, the three wealthiest Meanwhile, in the less industrially individuals in the world controlled assets developed world, largely in the global equivalent to the GNPs of the 48 poorest south, forests are cut down to send beef to countries on the planet. Today, the world’s McDonalds, workers are exploited to create 85 richest individuals own more wealth the plastic junk that fills the oceans and than the bottom half of the planet’s total garbage dumps of the world, indigenous population.4 peoples, peasants, and women and children everywhere see their lands taken. The Northern oil politics, militarism, and new species experience degradation of their forms of neo-colonial state-making further environments and the wanton taking of maintain and deepen this grotesque and their bodies, the rising seas encroach on the inhumane inequality in today’s political, precious drinking water of small island economic, and environmental landscapes of states, and storms and droughts force struggle, and this must be recognized and populations out of their homes into foregrounded in climate justice politics. uncertain journeys. Concentrated wealth is the principal These campaigns and tragic transformations weapon of the one percent. are postcards from one possible and unhappy future, in which business as usual The economic problem is one of pushes global warming over the tipping maldistribution, not scarcity, and justice point into runaway climate change, and requires redistribution, and a long overdue desperation forces peoples into motion, hopefully first of all in the streets, as was 4 recently witnessed at the People’s Climate OXFAM Briefing Paper 178: Working for the Few: Political Capture and Economic Inequality (January 20, 2014), http://www.ipu.org/splz-e/unga14/oxfam.pdf. 7 check on wealth and privilege in the global price on carbon that would lower global North. emissions and stimulate demand and direct investment into renewables. Tactically, the entrenched fossil fuel- inflated power of the global one percent, Climate Justice: One No, Many Yeses. their free market fantasies, and their bought and paid for culture of deception Climate Justice advances a “great refusal” and deceit must be countered and of the dominant myths guiding political dismantled. They are the ones who every economic activity in today’s world – that day operate outside and above the law to endless growth is environmentally maintain their edge. Theirs is the politics of sustainable; that the “capitalisms” at work criminality. today can reduce inequality and deliver the material, cultural, and spiritual Russian “capitalism” is plutocratic. China requirements for living well to the whole openly argues the virtues of authoritarian world; that people should trust their state capitalism. US capitalism is in political leaders to make the decisions that actuality more of a nanny-state socialism will shape their lives; or that global ecology for the corporations. South Africa is a kind can be sustained as long as the belief reigns of proto-Stalinist industrial experiment. that the world’s flora and fauna exist solely Welfarist versions of capitalism barely for whatever reckless purpose private persist in Scandinavia and a few other interests can dream up. places. A deepened, more participatory democracy Meanwhile, in the twenty-year-old climate must therefore rise against the anarchy of negotiations held under the auspices of the what today is reductively called capitalism, United Nations Framework Convention on but which might better be described as the Climate Change [UNFCCC], carbon trading litany of economic arrangements and marketized programs and institutions engineered according to the arbitrary rule of one variety or another have come to of too often morally bankrupt authoritarian dominate the entire spectrum of initiatives states and corrupt pseudo-democracies from climate finance to loss and damage, that largely serve as the lap-dogs of local, ever since the grand deception perpetrated national, and global capital formations. The by Al Gore at the negotiations for the 1997 appropriate weapon to wield against them Kyoto Protocol first put on the table a is the participatory politics of popular basket of so-called “market solutions.” regulation and control, with the return of collective faith in governance measured out Industry leaders and champions of this in proportion to the forced withdrawal of neoliberalization of climate policy continue capital from the political arena (by which to enthusiastically promote market we mean that campaign finance reform in solutions while papering over concrete the US, for example, is a prerequisite for evidence of their failure. A simple look at reinvestment of faith in governance for and carbon trading prices indicates that the by the people, not the corporations). carbon markets are utterly incapable of fulfilling their official mandate of putting a 8
Henceforth, the climate justice movement should use any and all the tools at its disposal to oppose everywhere the planet- killing twentieth-century energy technologies advanced by the politicians, financiers, shareholders, and the apologists of carbon-fueled mal-development. Let us rise to the occasion with conviction, expressed first of all in the practice of direct action civil disobedience at the front lines of planetary eco-defense – by which we mean. And equally importantly, by offering constructive alternatives to the status quo, business-as-usual economic, political, and climate policies that are driving the unfolding climate crisis.
Along these lines, as we see it the future of Climate Justice must begin with an honest look at the present moment.
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Is the Climate Justice Movement The COP20 offers a chance to gauge the Ready to Scale-jump Our Politics? resulting balance of forces, especially in the critical Andean countries where melting (No, not yet – but we’ll need to, sooner mountain glaciers and shrinking Amazonian than later, with Latin American jungles meet. Here, combinations of the counterpower) Patrick Bond world’s most radical conceptions of nature’s integrity (“Rights of Mother Earth,” sumak Global pessimism and local optimism have kawsay and buen vivir) combine with recently characterised Climate Justice (CJ) concrete struggles – some highly effective – scale politics: paralysis above, movement to transcend the destruction of nature or its below. It may be opportune to now re- commodification. assess global environmental governance as In my experience, the world’s most a site of struggle, one that has proven so visionary CJ, post-capitalist politics are frustrating over the past two decades. fused when Ecuador’s Acción Ecologica eco- It is time again to ask, specifically, can feminists find indigenous movement allies hundreds of successful episodes in which and solidarity activists across the world. The communities and workers resist Quito NGO had long explored the question greenhouse-gas generation (“Blockadia” is of the Global North’s “ecological debt” to Naomi Klein’s term for the newly liberated the South and to the planet, but it was spaces) or seed local post-carbon when oil drilling was proposed in the Yasuni alternatives, now accumulate into a power National Park that the stakes were raised sufficient to shape climate negotiations? for both Action Ecologica and the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities. My answer is, unfortunately, not yet. We need to become much stronger and more They lost the first rounds of the battle: first, coherent in rebuilding the CJ movement, shaming Germany and Norway into making once so full of hope, from 2007-09, but payments to leave the oil in the soil (a total since then in the doldrums, even though of $5 billion was demanded, as a down individual, mostly disconnected activist payment on the North’s climate debt), and initiatives have deserved enormous second, once the money was deemed admiration, no more so than in the insufficient, a national referendum to Americas. protect Yasuni (regardless of payments) was not treated fairly by Ecuador’s extractivist In Lima, Peru, the twentieth annual United ruling class. Nations “Conference of the Polluters” – “UN COP20” – comes on the heels of two That struggle and others like it – e.g. world attention-grabbing policy events: a Bolivia’s notorious proposed forest United Nations special summit in highway, TIPNIS – have forced onto the September just after a 400,000-strong progressive agenda this uncomfortable Manhattan people’s march and Wall Street dilemma: are the “pink” governments of blockade, and the Washington-Beijing Rafael Correa in Ecuador and Evo Morales emissions-timetable deal in November. in Bolivia – as well as of Nicolas Maduro in nearby Venezuela – capable of generating 10 serious eco-socialist policies consistent with Expressing faith in the “green economy,” their leaders’ rhetoric? Or instead, are the Pulgar-Vidal continued, “What we need to new elites irretrievably petro-Keynesian, do is to address the problem of the value of petro-Indigenous and petro-Socialist, the carbon bond around the forest. The respectively, with radical climate politics current prices are creating a lack of interest foiled by their economies’ carbon rentiers? … [and] disincentives to have the business sector and the investor more close to the In Peru itself, the current regime of Ollanta forestry sector.” Humala swept into power in 2011 on a pinkish electoral platform. Yet the mining This sort of vulgar-capitalist COP hosting is sector has since boomed, with disastrous not a coincidence. The four preceding impacts in the highlands and Amazon alike. COPs, in Poland, Qatar, South Africa and Mexico, witnessed dominant local state Recall that in 2009, the Awajun and Wampis actors co-presiding alongside UN Peoples and the Interethnic Association for Framework Convention on Climate Change Development of the Peruvian Jungle (UNFCCC) secretary Christiana Figueres. (Aidesep) blockaded roads in Bagua, leading Following the power logic within their to a confrontation with the military that left national power blocs, they remained 38 dead and 200 wounded. As Aidesep’s universally addicted to hydro-carbon leader Alberto Pizango put it, “Thanks to exploitation, with logical COP results. the Amazonian mobilizations I can say that today the indigenous agenda is not only Likewise, the UNFCCC appears addicted to inserted in the national level and within the market mechanisms as alleged solutions to State, but on the international level.” climate chaos, even after the breakdown of the two main carbon trading schemes: in Yet Pizango and 52 others are in the midst the European Union, which suffered a 90% of being prosecuted for that protest. And price crash since 2008, and US where the profiteers continue to apply pressure. To his Chicago Climate Exchange (self-interestedly credit, Peruvian Environment Minister promoted by Al Gore) suffered a fatal heart Manuel Pulgar-Vidal admits that thanks to attack in 2011. Nevertheless, the UNFCCC the threat of the “forestry market of and World Bank express high hopes for a carbon, people are losing trust and new generation of carbon trading and confidence around that mechanism. People offsets in California, a few major Chinese are thinking that it can create conditions to cities and a layer of middle-sized economies lose their land.” including South Korea, Brazil and South Africa. Still, Pulgar-Vidal believes safeguards will be sufficient. At an Indonesian forest debate in In other words, ruling-class personalities May, he asked, “What kind of incentives can still shape global climate politics far more we create to bring the business sectors to than CJ activists, as witnessed in the futility the forest?” He praised Unilever as “a good with which the latter have attempted to example of how a private sector [firm] can influence the UN’s Green Climate Fund. play a more active role regarding the Between the coal, oil and mining barons forest.” who rule over recent COP hosts on the one 11 hand, and a former carbon trader (Figueres) budding civil disobedience muscles neck- who rules the UNFCCC on the other, there locking Stern and John Kerry? Could they, has never been any possibility for getting for example, prevent the US delegates from the CJ perspective a seat at the global table. departing Washington for Lima? (Comrades, a timely blockade of the I-66 highway and In any case, each national delegation comes Dulles Airport Access Road would do the to each COP with the agenda of maximizing trick.) And please add to that “no pasaran” the interests of its own corporations, which list the COPs’ saboteurs from Ottawa, tend to prominently include those with Canberra and Tokyo, too. industrial or fossil fuel assets and the need to emit more and more gases. A Conference Still, such leaders and delegations are rarely of Polluters it will remain until that much more than the personification of the structural flaw is solved. class power wielded by leading fractions of capital over labour. It is in a structural The COPs are also stymied because the US critique of capitalist, patriarchal, racist- State Department’s main negotiator, Todd colonialist and anti-ecological systems that Stern, looms over the proceedings like a we annually find the COP elites sorely smug vulture during a deadly drought. wanting. Thanks to Edward Snowden’s revelations about Washington’s surveillance capacity, Still, even if we can conclude ahead of time we recently learned how Stern and US that the COP20 will break even NGO President Barack Obama cheated their way reformers’ hearts, as have all others since through the “Hopenhagen” climate summit Kyoto in 1997, this event is important. It in 2009 by listening in on the competition’s serves CJ activists as a platform for cell phones, rendering hopeless a genuine highlighting Latin American struggles. It will deal that would enforce emission cuts. also nurture the flowering activists who went to the CJ-oriented pre-COP prep-coms And thanks also to Chelsea Manning and in Venezuela twice this year. WikiLeaks providing us those 250 000 confidential State Department cables, we And it offers a warm-up protest – more know that the weeks after the Copenhagen fearsome to COP elites than tame Warsaw’s fiasco were spent by Stern and his or Durban’s, we might safely predict – for colleagues cajoling, bullying and bribing so the “big one” in Paris: the COP21. In August hard that they purchased (for a lousy $50 this year, French-based activists’ prep million in aid) even the tough-sounding meeting generated visions of shutting down Maldives Island leadership whose famous Paris, and identifying a date in early scuba-gear-adorned underwater cabinet December 2015 for a global mass protest meeting stunt in late 2009 dramatized that and closure of educational institutions as sinking feeling. the youth find their voices.
As a result of our awareness about One reason we must continue investing Washington’s COP corruption, might the political energies below and condemning growing US climate activist community elites above – i.e., not getting lulled into become sufficiently brave as to test their COP-reformism – is because more people 12 are asking the question posed after degrees threshold (not the Obama-Jinping Copenhagen in relation to the UNFCCC (as 3+ degrees). Yet it reduces pressure to we did at Seattle in relation to the WTO in hammer out a genuinely binding global deal 1999): “fix it or nix it”? with sharp punishments for emissions violations, plus the needed annual climate After all, the World Bank and IMF are now debt payments of several hundred billion regularly considered last-century dollars from polluters to climate victims. institutions given their incapacities, and the US dollar is apparently being terminally As a result, rising activist militancy is ever weakened by the Federal Reserve’s more vital, as the window for making the printing-press dilution and by the coming North’s (and BRICS’) massive emissions cuts liberalized yuan trade. Isn’t the UN also begins to close tight. Although probably too destined, as Tariq Ali put it after the US-UK optimistic about what can be done at the 2003 Iraq invasion was endorsed in the UN COPs, John Foran is correct on all the other General Assembly, “to go the way of the strategies. For example, he seeks League of Nations”? movement below, e.g. from the US-based Climate Justice Alliance, Global Climate The UNFCCC’s irrelevance at the time of its Convergence and System Change Not greatest need and responsibility will be one Climate Change networks that did such an of our descendants’ most confounding impressive job radicalizing the previously puzzles. After Copenhagen, illusions prevailing (bland Avaaz) discourses at the promoted by stodgy Climate Action People’s Climate March in New York. Network member groups under the slogan “Seal the Deal!” were dashed. As 350.org’s As miserable as the balance of forces Bill McKibben put it, the presidents of the appears in Lima, nevertheless all of us in the US, Brazil, China, South Africa and India (the CJ community have been inspired by latter four termed BASIC) “wrecked the UN” Andean activists: by the campaign against by meeting separately and agreeing to oil extraction from Yasuni, by the $8.6 eventually make merely voluntary billion ecological debt battle against the commitments. Now add (Kyoto-reneging) legacy of oil spills by Texaco (now Chevron) Russia to the BASICs and, as the BRICS, the nearby, and by the region’s indigenous economic agenda signaled at their resistance to privatized trees in the form of Fortaleza, Brazil summit in July this year Reducing Emissions through Deforestation boils down to financing infrastructure to and forest Degradation (REDD). If REDD is a ensure more rapid extraction, climate be chosen battleground for the most advanced damned. Latin American activists, then the worry is that, like the Cancun COP16 in 2010, men Still, the insolence of the Obama like Humala and Pulgar-Vidal will divide and Administration outshines the BRICS, when rule civil society with patronage pay-offs. cutting another exclusive side deal so soon before Lima and Paris. This month’s climate The possibility of consolidating local pact with China clarified to CJers how much initiatives into national and then global- more pressure is needed from below if we scale struggle awaits a stronger sense of CJ are to maintain warming below the 2 strategies to prevent cooptation or brute 13 repression. But since the heady days when 1980s-era IMF Riots gave way to mass social movement formations, to Zapatismo, to Brazil’s Movement of Landless Workers, to leftist political parties and to other manifestations of progress, Latin Americans have been at the vanguard of the world’s civilizing forces. They – and we – are not strong enough to change the balance of forces favouring climate injustice next month. But they do usually signal the way forward.
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Fear and Loathing of Carbon investors, preempted the critics two years earlier opining, “implementation of Market Zombies: activities [like offsetting] aimed to mitigate A Decade and Counting of Climate Justice global greenhouse gas emissions is more Agitation cost-efficient in developing countries than M. K. Dorsey, 6 Joint Center for Political & Economic Studies in most of the industrialized world.”
SPECIAL TO IICAT – Lima, Peru – December This is a crucial moment for the planet and 2014 - COP20 social movements. After nearly two decades of persistent, catastrophic carbon As early as 2000 European Union watchdog market failures and on the eve of the 2015 organizations cautioned against the utilizing Paris round of multilateral climate talks, the the three market based “solutions” EU-ETS is a zombie of its once beleaguered inaugurated by the Kyoto Protocol— self. emissions trading, joint implementation (JI) and the Clean Development Mechanism 6 Dutschke, M. and A. Michaelowa. (1998). Creation and (CDM). Referencing the troubles of carbon Sharing of Credits through the Clean Development offsetting, enshrined in the Clean Mechanism Underthe Kyoto Protocol. HWWA Discussion Development Mechanism, more than a Paper 62. Institut fürWirtschaftsforschung, Hamburg. The rise of the scholar-investor (or scientist-investor) is by no decade ago, the critics further admonished: means rare in the scientific-capitalist driven circuitries of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate The hypothesis that such a scheme [as Change (UNFCCC). “Scientists” (although not officially called “scientist-investors” or “scholar-investors”) are the clean development mechanism] will given special access as an officially designated be efficient on the international level is “stakeholder” class at UNFCCC negotiations. The also flawed. One must not forget the “scientist” category, let alone the amalgam of “scientist- investors” or “scholar-investor” is an under-studyied absolute impossibility of monitoring formation. Some (many?) UNFCCC registered “scientists” emissions from millions of sources are also known to have investment or capital accumulation spread all over the world, not to stakes in myriad aspects of the UNFCCC outcomes— including the Clean Development Mechanism projects. mention the lack of a binding regulatory This is true of Michael Dutschke and Axel Michaelowa, system to enforce emissions limits.5 cited above. Prior to serving as an IPCCC, Working Group III “Lead author” (which subsequently resulted in his co- receipt of the Nobel prize with other IPCCC lead authors) Representatives from the global south were Dutschke was an “Auditor” forTUV-SUD one of the three even more bearish, to couch it in market largest validator-verifiers of Clean Development terms. The Delhi based Centre for Science Mechanism Projects. Similarly Michaelowa, between 1997-2000, served on the advisory board of the World and the Environment, affirmed, “The rush Bank’s AIJ-Programme—the pilot programme for CDM/JI to make profits out of carbon-fixing investments. What is notably missing from many of the engenders another kind of colonialism.” “scholarly” contribution of these authors (and others) are disclosures of their affiliations, especially where they have financial interest or stand to gain financially. To be clear, Perhaps unsurprisingly, an emergent late the authors herein, do not, for one second believe in the 20th century class of would-be scholar- empty rants or claims of those denying the existence of climate change. On the contrary we believe climate change is indeed upon us, and for a variety of scientific reasons, maybe be unfolding in ways that are heretofore 5 Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO). (2000). unstoppable. We do believe that “scientists” with Greenhouse market mania: UN climate talks corrupted by investment (or professional) interests in the outcomes corporate pseudo-solutions. Amsterdam, The Netherlands. must disclose such ties. 15
unknown and unreachable individuals—by The zombie like status of the EU-ETS should some of the largest investors and actors in not be taken lightly nor as hyperbole. the EUETS space, seems apt for zombie Johannes Teyssen, chief executive of Eon, classification. the German energy group that is one of Europe’s largest, firmly told an EU After the collapse of the Durban round of Commission-organized meeting of carbon multilateral climate talks the Financial market stakeholders in Brussels: Times reported in February 2012, “The *EU- ETS] market has suffered other indignities in “Let’s talk real. The ETS is bust, it’s dead.” its brief history, from value added tax Teyssen added, “I don't know a single frauds worth billions of euros to the person in the world that would invest a cybertheft of millions of permits from dime based on the ETS *price+ signals.”7 companies’ electronic accounts. But, because it calls into question the Just as the UN’s clean development fundamental workings of the market itself, mechanism (CDM) announced its 7000th the price slide may be its most serious project in 2013, market watchers observed affliction.”8 a new problem, the rise of “zombie” projects. While the EU-ETS has collapsed European investors seem to be on a proverbial hunt Speaking to Reuters Stefan Winter, deputy for later-day-investor souls—both in Europe head of certification at the CDM auditing and abroad. Perhaps the most disturbing company Tuv Nord, described the rise of example of the hunt for living by proverbial “zombie” carbon projects, or those that the carbon market zombies comes from finance company is “unable to contact the clients capital’s efforts across Africa. For over a by phone or email.” In 2013 TUV counted half decade the Africa Carbon Forum, in 150 such projects. Alexandre Kossoy, a particular, has been the go-to-place where senior financial specialist within the World cadres of predominantly European Bank’s Carbon Finance Unit, told Reuters investors, buttressed by multilateral matter-of-factly: “It’s not surprising. We agencies, actively hunt for African knew about it but … we haven’t measured counterparts to invest and participate in a how many because it would take months to space some of the very same investors and go project by project.” organizers have firmly pronounced dead. As the UN describes it, the Africa Carbon
Forum seeks “to support Africa’s No wonder then that a thing that seems to participation in global carbon markets and carry on everyday functions, as the EU-ETS catalyze green investment opportunities.” does, but is simultaneously considered or These are the crude, perhaps ruthless known to be dead—or at least staffed by political economic forces of multilateral climate policy run wild that draw 7 See “How do we seize opportunities of the transition to a low carbonenergy system, while avoiding pitfalls on the institutions, civil servants and even civil way?” 2012. Presented at Energy Roadmap 2050 Conference. Speech available at: http://webcast.ec.europa.eu/eutv/portal/archive.html?vie 8 Chaffin, Joshua. 2012. “Emissions trading: Cheap and wConference=14158. Accessed 16 April 2012. dirty. Financial Times (UK): 13 February 2012. 16 society sympathizers from the global south market is charged (or burdened) with the generally and Africa in particular into dual mission of assisting developing nations “dead” markets—after the fact, and to establish sustainable economies while simultaneously into the science-investor- simultaneously reducing carbon emissions economists’ upheld myths that emissions globally. trading can appropriately address the present and future crises of global warming, In its idealized neoliberal capitalist form, extreme weather events, and rising socio- the global carbon market that some economic and political repression from interlocutors desire exists at a North to South. Alas zombie markets are transcendental level, and operates without steeped in cultish praise or official workers and without geographic location. multilateral agency endorsements— Jos Delbeke, the European Commission, pending your vantage; they are also Director General for Climate Action, aggressively resisted by civil society describes the role of the state: ‘Our role is movements, scrutinized by regulators and to keep the regulatory structure as simple increasingly simply ignored by finance as possible and let the market play.’ Such capital, media and growing numbers of desires-as-edicts ignore the realities that large institutions. define markets at various local to global scales. Carbon market advocates variously After Neoliberal Necromancy seek to create a global market system that is structured to privatize investment Proponents of the establishment of global returns, while socializing risks, and have it carbon markets argue such markets can and be subject to minimal, if any, governmental should play a role in reducing carbon regulation of labor, finance, and trade.11 emissions to the degree necessary to stave There is, however, within both trading off the harmful effects those emissions are schemes and offset projects a significant having on the global climate and vulnerable gap between the desires of traders and communities across the globe.9 what is currently happening with regard to Complicating matters further, global carbon the development of policies to reduce market proponents also expect carbon greenhouse gas emissions. University of markets to be key instruments capable of addressing and solving complex environmental and economic problems-- Ackerman, F. and E. A. Stanton (2010). The Social Cost of simultaneously.10 In effect the carbon Carbon. Washington, DC, Economics for Equity and Environment; Ackerman, F. (2009). Can we afford the future?: the economics of a warming world. London, Zed 9 Aldy, J. E. and R. N. Stavins (2007). Architectures for Books. agreement: addressing global climate change in the post- 11 Harvey, D. (1993). "The Nature of Environment: The Kyoto world. Cambridge; New York, Cambridge University Dialectics of Social and Environmental Change." The Press; Figueres, C. (2000). CDM: Theory and Reality. Socialist Register 29; Harvey, D. (2005). A brief history of Carbon Finance Conference. New York, NY, Center for neoliberalism. New York, Oxford University Press; Labatt, Sustainable Development in the Americas; Tietenberg, T. S. and R. R. White (2007). Carbon finance: the financial H. (2006). Emissions trading: principles and practice. implications of climate change. Hoboken, N.J., John Wiley Washington, DC, Resources for the Future. & Sons; Smith, N. (1991). Uneven development: Nature, 10 Giddens, A. (2009). The politics of climate change. capital, and the production of space. Oxford, Uk, B. Cambridge; Malden, MA, Polity; Yamin, F., Ed. (2005). Blackwell; McCarthy, J. and S. Prudham (2004). "Neoliberal Climate Change and Carbon Markets: A Handbook of Nature and the Nature of Neoliberalism." Geoforum 35: Emissions Reduction Mechanisms. London, UK, Earthscan; 275-283. 17
Cambridge economist Michael Grubb again to the structure and (dys)function of observes: the EU-ETS, which has been pedestalized by the global market proponents, inter alia. A Having created a market-based key question is: How does one move mechanism to cut carbon a lot of people beyond the abstract discussion about seem to expect it to behave in a non- markets, specifically the EU-ETS, to better market way and deliver poverty understand market (dys)function in a alleviation, deliver sustainable political economic context? development co-benefits. But fundamentally, you create a market, it’s Careful examination of the EUETS reveals behaving the way markets do, it chases that this market is a series of markets where are the most cost effective things, operating in various geographical and where can they make the most profits and economic scales. It is remarkably small and I think that anyone who didn’t expect a is controlled by a small number of players market instrument to behave in that way with little competition among them to be didn’t understand what they were found. A very small number of market doing.12 actors control very large portions of overall market activity, in dollar terms and/or in The global reality is that the emissions terms credit allocation. Over a decade this market and its investors across the globe oligonomic configuration –a universe of few are finding that countries are developing a buyers and sellers that make markets mismatch of policy proposals to address amongst themselves— has had climate change and (energy consumption) tremendously deleterious effects on overall that attempt to serve their national interest competition in the market. Moreover, against the interest of global investors.13 despite an expectation that the market Some of those local solutions, as in the case would be organized and interconnected of China, may not be ideal for those who with the actors working in concert to assure wish to develop a global carbon market and market efficiencies, the EUETS actors its investors.14 The risk level is tremendous involved tend to be working in completely and the possibility exists that financial different spheres and scales with some returns are held to a minimum. This is projects being funded through private especially strong at the local level where financing, some being funded through state communities are resisting national reforms support and some finding their financial imposed by government elites and global support through institutional investors, and institutions such as the World Bank. even via elaborate market schemes to consumers into “voluntary” markets, with Beyond hegemonic ideals, proponents of a all of the “market” working across a global carbon market have turned time and landscape of different national rules and uneven and differential state rules (e.g. China). 12 See: www.cop17carbonmarkets.com. 13 Harvey, D. (2006). Spaces of global capitalism: [towards a theory of uneven geographical development]. London, This cacophony of carbon market investors, Verso. wrapped in nested oligonomies with little to 14 Allan, A. (2010) UN Turns Up Heat on Chinese CDM. Pointcarbon News no regulatory oversight, is crisis prone, 18 liquidity seeking and critically not serving its against the California Air Resources Board intended mandates to “combat climate (ARB). While A.I.R. ultimately lost, the San change” nor “reducing industrial Francisco Superior Court did issue a greenhouse gas emissions cost-effectively”. temporary injunction preventing the ARB In the present configuration carbon markets from conducting any further work on its aid and abet climate catastrophe and help cap-and-trade program. fester new, unanticipated ills. Even relatively staid organizations like the 2014 marked the 10th anniversary of the International Energy Agency (IEA) have Durban Group for Climate Justice –“an argued that for large structural changes in international network of independent energy production, like preventing new organizations, individuals and people's coal-fired power stations from being built, movements who reject the approach to Europe needs to seek options beyond its climate change promoted by polluting carbon market. IEA analysts believe the corporations, financiers, northern EUETS cannot facilitate the end of coal governments and economists.” Since its within a decade.15 2004 inception the Durban Group has been a “platform for discussion and analysis of Resistance is Fertile climate justice”, and they “engage in regular advocacy in favour of real not false It is little wonder then that many activists solutions to the crisis.” and observers have dubbed the whole carbon market effort a “false solution.” This past September, more than 400,000 Over the decade arc way many individuals largely tied and drawn together organizations across a multitude of spaces by North American environmental social and venues have arisen to articulate civil movement organizations came together in society resistance to zombie carbon New York—while they did not explicitly markets on the grounds that markets target false solutions from markets, the neither reduce emissions, nor deliver gathering underscored the critical role climate justice—but indeed exacerbate citizens and social movements can and do injustice. play to bring about forward thinking climate policies that demand aggressive state In regional contexts like California for action, in lieu of market malaise, ultimately example, communities have actively delivering climate justice. resisted the creation of the market provisions in general and the cap and trade As I’ve argued elsewhere: “The demands for system specifically promulgated by the climate justice are thus a subset of a wider California Global Warming Solutions Act of set of discussions and demands for 2006. One group, aptly named: A.I.R or the environmental justice. These demands are Association of Irritated Residents, filed suit not just positions against authority, anti- positions ‘‘against power,’’ per se. To the
15 Carr, M. and S. Bakewell. 2013. “EU Should Move contrary, the demand for climate justice is Beyond Carbon Market to Shut Coal, IEA Says.” Bloomberg an expression of hope—indeed, desire and (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-10/eu- love—and a demand for objectives rooted should-move-beyond-carbon-market-to-shut-coal-power- iea-says.html). in collective decision-making that are well 19 beyond the provisional scope of power as presently conceived. The climate justice movement is therefore one of liberation as well as economic and ideological sovereignty. Prophetically, the struggle for climate justice dares to demand changing the world without reproducing hierarchical state or market power as it is currently known. In this way, it holds both a threat against hegemonic doxa and a novel promise of liberation.”16
16 See: Dorsey, M. 2007. Climate Knowledge and Power: Tales of Skeptic Tanks, Weather Gods, and Sagas for Climate (In)justice. Capitalism, Nature, Socialism 18(2), p. 20. 20
What Now for Climate Justice? The good news is that there’s a global Re-Imagining Radical Climate Justice climate justice movement which is growing John Foran in numbers, reach, strength, and inventiveness. This movement is impossible Note to readers: if you want to skip the discussion of to encompass easily, because it consists of the climate crisis itself, feel free to leap ahead in this essay to the point where you want to start! literally thousands of organizations at every scale – community, city, bio/region, nation, and global – interlinked in a vast network of Introduction networks.19 This essay will trace some of its The science is in: climate change is here activities, asking where the major points of now, not in the future,17 and it is already impact lie at the moment, and what having devastating effects on people’s strategic decisions must be faced moving lives.18 That’s the bad news. forward.
Even worse, the massive social, economic, The global climate justice movement is and political inequalities already generated growing steadily, but it is still far too weak by neoliberal capitalism would seem to set to win – at least for the moment. Yet the social and natural worlds on a collision without such a movement, we are literally course which global elites cannot win even cooked. Climate justice forces knows this, on their own terms without destroying the and stopping the elites from destroying basis for all human life. To put it bluntly, humanity’s future prospects is their agenda. the climate crisis is perilous, our 500 year- It should also be the agenda of every old economic system cannot see us through activist and concerned citizen on the planet. it safely, the window for resolving this The twelve months between the December dilemma is closing, and the forces arrayed 2014 Lima COP 20, and the fateful COP 21 against us are strong, very strong. in Paris at the end of 2015 must be the year that we scale up our efforts toward the end of mounting irresistible pressure of all kinds My thanks to Corrie Ellis and Richard Widick for helpful on our governments and on the comments on earlier drafts of this paper. 17 IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change], corporations, banks, and all the other “Summary for Policymakers,” pp. 1-28 in Climate Change institutions of neoliberal capitalism that 2013: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working they serve, forcing them to take the Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, edited by T.F. decisive steps we all need and want, such as Stocker, D. Qin, G.-K. Plattner, M. Tignor, S.K. Allen, J. adoption of a fair and binding global climate Boschung, A. Nauels, Y. Xia, V. Bex, and P.M. Midgley treaty that will set a course for sustainable (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013), http://www.climatechange2013.org/images/report/WG1A post-capitalist societies free of structured R5_SPM_FINAL.pdfhttp://www.climatechange2013.org/im ages/report/WG1AR5_SPM_FINAL.pdf 18 IPCC, “Summary for Policymakers,” pp. 1-44 in Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability, 19 Paul Hawken makes the claim that the movement Contribution of Working Group II to the Fifth Assessment organizations number in the thousands: Blessed Unrest: Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, How the Largest Movement in the World Came into Being edited by Christopher B. Field et al. (Cambridge: and Why No One Saw It Coming (New York: Viking, 2007). Cambridge University Press, 2014), http://www.ipcc- For a partial, annotated list of some of the key climate wg2.gov/AR5/images/uploads/IPCC_WG2AR5_SPM_Appro justice movements and resources of which I am aware, see ved.pdf “The Global Justice Movement On-line” at www.iicat.org 21 violence and run democratically by the This triple crisis makes climate change a ninety-nine percent. “wicked” problem, defined as one that is
To achieve these ends, we will need to difficult or impossible to solve assemble the greatest social movement the because of incomplete, world has ever. contradictory, and changing requirements that are often An Earth in Crisis difficult to recognize. The term “wicked” is used to denote The present moment and the foreseeable resistance to resolution, rather future are defined by a triple crisis, than evil. Moreover, because of consisting of complex interdependencies, the effort to solve one aspect of a economic precariousness and wicked problem may reveal or increasingly unequal access to well-being create other problems…. Classic 20 (el buen vivir ) in the age of neoliberal examples of wicked problems capitalist globalization and profound include economic, environmental, economic crisis; and political issues. A problem whose solution requires a great despite this, and indeed because of number of people to change their it, there has been a corresponding waning mindsets and behavior is likely to of public confidence in political be a wicked problem.22 institutions (the “democratic deficit”); For Kelly Levin and her colleagues, most and cultures where endemic violence is social problems are wicked in the above embedded in everyday life, from sexual sense. Climate change, on the other hand, assault to militarism and global warfare. is a super wicked problem, characterized by These are now bound together and exacerbated by the worst crisis of all, the degradation, persistent poverty, and economic instability – wild card of climate chaos. And all of this to reinforce and amplify each other”: Paul D. Raskin, would seem to auger a perfect storm of “Global Scenarios: Background Review for the Millennium 21 Ecosystem Assessment.” Ecosystems 8 (2005): 133–42, crisis. doi:10.1007/s10021-004-0074-2, page 141, cited by in Fiacha O’Dowda, “Future in the Anthropocene: An Inquiry into Relationships between Climate and Society in Global Future Scenarios and the Intergovernmental Panel in 20 Buen vivir (literally, “living well”), in its largest sense Climate Change,” M.A. thesis, Erasmus Mundus (August means living in harmony with other people and nature, 2014), 16. O’Dowda’s thesis breaks new ground in our and is often contrasted with the neoliberal notion of understanding of the limitations of the IPCC’s efforts to consuming more to live better. This Quechua and Aymara bring a social scientific perspective into its modeling. To indigenous concept has been inscribed in the Ecuadoran be sure, future scenarios are meaningless without taking constitution. into account their economic, political, social, and cultural 21 Even the climate science community is starting to realize dimensions; the question is how best to do so. that the natural sciences cannot by themselves tell us how 22 The Australian Public Service Commission, “Tackling to reduce emissions. That this is an eminently political and Wicked Problems: A Public Policy Perspective” (October economic issue is suggested by the observation that “The 25, 2007). The term apparently originated in social scenarios presented here underscore the perils of global planning, and was first introduced by Horst Rittel and pathways that enable diverse stressors – cultural Melvin Webber in their 1973 article “Dilemmas in a polarization, geopolitical fissures, environmental General Theory of Planning,” Policy Sciences 4: 155–169. 22 four features: 1) time is running out, 2) The interdependency of the several crises those seeking to end the problem (humans, besetting us is significant; it means that and more precisely, global elites) are also holism is needed in confronting the climate causing it, 3) it is a global collective action crisis, and that the many intersecting problem overseen by at best a weak central struggles that call for justice must somehow authority (as anyone who has ever be approached together. The upside of witnessed a U.N. climate summit can dealing with such a complex crisis is that attest). This leads to the fourth obstacle: making progress in any sphere of it can change the equation for the better in Partly as a result of the above others, and that synergies among three features, super wicked movements can emerge when they form problems generate a situation in strong alliances. which the public and decision makers, even in the face of In December 2015, the United Nations overwhelming evidence of the Framework Convention on Climate Change risks of significant or even [UNFCCC] convenes the COP 21 meetings catastrophic impacts from (the Conference of the Parties, in this case inaction, make decisions that the twenty-first annual U.N. climate disregard this information and summit) in Paris to finalize the global reflect very short time horizons. It climate treaty it has been working on for is this very feature that has several years. The goal is to find ways to frustrated so many climate policy prevent earth from warming more than two advocates. This phenomenon is degrees Celsius since 1800. This target was analogous to smokers who, while set by climate scientists more than a decade they know the high probability of ago and agreed by the governments of the significant health problems and world at COP 15 in Copenhagen in 2009 to even death, make a decision to be a threshold which must be respected: smoke based on immediate passing it will likely plunge humanity into gratification. This characteristic is increasingly unlivable conditions (it is now especially pernicious because increasingly realized that the even more although it is known that negative difficult target of 1.5 degrees Celsius should effects will occur (such as be the Rubicon that must not be passed).24 respiration challenges for the The treaty under negotiation may therefore smoker) and that there is a high represent one of the last best chances to risk of catastrophic events (such as contain the disruptive climate change that a heart attack or lung cancer), the is coming our way and to preserve some precise consequences are never dignity for individuals and societies. Every 23 certain for any one individual. 24 The gravity of the situation is well sketched out in Kevin Anderson “Climate Change Going Beyond Dangerous – Brutal Numbers and Tenuous Hope,” What Next? Climate, 23 Kelly Levin, Benjamin Cashore, Steven Bernstein and Development and Equity, edited by Niclas Hällström, Graeme Auld, “Overcoming the Tragedy of Super Wicked special issue of Development Dialogue 61 (September Problems: Constraining our Future Selves to Ameliorate 2012): 16-40, Global Climate Change,” Policy Sciences 45 (2) (June 2012): http://www.whatnext.org/resources/Publications/Volume 123-152. -III/Single-articles/wnv3_andersson_144.pdf 23 year that passes without action closes the political one percent at the ballot box, in vise more tightly on efforts to avert these the streets, at places of work and scenarios. consumption, and in the very carbon- saturated culture and media in which we But for years now at the COP, a protracted live, work, and dream. stalemate has been playing out, aptly characterized by the subtitle of a book by Two Observations activist scholar Patrick Bond, published when COP 17 came to his home town of I’d like to make two observations, which are 25 Durban in 2011: “Paralysis Above.” not self-evident and which may challenge Meanwhile, the power of the corporations, some readers’ assumptions and banks, and free market-oriented private understandings: 1) the climate crisis is far sector in general, so evident at the more profound and daunting than most of November 2013 COP 19 in Warsaw, has us realize; and 2) the planet cannot stay 26 become that much greater. The stubborn below the bottom-line warming target of 2 conflict between the interests of the global degrees (let alone 1.5 degrees) Celsius North and global South – with economic under capitalism as we know it. powerhouses China, India, and Brazil now lodged in between – remains as intractable Let’s take a brief look at each of these as ever in an irreconcilable stand-off that claims. makes the chances of finding pathways to a less than 2 degrees Celsius world look The climate crisis is far more profound and vanishingly small. daunting than most of us realize
Humanity’s future, then, looks increasingly We are surrounded by bad climate news, set to be a race. In lane one stand the whether it’s extreme weather events of all corporations and nation state driving kinds or the latest scientific reports. Given climate change and its effects to the limit. this, one suspects that things are worse In lane two stand the climate justice than even those of us who follow all of this movement and its nation-state and popular know. Indeed the global scientific allies who seek to check those effects, halt community and the UNFCCC itself have an the rate of increase in greenhouse gas inkling of this: “*T+hese days, it is what we emissions that cause global warming, and don’t know that is the most worrying – then rapidly reverse the trend downward. because you can’t properly prepare for 27 They try to do this through a variety of what you can’t foresee.” means: defeating the economic and In his powerful essay, “Global Warming’s 9 Patrick Bond, Politics of Climate Justice: Paralysis Above, Terrifying New Math,” prominent U.S. Movement Below (Durban: University of KwaZulu Natal climate activist Bill McKibben argues that to Press, 2012). have a reasonable chance to stay under a 26 See the “Open letter calling for rules to protect the integrity of climate policy-making from vested corporate interests” (November 21, 2013) signed by dozens of 27 This quote is found in O’Dowda, “Future in the climate organizations at the Warsaw COP 19: Anthropocene,” 12-13, citing “The Science,” accessed July http://corporateeurope.org/blog/open-letter-calling-rules- 20, 2014, protect-integrity-climate-policy-making-vested-corporate- https://unfccc.int/essential_background/the_science/item interests. s/6064.php 24 two-degrees Celsius temperature rise in this spending over $600 billion a year trying to century, we can only burn a given amount discover new sources of fossil fuels – of fossil fuels (as he points out, in this case, fracking, tar sands, deep-water drilling, “reasonable” means four chances in five, or Arctic oil, mountain-top removal – while “somewhat worse odds than playing each year the amount we can afford to burn Russian roulette with a six-shooter”). The decreases. science tells us that this means the world’s largest fossil-fuel producing corporations Radical climate scientists Kevin Anderson and countries must be compelled to leave and Alice Bows of the Tyndall Centre for 80 percent of their proven reserves (and Climate Change Research in Manchester, thus their actual value) in the ground. This England, are doing what more scientists is the inescapable physical logic of salvaging need to do: like McKibben, they are not a livable planet for future generations.28 only analyzing the climate problem, but are mobilizing their knowledge to identify the In 2012, at the time of writing, McKibben larger political problem that underlies it.31 estimated the cap for maximum Anderson and Bows communicated this atmospheric CO2 emissions at 565 gigatons mission in the subtitle to their well- as the upper limit for staying at or below a 2 attended side event running parallel to last degrees Celsius temperature rise. With November’s COP 19 UN climate summit in annual global emissions currently running Warsaw, Poland: “Global Carbon Budget around 34 gigatons a year, and rising about 2013: Rising emissions and a radical plan three percent per annum, this cap is for 2 degrees.”32 The event included a roughly equal to a fourteen-year supply – sobering presentation of numbers, only till about 2026 – if “business as usual” slightly different from McKibben’s, which trends of economic production and growth would allow us to emit another 1,000 29 continue. The terrifying part, of course, is gigatons of CO2 for a 66 percent chance of that the estimate that the world’s already staying under two degrees. According to proven reserves of fossil fuels exceeds these assumptions, we have roughly twenty McKibben’s cap by five times. In other years left of business as usual before we words, the richest corporations in the exceed the limit (but now put two bullets in history of the world would have to forego the gun while playing Russian roulette with four-fifths of their future earnings – by the planet). some estimates, an astronomical $20 trillion.30 But instead, they are currently
28 Bill McKibben, “Global Warming’s Terrifying New Math: at today’s market value, those 2,795 gigatons of carbon Three simple numbers that add up to global catastrophe - emissions are worth about $27 trillion”: McKibben, and that make clear who the real enemy is, “Rolling Stone “Global Warming’s Terrifying New Math.” (July 19, 2012), 31 Anderson “Climate Change Going Beyond Dangerous – http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/global- Brutal Numbers and Tenuous Hope.” warmings-terrifying-new-math-20120719 32 This account is from my field notes; on what the 29 My thanks to Eknath and Chetan Ghate, who calculated Warsaw COP means for the global climate justice the 13.68 year supply (starting with 2012). The formula is movement see John Foran, “‘¡Volveremos!/We Will 565 = (t=1 to t=x) {34*(1.03)}^t where x is the number of Return’: The State of Play for the Global Climate Justice years that it takes for the right hand side to reach 565. Movement at the 2013 Warsaw UN Climate Summit COP 30 “John Fullerton, a former managing director at JP 19,” Interface: A Journal for and about Social Movements Morgan who now runs the Capital Institute, calculates that 6 (1) (May 2014). 25
What makes Anderson and Bows true corporations and richest governments heroes within the climate science united in suicidal lockstep against us? community, however, is their bold articulation of the policy implications of our The planet cannot stay below 2 degrees predicament. They argue that we need to Celsius under capitalism as we know it avoid 4 degrees at all cost (as even the World Bank now agrees),33 and that the Here we come to the economic bedrock of global North needs to cut 70 percent of its the current situation named by Naomi Klein emissions over the next decade. As they in the title of her important new book: This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the noted, “we’re not short of capital, just the 36 initiative and courage.” More damning are Climate. Neoliberal capitalism is the political consequences that Anderson undergoing multiple crises, mostly the drew just before the COP 19 talks: “Today, effects of its “normal” operations. In the after two decades of bluff and lies, the last twenty years, the rampant privatization remaining 2 degrees Celsius budget of public goods and services have generated demands revolutionary change to the obscene inequality and unparalleled political and economic hegemony.”34 In an concentrations of wealth and power: while interview during the talks, Anderson said: just 90 corporations and fossil-fuel “I’m really stunned there is no sense of exporting countries are responsible for fully urgency here,” pointing out that leadership, two-thirds of all the carbon emissions courage, innovative thinking, engaged discharged since the dawn of the industrial people, and difficult choices are ultimately revolution, so the richest 85 individuals in needed to appropriately deal with climate the world now possess as much wealth as change.35 the poorest half of humanity – 3.5 billion people.37 To this we may add what Rob Following from this, the question the global Nixon refers to as the “slow violence” of climate justice movement confronts is: What are the corresponding social and 36 Naomi Klein, This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the political implications of McKibben’s Climate (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2014). A pdf of the book can be found here. I have reviewed it here: argument? In other words, just how do we “Reflections on Naomi Klein’s ‘This Changes Everything’” keep warming in the 1.5-2 degree range, (November 30, 2014), with the might of the world’s largest http://climateandcapitalism.com/2014/11/30/reflections- naomi-kleins-changes-everything/ 37 Graeme Wearden, “Oxfam: 85 richest people as wealthy 33 World Bank, Turn Down the Heat: Why a 4° World Must as poorest half of the world,” The Guardian (January 20, Be Avoided. A Report for the World Bank by the Potsdam 2014), Institute for Climate Impact Research and Climate http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jan/20/oxfa Analytics (November 2012), m-85-richest-people-half-of-the-world; the original study http://climatechange.worldbank.org/sites/default/files/Tu is by Oxfam 2014. In 1999, the United Nations rn_Down_the_heat_Why_a_4_degree_centrigrade_warm Development Program reported “The net worth of the er_world_must_be_avoided.pdf world’s 200 richest people increased from $440 billion to 34 Renfrey Clarke, “The New Revolutionaries: Climate more than $1 trillion in just the four years from 1994 to Scientists Demand Radical Change” (January 9, 2014), 1998. The assets of the three richest people were more http://climateandcapitalism.com/2014/01/09/climate- than the combined GNP of the 48 least developed scientists-become-revolutionaries/ countries”: UNDP Human Development Report: 35 Anderson is quoted in Stephen Leahy, “South Scores Globalization with a Human Face (New York: UNDP, 11th-Hour Win on Climate Loss and Damage”(November 1999), 36-37, quoted in Vijay Prasad, The Poorer Nations: 2013), www.ipsnews.net/2013/11/south-scores-11th- A Possible History of the Global South (London: Verso, hour-win-on-climate-loss-and-damage/ 2014), 234. 26 resource depletion and the violence and economy is at war with many militarism that accompany the attempt of forms of life on earth, including the United States to secure its primacy in human life. What the climate the world system by massive spending to needs in order to avoid collapse is fight wars and maintain military bases that a contraction in humanity’s use of give it the capacity to do so all over the resources; what our economic world. Combined, and with climate change model demands to avoid collapse now in the ascendant, these look like the is unfettered expansion. Only one ultimate, irresolvable (whether on of these sets of rules can be capitalism’s terms, or in terms of a livable changed, and it’s not the laws of future) final contradictions of capitalism. nature.39
Because its economic logic is based on Nor does it appear realistic that capitalism literally endless growth, which requires can be radically reformed, even with all the ever-rising demands on the planet’s finite political will in the world (currently natural resources, capitalism will become conspicuous by its absence) in the unviable as resources are increasingly necessary time frame (by 2050), by which depleted, overworked, or made scarce by point climate science tells us the vast the impacts of climate change. The majority of emissions must have ended. problem in the medium-term future of capitalism (e.g. the next 25-50 years) is that Australian journalist Renfrey Clarke asks a the natural resource base necessary for most pertinent question: “What is it about producing what humans require to survive capitalism that the system willfully pursues will no longer be dependable. While some strategies that look certain to bring about excellent advocates of sustainable its own demise?” development, notably British ecological economist and University of Surrey The answer lies in the fact that professor Tim Jackson,38 have advanced the while an unaddressed climate important idea that an ecologically-guided crisis will be lethal to capitalism, “degrowth” economy is a solution to this the solutions to the crisis also contradiction, what’s missing is a convincing promise to bring the system down case that this could be delivered under the – and sooner. The capitalists’ political economy of capitalism as we know dilemma becomes clearer if we list it. some of the key measures required….: Naomi Klein puts it this way: – Material and financial resources The bottom line is what matters need to be reoriented, in a here: our economic system and concerted way, from the pursuit of our planetary system are now at maximum profit toward achieving war. Or, more accurately, our rapid declines in greenhouse gas emissions.
38 Tim Jackson, Prosperity without Growth: Economics for a Finite Planet (Oxford: Earthscan, 2011), http://www.ipu.org/splz-e/unga13/prosperity.pdf 39 Klein, This Changes Everything, 21. 27
– This reorientation of the carbon capitalism to agree to the treaty and economy will need to include a take the other actions needed to keep the large element of direct state planet under the dangerous threshold of 2 spending, structured around long- degrees Celsius. term planning and backed by tightening regulation. Schemes The Trajectory of the Global Climate such as carbon pricing cannot play Justice Movement more than a limited, subsidiary role. Let’s consider the historical arc of this movement so far. One dividing line – To keep mass living standards at straddles the end of 2009, when the COP 15 the highest levels consistent with climate summit met in Copenhagen amidst these measures, and ensure great public fanfare and media attention in popular support, the main costs of anticipation of a deal on climate. The global the reorientation need to be climate justice movement had announced levied on the wealthy.40 its existence two years before, at the COP 13 meeting in Bali in 2007, when the radical He concludes “Can anyone imagine the network Climate Justice Now! formed, and world’s capitalist elites agreeing to such attracted to it some formidable forces. measures, except perhaps under the most These included the international peasant extreme popular pressure?” and closes by movement Via Campesina, the youthful quoting Noam Chomsky: “In the moral young climate justice radicals who started calculus of capitalism, greater profits in the Camp for Climate Action in the U.K., Jubilee next quarter outweigh the fate of your South and the intellectuals around Third 41 grandchildren.” World Network and Focus on the Global South, Friends of the Earth International Of course, both the depth of the current [FOEI], the Durban Group for Climate crisis, and the central role played by the Justice, and many others perhaps just climate disruption that exacerbates it, outside it, among them the indispensable suggest that our activism around climate Bill McKibben and a rising 350.org. change may be one of the keys to moving beyond capitalism in our lifetime. In Copenhagen, climate justice advocates and activists had support inside the It seems increasingly evident that only a negotiation halls, as well as outside on the strong and vigorous climate justice streets, where 100,000 people marched for movement on a global scale has the the planet. Their allies included Mohamed capacity to force governments to stand up Nasheed of the Maldives and much of the to the economic and political forces of 40-plus member strong Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS); Bolivian president Evo 40 Renfrey Clarke, “Climate Change: Evidence of the Morales, Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez and the Death-wish of Capitalism” (April 26, 2014), ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance) left-of-center https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/56313 41 Javier Sethness, “Noam Chomsky: Ecology, Ethics, countries of Latin America’s Pink Tide; and a Anarchism,” Truthout (April 3, 2014), http://truth- less radical but important part of the Global out.org/news/item/22819-noam-chomsky-ecology-ethics- North, most notably the European Union, anarchism 28 led by Gordon Brown in the UK, Germany, Alongside these struggles a new front inside and some of the Scandinavian and around the COP has emerged in the governments. form of a strengthened and newly powerful global youth climate justice movement, When the United States and China, the which has been blossoming from one COP world’s two biggest emitters of greenhouse to the next. This movement is also active in gases, failed to find any common ground, many local campaigns. They’ve mounted the talks collapsed. In reality, neither they the fossil free divestment campaigns in the nor any of the other large emitting U.S. and the UK, are playing an important countries were willing to significantly curb role in the epic battle against the Keystone the burning of fossil fuels on which their XL pipeline in Canada and the U.S. alongside economies ran. With the economic collapse a revitalized Canadian indigenous that triggered the Great Recession in the movement led by Idle No More, and have same year, the balance of forces shifted energized the anti-fracking movement in decisively away from the positions of AOSIS California and elsewhere. They have and ALBA, while the EU aligned itself more brought to the movement a new generation and more with the rest of the global North. influenced by the moment of Occupy and other movements with a strong emphasis Building a Radical Climate Justice on consensus decision-making and non- Movement hierarchical organizational structures (a process known as “horizontalism”). But the second part of the subtitle of Additionally, they’ve brought along some Bond’s book was “Movement Below,” and new and not-so-new ways of organizing in fact the global climate justice movement that have real promise: Power Shift, social regrouped and built new momentum in media of all kinds, and vast reserves of Cochabamba, Bolivia in April 2009 to deliver imagination, energy, openness, and hope. a magnificent manifesto, “The Universal In a word, they are re-imagining climate Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth.” justice.42 Many activists, from Bond himself to McKibben, and many organizations from The time has never been more urgent for 350.org to FOEI have withdrawn energy “assembling the biggest social movement from what they see as a hopelessly the world has ever seen” to combat “the compromised process in the COPs, and put biggest crisis humanity has ever faced” (to it instead into local and national-level paraphrase Bill McKibben). Consider the campaigns and building networked global following: parts of the radical left are coalitions. These have brought us some of turning their attention to climate change, the epic struggles of recent years, from the while the radical climate justice movement many-sided battle over the Keystone is turning its attention to anti-capitalist pipeline to the ongoing movements against politics. At the same time, the Big Green fracking sprouting across the United States to the community fight to stop the 24 “Re-Imagining Climate Justice” is the name given to a expansion of the port in south Durban, gathering of the movement in Santa Barbara, California, in South Africa into the largest on the May 2014 in which I played a role continent. (www.climatejusticeproject.com); see Summer Gray’s video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpJpbnMjiYs 29 environmental organizations (especially the futures.”43 This is not to accuse anyone of Sierra Club), the mainstream global climate lack of imagination – far from it. I take it as justice movement (such as CAN, the Climate a call to mobilize our brilliant creativity and Action Network, which publishes the unleash our radical imaginations to work indispensable Eco daily briefings at the together with new resolve and joy. COP), and the biggest climate social movement organization (350.org) are all And so, I offer here a few of the many, moving in more radical directions. The many possibilities (I am not saying I support same can be said of climate science in all of these; they are offered here only for general (the directness of the IPCC’s Fifth discussion): Assessment Report, among others) and particular climate scientists such as Kevin At the COP: go to a majority vote on the Anderson, Alice Bows, Michael Mann, or treaty. What if, say, 120 countries ratified a James Hansen. Finally, there is an treaty covering more than 50 percent of the enormous push coming up from young world population and/or emissions? Might people, and from indigenous forces on all of this force the United States, China, the EU, these levels. the BRICs to join later? What if there were ways to incentivize one or more of these big emitters to join the “majority”? What if – The Present Moment for the sake of argument – we were to The question that the global climate justice accept Obama’s latest proposal to avoid the movement is now asking is what are the non-starter of ratification of a binding treaty by the U.S. Senate by negotiating prospects for synergy and movement 44 building among all the forces fighting for non-binding pledges only? Conversely, it’s the climate in one way or another? What conceivable (if not likely) that a “big two” are the ways forward? (China and the U.S.) or “three or four” (with the E.U. or India, etc.) could broker a deal. It’s past time for the movement to engage Whether it would be a good deal is another all hands in a major re-think moving question and hurdle to surmount. In any forward. As Paul Wapner, has put it: “The case, it’s time to abandon the fruitless scarcest resource these days … is the ability search for consensus among irreconcilable to unleash the mind, heart, and spirit to visions of the future, some of which are envision, entertain, and develop counter-productive, if not genocidal, and unorthodox possibilities…. Imagination, in which allows climate criminals like the this sense, is not a flight of fancy but closer current governments of Canada, Saudi to what C. Wright Mills understands as the Arabia, Australia, or Poland to obstruct, ability to grasp a larger arc of collective dilute, and veto the necessary treaty experience and interpret its meaning for provisions. No longer should one or two the choices we face. This involves recalcitrant parties possess the power to disciplined inspiration, creativity, and hold hostage humanity’s future. ingenuity that can help us cognitively and emotionally enter into alternative 43 Paul Wapner, book description for Reimagining Climate Change, informal communication, summer 2014. 44 Cf. Ben Adler, “Obama has a Plan for Getting around Senate Opposition to a Climate Treaty” (August 27, 2014). 30
The Social Pre-COP. In terms of the build-up Convened by Jill Stein, 2012 presidential to the COP 21 in Paris, we may note a candidate of the Green Party of the United number of developments, starting with the States, this call resonates with the intriguing Venezuelan initiative to hold two formation of the new U.S. ecosocialist “Social Pre-COP” gatherings in 2014 focused organization System Change Not Climate on youth, indigenous peoples, and various Change), which aims at shifting the movement capacity building gatherings. As momentum of the climate justice Venezuela’s lead negotiator Claudia Salerno movement in an anti-capitalist direction by put it in announcing it at the 2013 Warsaw starting “a far-ranging discussion within COP 19, “A situation of madness requires a society: can stopping climate change be little craziness,” adding, “We are not afraid compatible with an economic system that is to fail…. [There is] nothing to lose, and flooded with fossil fuel profits? Can we maybe a lot to gain.” At the first of these in create a safe and healthy planet for all mid-July those present issued the Margarita human beings while simultaneously Declaration, a 13-page manifesto which allowing ever-expanding resource concluded: “We need to create our own extraction, endless growth, and the massive dreams, forget the perverse inequalities that come along with it?” developmentalist dream, and find inspiration in ourselves. We need to share The People’s Climate March. Meanwhile, a new narrative based on our own the faltering momentum for a global experiences.”45 A second Social Pre-COP is climate deal received a strong new push at scheduled for November 4-7 in Caracas. the People’s Climate March attended by some 400,000 people in New York City on The Global Climate Convergence and System September 21, 2014, an event which may Change Not Climate Change. Another well be seen in future histories as the major new campaign, in the United States, turning point in the evolution of a strong is the Global Climate Convergence, which North American climate justice proclaims “People, Planet, Peace over movement.46 When U.N. Secretary-General Profits” and is seeking to build Ban Ki-moon convened a special Climate “collaboration across national borders and Summit 2014: Catalyzing Action with the fronts of struggle to harness the charge: “This Summit is meant to be a transformative power we already possess solutions summit, not a negotiating session. as a thousand separate movements I have invited all Heads of State and springing up across the planet.” The basic Government, along with leaders from idea is to create a lasting collaboration business and finance, local government and between climate activism and other forms civil society. I am asking all who come to of social justice, including progressive labor, bring bold and new announcements and indigenous organizing, and the fledgling action. I am asking them to bring their big ecosocialist movement in the United States, ideas,”47 very little happened inside the UN and ultimately, no doubt, beyond.
46 See http://peoplesclimatemarch.org/ and 45 The Margarita Declaration on Climate Change, Margarita http://systemchangenotclimatechange.org/event/ny-sept- Island, Social PreCOP Preparatory Meeting, Venezuela (July 19-ny-climate-convergence-2014-09-19-211500 18, 2014): Changing the system, not the climate. This 47 Ban Ki-moon, “Big Idea 2014: The Year for Climate manifesto is also found in the Appendix to our Report. Action” (December 11, 2013), 31 but a lot happened on the outside: the to get there in the relatively medium term multiple workshops, gatherings, and public (the next 25-50 years, or by 2040 to 2065). events in the days leading up to the march, In the short term (from now out 10-15 the unprecedented, massive, diverse years, or from 2015 to 2025 or 2030), the climate march itself, the “Flood Wall Street” task is to build a broad radical climate direct action of the following day, and the justice movement everywhere we can, countless initiatives that are bound to preparing a new generation for the longer emerge from the thousands of people who anti-capitalist project of deep social saw their commitment grow and their transformation. possibilities for action widen as a result of their participation. We also have to learn more about how to build social movements and, perhaps, a An important agenda item for this totally new and different kind of political gathering might be the development of a party (we need much speculation about people’s plan for radical emissions this), because the two together might reductions (I propose some tentative first succeed where individually they have not. thoughts on this in an appendix to this This is the central thesis of another project I essay. Just as Ban had hoped to kickstart a am working on that surveys radical social UN process that is driven by stalemate from movements in the twenty-first century, above, the global climate justice movement contrasting them with the social revolutions is building fresh momentum from below as that tried to shape positive social it strives to find the ways to bring into full transformation in the twentieth.48 We need flowering the biggest social movement the to learn our own power and how to use it world has ever seen. wisely to transcend the polarizing debate between the horizontalism of Occupy and What Now? Thinking Forward efforts to transform societies by bringing progressive political forces to state power. What follows from our observations to this point? I offer a few ideas for discussion Our politics within that movement have to here as a contribution to the global process be informed by our anti-capitalism, and of figuring out how to move forward. positively, we need to do some thinking about what to call our vision of a post- Our movement should aim beyond capitalist future, what it will look like, and, capitalism of course, how to get there on schedule.
It seems to me that the only real systemic Going global “solution” to the crisis is a radical anti- capitalist climate justice movement capable One approach to understanding the current of decisively cutting emissions in a just way. state of play would be a country by country This movement, or convergence and analysis of the top ten emitting nations: confluence of many movements, has to be a broad anti-capitalist movement, and it has 48 The arguments are sketched in a preliminary fashion in John Foran, “Beyond Insurgency to Radical Social Change: http://www.un.org/climatechange/blog/2013/12/11/big- The New Situation,” Studies in Social Justice 8 (1) (2014): 5- idea-2014-the-year-for-climate-action/ 25. 32 their climate profile, their political situation, The European Union and Europe the state of their civil society (suffering? more generally – the U.K., Germany, unemployed? worries about what?), and Scandinavia, along with others, such as the strength of their climate justice the short-lived Green-Left experiment in movement. From here one could try to Iceland – have led the global North’s work out a regional analysis of this kind as governments in the direction along which well, as a prelude to a global analysis. they need to go much further: renewable energy, green building, attractive public This kind of detailed analysis is far beyond transportation networks, and so on. To the scope of what I can do here. No matter get the global North on board for a just how it would look, it seems clear that we climate treaty will require strong need to strengthen and make connections leadership from the EU, or at least a few within and between such places as: key European countries, to push for deep and legally binding cuts, a good deal North America – the U.S. and beyond anything proposed so far from Canada, because these constitute, that quarter. This, in turn, requires respectively, the biggest problem country progressive, accountable political parties in the world, and one of the dirtiest rich in power, and to achieve that requires countries (along with Australia). The strong national-level climate justice fronts are the battle against the tar sands movements. and Keystone pipeline, the fossil fuel divestment movement, and the hundreds, The BASIC countries perhaps thousands, of local environmental justice struggles. The New -- Brazil: one could imagine the York City People’s Climate March in Movement of Landless Workers (MST) September 2014 is evidence that we are and a radicalized Workers Party – the in the first stages of building a big, governing PT, if it can be done, or if not, powerful new radical climate justice perhaps progressive members of the PT movement including, among others, joining to form an ecologically minded 350.org, SCNCC, the Green Party of the party with the independent left or USA, the Climate Justice Alliance/Our perhaps the Green Party -- might fuse into Power campaign, the Cowboy and Indian something new.49 Alliance, the Indigenous Environmental Network, Idle No More, the Climate -- India: The impressive half-century of Action Network, Sierra Club, the youth sustainable social democratic society climate justice movement, PowerShift, established in Kerala contains the seeds of Occupy, indymedia and climate bloggers a better development model that should and websites, churches, universities, the
huge numbers of communities on the 49 In the first round of the October 6, 2014 presidential front lines where all kinds of elections, incumbent Dilma Yousef polled 41 percent (43 environmental and climate justice million votes), right-winger Aécio Neves 34 percent (35 grassroots work is happening, progressive million) , and Green candidate Marina Silva 21 percent (22 million), suggesting that such a new type of party might unions, feminists, anti-racists, and one day be viable. Disappointingly, Silva backed Neves in anarchists. the runoff, suggesting just how much work needs to be done. 33
be studied more widely.50 On the other average citizen of China, it’s clear whose hand, the new Prime Minister, Narendra ignorance is more damaging). Modi, was actually in New York the day of the U.N. climate summit, but didn’t -- South Africa – a socialist and ecological attend.51 alternative must be found to the anti- democratic extractivist political economy -- China: The contradictions of China’s of the ruling African National Congress breakneck industrial growth have caused (ANC), and there are particularly strong countless local pushbacks from climate justice movements inside the communities which are suffering the country such as the South Durban 53 effects of pollution and poisoning of their Community Environmental Alliance. land and water; the same is true of wildcat labor strikes. Both trends are Latin America increasingly eliciting new climate change policy from the government, well aware -- Despite numerous problems and the of the paradoxes of its relatively recent heavy contradictions of being based on emergence as the single greatest extractive industries, the three most contributor to emissions and radical “Pink Tide” countries – Bolivia, simultaneously the world’s greatest Ecuador, and Venezuela – have put forth consumer of coal and producer of solar the idea of trying to create a new kind of power.52 Meanwhile, according to a Pew democratic “socialism for the twenty-first Research poll, China and the U.S. are century” and, in the first two, the virtually tied as the most poorly educated indigenous idea of “buen vivir” already populations in climate change (although inscribed into the constitutions of with the average American’s carbon Ecuador and Bolivia, giving hope that we footprint still three times greater than the may see the first instances of an “ecosocialism for the twenty-first 50 Though dated, the best overview of Kerala remains century” in the coming decade. Richard W. Franke and Barbara H. Chasin, Kerala: Radical Reform as Development in an Indian State (San Francisco: -- An even longer-lived indigenous The Institute for Food and Development Policy, 1994). ). 51 A key text on climate politics in India is Praful Bidwai’s experiment with deep democracy has The Politics of Climate Change and the Global Crisis: been pioneered by the Zapatistas in Mortgaging Our Future (Orient Blackswan, 2011). For Chiapas, and offers further clues of what a recent pieces on the new government of prime minister Narendra Modi, see Carl Pope, “What American twenty-first century ecosocialism Environmentalists Can Learn From Prime Minister Modi” (regardless of what it is called) might look (October 3, 2014); Ben Adler, “Yoga could be an answer to like. climate change, says India’s prime minister” (October 1, 2014); and Siddhartha Deb, “What Is India? Why India’s boom years have been a bust” (September 16, 2014). Africa and the Middle East 52 Good recent journalism on China includes Jaeah Lee and James West, “China’s coal addiction threatens the planet — but can it handle a natural gas revolution?” (September 18, 2014); Alexander Reid Ross, “China: Mass protests challenge polluters” (April 7, 2014); James West, “China 53 See John Vidal, “South Africa’s ‘cancer alley’ residents just got serious about global warming. Now we’re really face new threat from port development” (April 28, 2014), out of excuses.” (September 6, 2014),; and especially Jeff http://www.theguardian.com/global- Goodell, “China, the Climate and the Fate of the Planet” development/2014/apr/28/south-africa-cancer-alley-port- (September 15, 2014). development 34
-- Africa, one of the centers of gravity for Oceania and the “small” island climate disruption and chaos, is home to states the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance – PACJA – a network formed in 2008 and -- The loss of climate hero Mohamed now numbering over 1,000 organizations Nasheed in the 2013 election in his of farmers, religious organizations, NGOs, country has set back the global cause for and others with “a common goal of climate justice enormously. He and his promoting and advocating for Pro-poor, Minister of the Environment, Mohamed climate-friendly and equity-based Aslam, were among the most far-sighted responses to climate change.”54 and eloquent voices on behalf of Oceania 57 and all small island states everywhere. -- The COP 18 meetings in Doha, Qatar, were the occasion for the emergence of -- In their place, we have a variety of the Arab Youth Climate Justice Movement initiatives, from Tuvalu, Nauru, and (AYCM), whose activists are now elsewhere, as well as the new voice of organizing in fifteen countries. The AYCM Marshallese poet Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner, who has been very active with the global youth delivered the greatest speech at the UN climate justice movement at subsequent special summit convened by Ban Ki- 58 COPs and is building national movements moon. across North Africa and the Middle East Principles, practices, dreams, and hope: from the ground up. Among their constructing vibrant political cultures of approaches is to view the climate crisis as opposition and creation “an opportunity to create a more sustainable, prosperous, meaningful, just, Conceptually, the concepts of political and fair world.”55 cultures of opposition and creation have helped me think about the problem of how -- Finally, it should be noted that Tunisia, strong social movements are born.59 None the only Arab Spring country which has of the revolutions of the twentieth century established a reasonably well-functioning was made without powerful political representative democracy, re-wrote its cultures of opposition capable of bringing constitution after the fall of the dictator, diverse social groups to the side of a Ben Ali, to include reference to fighting movement for deep social change, as climate change.56 happened in the Mexican, Russian, Chinese, Cuban, Nicaraguan, and Iranian revolutions.
57 See Summer Gray and John Foran, “Climate Injustice: 54 See their website at http://pacja.org/about- The Real History of the Maldives,” Berkeley Journal of us/acja.org/about-us/ Sociology 58 (September 2014), 55 The AYCM maintains a strong presence at http://berkeleyjournal.org/2014/09/climate-injustice-the- https://www.facebook.com/AYCMENA/info real-history-of-the-maldives/ 56 John Upton, Tunisia’s new constitution calls for climate 58 The speech can be heard at protection (February 4, 2014), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4fdxXo4tnY#t=403 http://grist.org/news/tunisias-new-constitution-calls-for- 59 John Foran, “Global Affinities: The New Cultures of climate- Resistance behind the Arab Spring,” pp. 45-71 in Mehran protection/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email Kamrava, editor, The Evolving Ruling Bargain in the Middle &utm_term=Daily%2520Feb%25204&utm_campaign=daily East (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014). 35
These political cultures drew on people’s stronger, when to a widely felt culture of experiences and emotions and were opposition and resistance, they add a expressed in complex mixtures of popular, positive vision of a better world, an everyday ways of expressing grievances – alternative to strive for to improve or fairness, justice, dignity, or freedom – and replace what exists. In this sense, some of more consciously articulated radical the differences between old and new ideologies such as socialism and liberation movements for radical social change seem theology. The most effective revolutionary to include the attempt to get away from the movements of history have found ways to hierarchical organizations that made the tap into whatever political cultures emerge great revolutions and move in the direction in their society, often through the creation of more horizontal, deeply democratic of a common goal such as “the regime must relations among participants; the expressive step down” or “the foreign powers must power of using popular idioms more than leave.” The forging of a strong and vibrant ideological discourses; the growing use of political culture of opposition is thus an nonviolence; the building of coalitions as accomplishment, carried through by the networks of movements and organizations actions of many people, and, like to include diverse outlooks; and the revolutions themselves, such cultures are salience of political cultures of creation relatively rare in human history. alongside political cultures of opposition and resistance. In the twenty-first century, the nature of movements for what we might now call What might go into a radical political radical social change (rather than culture of climate justice? On the level of revolution) has itself changed, as activists, emotions, we would perhaps do well to reformers, dreamers, and revolutionaries cultivate what Gustavo Esteva has termed globally have more often pursued “joyful militancy:” nonviolent paths to a better world, intending to live and act as they would like We are suggesting that a useful that world to be. That is, the ends of justice way to think about radical politics are no longer held to justify the means of is through the lens of joy and violence, but the means of non-violent sadness…. Joy means letting the resistance reflect and guarantee the ends world in and letting oneself into that they seek. In this, they embody and the world: being vulnerable, illustrate the virtues of prefigurative politics compassionate, experimental, and in particular, horizontalist ways to creative, and embracing realize them. I call these positive, uncertainty. Sadness means alternative visions “political cultures of creating boundaries, making creation.” 60 Movements become even distinctions, comparing, making plans, and so on…. 60 Foran, “Beyond Insurgency to Radical Social Change.”
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All movements, spaces, up a conception of “joyful collectives, and individuals have militancy” based on spaces, elements of joy and sadness: movements, thinkers, and doers they’re bound together, they help who have inspired us, but there’s and hinder each other, and they’re no formula or guidebook. Even constantly shifting and more importantly, we really don’t changing. We often need good want to suggest a new set of boundaries to create radical norms that should govern or spaces in an oppressive world, we police people into behaving a need to make plans and be open certain way: that would be an to changing them and changing utter failure. We hope joyful ourselves. militancy can remain loose and vague, while offering up some Our suspicion, or feeling, or hunch, ideas that are inspiring and useful or experience is that there is too to think through.61 much sadness and not enough joy in a lot of radical movements and Similarly, it might be important to cultivate spaces today. There is a lot of new languages and ways of being together; energy and investment in thinking here, one might think of the whole Occupy intellectually, making distinctions, repertoire, so well captured in the book and closure, and creating boundaries, website, Beautiful Trouble. Or the “meme and we think that is squeezing out projects” – Patrick Reinsborough and Doyle possibilities for conviviality, Canning’s handbook, Re:imagining Change: creativity, and kindness…. An Introduction to Story-based Strategy; Occupy’s “We ... are… the 99 percent!” Or However–and this is REALLY drawing from the history of our own important to us–while we are movement, that simple profound slogan making a distinction here, we are “System Change, Not Climate Change,” so not trying to construct a simple evocative and powerful (and very astutely binary. We’re calling joy and chosen by the new North American network sadness an “ecology” because of the same name). In all of this, “artivism,” there are always elements of both creativity, and love are the prominent, and in our movements…. Furthermore, youth movements everywhere are this is less about individuals and inventing and carrying the new political their identifications and more cultures of creation. about collective spaces, desires, and movements.
We are arguing that “sad militancy” is hegemonic: that it predominates in many radical spaces today, squeezing out 61 Gustavo Esteva, “The Ecology of Joy in Our Radical possibilities for conviviality and Movements and Spaces,” friendship. We’re trying to offer http://earthlingopinion.wordpress.com/2014/07/31/the- ecology-of-joy-in-our-radical-movements-and-spaces/ 37
As for new ideas about building alliances, that those people don’t ruin the one idea that lots of people are finding planet for all of us.62 illuminating is “the spectrum of allies and opponents model”: The key is to unlock ways to bring together increasingly radical, increasingly broad forces together, to multiply our impact and networks exponentially, learn to build the Veronika Libao explains the idea this way: bridges, and generate the new ideas we need. The most important thing this movement has to realize in order The Briefest of Conclusions to accomplish its goal is the fact What everyone brings to the table in the struggle for global climate justice has value. The movements for climate justice around the world need all hands on deck, now and for as far as anyone can see into the future.
This is the challenge the global climate justice movement faces now.
that it can never convince everyone, and that is completely fine….The “spectrum of allies” model avoids wasting valuable energy in convincing those in active opposition. Instead, it focuses on shifting those in a passive opposition to neutral, those in a neutral position to passive allies, and passive allies to active allies (as shown in the diagram). As disheartening it is to know that there are those who openly choose to ignore climate
change, there are plenty of others 62 Veronika Libao, “The Cheapening of Our Lives: who devote their lives to ensuring Consumerism and its Inevitable Link to Climate Change,” a paper for Sociology 134GJ: Global Justice Movements, UC Santa Barbara (Summer 2014), where this image is from. The “Spectrum of Allies” was presented to us by United Kingdom Youth Climate Coalition members Fatima Ibrahim and Louisa Casson.
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Appendix: Some Principles for Radical Emissions Reduction based on Climate Justice
1. The target should be 1.5 degrees Celsius, not 2 degrees.
2. The burning of fossil fuels for energy has to be rolled back decisively and quickly. This might mean, for example, cuts of ten percent a year starting immediately (or one percent, then increasing by two percent per year till we reach 10 percent in 2020, and ten percent a year thereafter till we approach zero emissions by 2030. The sooner we start on this path, the better.
3. The global South – and indeed all peoples – have a “right to sustainable development.” From this it follows that there has to be massive redistribution of technology and funds from North to South – for adaptation, for emissions reductions, for meeting the basic needs of every human on the planet, for the loss and damages of extreme weather events already locked into Earth’s climate future.
4. The above should be agreed by every government on earth, in 2015, and if not then, we must step up our resistance exponentially until it is agreed. What this means should be thought about and discussed in the build-up to December 2015.
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Protecting Climate Policy from sponsors including dirty energy and heavily polluting industries, and a coal summit Dirty Energy Lobbying: organised alongside the talks, attended by A Working Strategy Document the UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Pascoe Sabido 64 Figueres. And in some UNFCCC This document attempts to show how we institutions – like the Green Climate Fund – can use COP21 in Paris as an opportunity to fossil fuel financiers are playing key roles advising and making recommendations for lay the groundwork and build the political 65 and public support for a mechanism at policy governing climate finance. The national, regional and UNFCCC level to extent to which the dirty energy industry protect climate policy making from the dirty was being listened to was further energy industry. It is intended as a basis for highlighted by more than 800 civil society conversation, to be worked on, changed and observers prematurely walking out of the finalized collectively. talks in protest, with t-shirts that read ‘polluters talk, we walk’. The next major Problem moment in the talks is taking place in 2015 in Paris, COP21, where all countries are The influence of the dirty energy lobby is supposed to agree a treaty to govern the the greatest barrier to achieving climate post-2020 climate regime. However, policies to deliver a fair, just and sustainable current expectations are very low, due to world. They are preventing governments in the recalcitrance of Northern governments the global north fulfilling their obligations and the power of the dirty energy lobby. under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),63 Opportunity? holding back an equitable and ambitious deal at the international level. Through There is a big opportunity to use the events their influence, these same corporations – from now up to and including COP21 in whose business model is responsible for the Paris to ensure the dirty energy industry is crisis we are facing – are profiting from the not seen as an acceptable partner in making promotion of false solutions that worsen climate policy. The ultimate aim is to the crisis and generate huge profits. remove them altogether, end their access to our decision makers within our national Current state of play and regional governments as well as the UNFCCC. Only by ending this cozy Dirty energy lobbying – and corporate relationship and reclaiming climate policy influence in general – reached making can the UNFCCC deliver an unprecedented levels at the last UNFCCC talks in Warsaw, COP19. There was a 64 For an overview of the corporate capture of COP19, see business-only pre-COP, multiple corporate Corporate Europe Observatory’s blog written while in Warsaw, http://corporateeurope.org/blog/warsaw-cop19- climate-blog 65 Bank of America is the “developed country” private 63 The UNFCCC is the only inclusive multilateral space sector active observer to the Green Climate Fund board, which also enshrines the top-down, rules-based approach and XX companies are serving on the GCF’s Private Sector alongside principles of equity (historical responsibility Advisory Panel (PSAG), which is responsible for making enshrined in the Annex I and non-Annex I system, common recommendations to the GCF board on every thing from but differentiated responsibility, respective capabilities) fiduciary standards to best practices on intermediation 40 equitable and ambitious deal for current dirty energy solutions; and future generations. manufacturing doubt around climate science via scientists and It’s been done before with the tobacco think tanks; lobby – Article 5.3 litigation against countries working to address climate change; Other UN bodies have faced similar using corporate social responsibility challenges in addressing the undue activities to present a façade of influence of harmful industries and dealt action while their core business with the situation effectively, such as the model remains the same; UN World Health Organisation (WHO). aggressive lobbying at all levels; Article 5.3 of its global tobacco treaty, the infiltrating key government arenas Framework Convention on Tobacco Control at national, regional and (FCTC), enshrines in international law the international level principle that the tobacco industry has no role in public health policymaking, due to creating public partnerships and the “fundamental and irreconcilable conflict voluntary solutions to avoid between the tobacco industry’s interests regulation and public health policy interests” and states that "Parties shall act to protect The tobacco precedent provides a very these policies from commercial and other powerful, publicly-understandable, vested interests of the tobacco industry".66 common-sense example which can be used Through a strong, Southern-led civil-society further. The proposition that the UN, and coalition working at national and the UNFCCC in particular, should take action international level, they managed to to protect climate policy-making from the achieve this. dirty energy lobby was already gaining ground in Warsaw, with more than 80 While tobacco and fossil fuels are very organisations signing onto an open letter to different, the principle of irreconcilable UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and interests – between that of industry and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana that of the public – is the same. Equally, the Figueres asking for such a measure in light 67 role that industry has played in preventing of the evidence. More events since then legislation around both is very similar, with show a growing appetite: Big Energy taking many of its strategies directly from the Big Tobacco playbook: French climate organisations working together towards COP21 funding citizen front groups to wrote to the three ministers provide legitimacy for continued responsible, calling on them to introduce a similar policy to Article
66 For more information see the short briefing http://www.satuhassi.net/wp- content/uploads/2013/11/Stop-Fossil-Fuels-Setting-the- Climate-Agenda_Briefing_Nov13-2.pdf or the longer paper 67 See here for the English version http://www.satuhassi.net/wp- http://corporateeurope.org/blog/open-letter-calling-rules- content/uploads/2013/11/Stop-Fossil-Fuels-Setting-the- protect-integrity-climate-policy-making-vested-corporate- Climate-Agenda_Report_Dec2013_FINAL.pdf interests 41
5.3 under the UNFCCC;68 US and EU), as well as some Northern civil society groups who Approximately 300 organizations – are keen to get any deal possible most from the global south – even if it means sacrificing equity, penned a letter to the board and thus ambition;69 members of the Green Climate Fund demanding that dirty energy be kept Many countries in the global South out of the fund; defending the principles of equity also have large state-owned fossil As a result of the global campaign to fuel interests and see cheap energy stop corporate impunity, the UN as key to the economic growth they Human Rights Council agreed to see as necessary to address the establish a working group into a impacts of climate change as well as legally-binding instrument over the poverty; operations of transnational corporations; Most countries in the global South will have far less capacity within the Increasing numbers of organisations negotiations and may have their fighting corporate take-over in the energy companies on their shape of the US and EU global trade delegations, while Northern deals (TPP and TTIP); governments will have far more A large number of organisations capacity and no need for them on surveyed by the Democracy Centre delegations but will have fully on priorities for the climate consulted them beforehand; movement at COP20 in Lima will Parts of the climate justice prioritize tackling corporate power. movement have already rejected However, for a strategy to be successful in the UNFCCC space as it has failed to trying to reclaim climate policy and the deliver and is technocratising the UNFCCC from the dirty energy industries debate, distancing it from local while at the same time supporting an struggles and playing into the hands agenda of equity and ambition within it, of big business by focusing on certain sensitivities must be taken account accounting, measurements and of: markets rather than drivers; Most dirty energy lobbying takes The principles of equity as outlined within the Convention (and place in the capitals, before contained within the Rio Declaration negotiators and delegations arrive of 1992) have been under attack
from Northern governments 69 Note: if equity is sacrificed, then so is ambition, as many (particularly heavy polluters like the countries in the global South who are already taking domestic actions – and who have been waiting since the signing of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 for climate 68 The letter was written by Attac France, Centre de leadership from Northern countries but not yet seen it – recherche et d’information pour le développement (CRID) will not take on higher commitments without either the and Réseau Action Climat, with 15 other signatories, finance, technology or ambition that has been promised http://france.attac.org/actus-et-medias/le- from Northern countries as development and poverty flux/article/climat-assez-de-discours-des-actes alleviation will be prioritized. 42
(although there is plenty of overt fossil fuel interests and industries;70 capture, from side events to Be used as a campaign against sponsorship to parallel summits) and Southern governments with fossil the UNFCCC is a symptom rather fuel interests, but rather empower than a cause of the increasing all governments to increase their proximity between the dirty energy political control over said interests, industry and climate policy rather than allowing them to set (although certain key personalities policy; within the Secretariat and the UN are also driving this phenomenon); Make overly-strong demands on the UNFCCC by Paris as they will not be Paris 2015 is likely to be a disaster met; instead demands must build from a climate perspective, and an after Paris, using it as an ‘I told you incredibly fraught and tense so’ moment to rebuild momentum negotiation, with a huge battle over after failure; who is responsible for the failure (North or South); Allow demands to die in the UNFCCC; for example making a Fossil fuels are far more integral to demand of the COP21 Presidency local and global economies than (François Hollande) also contributes tobacco (both the revenues and to the French national campaign and their use as a form of energy), and can continue after; are seen as a tool for development by many countries in the global Exclude groups who do not work on South in the absence of external the UNFCCC; therefore it should support (finance and technology to equally focus on national and allow for an alternative regional levels and look to build a development pathway). diverse coalition that will last far beyond Paris. Therefore, taking these factors into How can we use COP21 in Paris as an consideration, the campaign must not: opportunity to lay the groundwork and build the political and public support for a 5.3 Weaken the UNFCCC process itself any further, due to its unique policy for the climate? character; Objectives Undermine the wider fight for equity and ambition by undermining To create public acceptance that the Southern champions in an dirty energy lobby has no place in international space, thereby playing into the hands of the real climate 70Talking to Southern climate justice groups, there is a criminals, Northern countries with view that they will hold their governments to account in historic responsibility and major national spaces, but want to refrain from attacking them within the UNFCCC as this plays into the hands of Northern countries who are attempting to move the climate regime towards an inequitable and unambitious outcome. There is also a question of legitimacy, and Southern groups, aware of national contexts, should be leading on this. 43
climate policy making policy makers. This will be done through new research or re-packaging existing To have the dirty energy industry materials (and building on existing blamed for the failure of the talks due to campaigns). Picking well-known iconic dirty their influence on the positions and energy corporations, who can act as politics of Northern governments exemplars for their industry, makes this To force the UNFCCC to reconsider its stage far shorter, and means the public will relationship with the dirty energy lobby be far readier to take the next step To create external political acceptance (undermining their legitimacy in climate outside of the UNFCCC that the dirty policy). energy lobby has no place in climate Ban Ki-moon Summit: the dirtiest, policy making most obvious corporations to pledge To build a strong, robust coalition to (and those with the most take this work forward after Paris contradictory pledges in relation to their core business) Strategy up to and including COP21 in Paris COP20, Lima: those operating in Latin America (new research will be The main strategy will be a simple three- produced for this) step strategy: COP21, Paris: global, but relevant 1. Name, shame and toxify the dirty for the French context energy lobby (climate criminals) National level: those relevant to the struggles of local groups 2. Expose/scandalize their close association with our political leaders 2. Expose/scandalize their close and climate policy making association with our political leaders and (national/regional governments and climate policy making (national/regional UNFCCC) governments and UNFCCC) 3. Demand an end to the relationship This will be done through a simple demand For an outline of timelines, tactics and tasks for transparency around the interactions required, see Annex I between our political leaders, their institutions and the chosen dirty energy 1. Name, shame and toxify the dirty energy corporation(s). Such as demand allows lobby (climate criminals) many groups of all persuasions to get behind it, as well as being difficult for a Choose strategically relevant corporations public institution and figure to argue with. It (depending on the political moment – see will be a dual-demand: below) and show their destructive impact (on the climate, communities and their Direct interactions, e.g. publicly environments), their refusal to take real disclosing all meetings (and minutes) action (and instead promote false solutions, and public encounters now and in which they benefit from), and their close the future with said dirty energy relationship to our political leaders/climate corporation(s); disclosing their 44
funding of trips, visits or public/private events, including non- - Green Climate Fund (via Héla financial contributions; Cheikhrouhou, Executive Director): full disclosure of all interactions with Financial benefits received by the selected dirty energy corporations on corporation, e.g. publicly disclosing behalf of her, her staff, GCF board all subsidies, tax-breaks, research members, committees and panels. funding and grants; The political targets will be at international, As the campaign develops (particularly after national and regional level: COP20 in Lima), both Figueres and Hollande will be increasingly targeted through International level (UNFCCC) collective demands aimed at both.
To avoid attacking the process itself, the National/Regional level campaign will use public figures as proxies, who can be held up as the guardians of the Capacity within the core group will not integrity of the process and of climate allow it to run national level campaigns policy making, as well as drivers of the outside of their own country/region, but a increasing corporate capture. Demands for campaign tool kit will be provided for transparency will be made of: interested groups which can help add a national-level demand to local dirty energy - UNFCCC Secretariat (via Christiana struggles, whether in the global North or Figueres, UNFCCC Executive-Secretary): South, challenging the relationship between full disclosure of all interactions with their governments and their dirty energy selected dirty energy corporations on industries.71 Making the link in early 2015 behalf of her and her secretariat. She is with the trade talks (TTIP/TAFTA, TPP) sensitive around maintaining a positive would also allow another dimension to image, and in Warsaw was heavily show how our governments are handing criticized for choosing to speak at a coal over climate policy to corporations via summit organised alongside the climate mechanisms like the investor-to-state talks, as well as choosing it instead of dispute settlement mechanism. speaking at a youth conference (she was presented an ultimatum). However, to ensure this campaign compliments the fight for climate justice - COP Presidency (via Ollanta Humala within the UNFCCC negotiations and and then François Hollande, Peruvian maintains international pressure on those and French Presidents respectively): historically responsible for climate change full disclosure of all interactions with (who are preventing us reaching a just, selected dirty energy corporations on equitable and ambitious deal), the behalf of him and his COP Presidency campaign coalition will collectively target team. Humala is being heavily criticized for new regulations in favour of extractive companies, while Hollande is 71 championing nuclear energy. Or groups who are fighting for clean-energy but see the power of the fossil fuel industry as blocking them 45 specific Northern polluters and their close As this campaign-plan aims to build public relationship to their dirty energy industries: and political support for a 5.3 for climate, an end to the relationship before Paris is - USA – focus on pipelines and ‘clean’ unrealistic, but after the failure of Paris due fracking (responsible for constantly to the dirty energy industry, these demands undermining negotiations) will be taken far more seriously. Combining - Canada – focus on its tar sands activities the information revealed in phase two with (pulled out of Kyoto) the clear evidence of how harmful these dirty energy corporations are – as well as - Japan – focus on move to coal & the strong example of tobacco – demands nuclear, not RE after Fukushima for an end to the cozy relationship can be (removed emissions target) made at all levels. - Australia – focus on its use of coal (rolled back on finance and emissions International (UNFCCC) commitments) These demands will be made during 2015, - EU – focus on fracking over RE (hugely with particular pressure as the COP21 inadequate post-2020 target); within approaches the EU there will also be an extra focus on the UK (as a worst offender) and UNFCCC Secretariat (via Christiana France (as host of COP21, and therefore Figueres): Her and her staff refuse to complimented by the international-level meet the dirty energy lobby in the run- strand of the campaign) up to COP21; undertake a review of measures to protect her office and the At the EU-level, CEO will be producing UNFCCC (as a UN agency) from the research to highlight the close links between undue and damaging influence of the Europe’s biggest dirty energy corporations dirty energy lobby (this includes the and the EU, particularly in shaping their direct involvement of the dirty energy negotiating position. lobby within the talks) COP Presidency (via François Hollande): Demands of transparency regarding the Him and his staff refuse to meet the interaction between these countries and dirty energy lobby in the run-up to dirty energy corporations will be made at COP21; undertake review of measures strategic moments between now and Paris to protect his all future COP by both national-level groups and the Presidencies from the undue and coalition, providing the ammunition to damaging influence of the dirty energy scandalize the relationships and allow the lobby (this covers sponsorship and third phase. These will also expose how wider dirty energy involvement) dirty energy corporations are influencing An additional demand to make for the positions of historic polluters and groups working on the inside is that the preventing a deal. selected corporations should simply not 3. Demand an end to the close relationship be allowed into the negotiations (contrasting with the expulsion of youth delegates at COP19) 46
The possibility of a ‘resolution’ or some coalition will make similar demands of concrete demand that we can use to Northern historical polluters. build on in the future (e.g. the COP recognizes the potentially damaging Key objectives and indicators by Paris influence of dirty energy corporations on the decision making processes of governments and the UN on climate’). To have the dirty energy industry blamed for TBC the failure of the talks due to their influence Green Climate Fund (via Héla on the positions and politics of Northern Cheikhrouhou): She and her staff refuse governments to meet the dirty energy lobby; Mainstream (normally Northern- undertake review of measures to friendly) climate groups reflect this in protect the GCF from the undue and their final messaging damaging influence of the dirty energy lobby (this covers sponsorship and Good amount of media coverage wider dirty energy involvement) reflecting this (will never get majority) Additional demand for climate finance groups: the CGF should not fund any To create public acceptance that the dirty dirty energy (particularly fossil fuel) energy lobby has no place in climate policy projects, while fossil fuel company, making association, or financier/funder cannot fill a Private Sector Active Observer seats X number of people signed up to our nor serve on GCF panels, committees or action demanding an end to the cozy advisory groups relationship (or whatever the demand The campaign will also aim to attract is) governments who may be supportive at X number of organisations have national level (e.g. a small island state incorporated our demands for dependent on fossil fuel imports, like transparency and not meeting the dirty Mauritius) and at international level. energy industry into their own work National level X number of national-level campaigns
National campaigns should demand their To force the UNFCCC Secretariat-General governments to a) end all interactions with and the COP Presidency to reconsider their relevant corporations and b) end all relationship with the dirty energy lobby financial support. However, a more concrete demand would be asking for an Christiana Figueres under immense action plan to show how they intend to pressure to stop meeting the dirty protect national-level climate policy making energy lobby – may even agree to from the undue and damaging influence of review the policy (although more likely the dirty energy industry. However, each after Paris) campaign will have different capacities, François Hollande under immense needs and demands. Collectively, the pressure to distance the COP Presidency 47
from any dirty energy – may even agree Ban Ki-moon. Expected to be a platform to review the policy (although more where governments and corporations likely after Paris) (many dirty energy corporations, or financiers of dirty energy corporations) will To create external political acceptance announce their plans (numerous false outside of the UNFCCC that the dirty energy solutions). Also where governments will lobby has no place in climate policy making announce their pledges to the Green Climate Fund. This makes the GCF an X number of governments support the especially easy target for messages like demand to end the close relationship “don’t put your money into this fund until it between the dirty energy industry and pledges to kick fossil fuel companies out policy makers and not fund dirty energy projects.” Big climate justice mobilisation in New York To build a strong, robust coalition to take planned by 350.org. A good opportunity to this work forward after Paris highlight the close link between Fully functioning steering-committee governments and climate criminals. and core group - Lima COP20, Peru (1-12 December, X number of organisations part of the 2014) coalition (active/non-active) Have funding beyond Paris The first COP after Warsaw, and the Have an agreed strategy for the penultimate before Paris. A ‘Latin American immediate 3-6 months after Paris COP’ (with the pre-COP in Venezuela in To keep the dirty energy/fossil fuel lobby November), so research and campaigning should also have a Latin American focus. out of the GCF Expect a big focus on REDD+ (forests and markets). Likely to link to biodiversity Agreement at GCF Board to adopt or offsetting – moving carbon markets ‘beyond agree to discuss adoption of an carbon’. Heavy lobbying will come from the exclusion list, rules on disclosure, rules same corporations involved in extraction on participation of fossil fuel (on-shore and off-shore) and deforestation industry/financiers. in Peru. Good opportunity to target Key Spaces/Moments Christiana Figueres and the COP Presidencies (20&21) as well as for a International and national/regional targets publication on key actors and hypocrisy. will have their key spaces and moments Lima should be treated as an opportunity to mapped (see Annex I), but the biggest cross- test some of the tactics to be used the cutting moments are the following: following year in Paris.
- Ban Ki-moon Climate Change Summit - Paris COP21, France (December (23-25 September, 2014) 2015)
A big moment for climate politics, Where countries are supposed to sign a particularly the host, UN Secretary General new climate deal. French groups are already 48 preparing for COP21, with the role of multinationals in causing climate change – Coalition building as well as corporate capture – on their agenda (discussions are still on-going). A big Key to achieving this campaign will be the fear from French groups is that Paris will be coalitions created to drive it forward, at the ‘nuclear’ COP, as Warsaw was the ‘coal’ international and national level. COP. The period between Lima and Paris Different sorts of groups needed to succeed will be key for targeting Hollande and increasing pressure on him and his team to Southern climate justice groups (to be transparent and not meet with or accept provide radical direction) funding from dirty energy. Northern CAN groups (for mainstream credibility) Key moments: Northern climate justice groups Date Event (capacity and resources; ensure 4-15 June 2014 UNFCCC intercessional, Bonn, Germany Southern groups retain lead) (walk-in of NGOs) Youth groups (very important in 22-29 July 2014 Balkan Youth Climate Movement, Croatia (key to building support in Balkans region) UNFCCC) 19-23 August ATTAC European Summer University, Paris Indigenous groups (important for Peru, 2014 (key to building the coalition and working out Paris) national-level activities e.g. France Public Health groups (link to WHO – 23-24 August COP21 International Civil Society Climate 2014 Meeting, Paris (key to ensuring this campaign strong constituent – can also bring features in COP21 plans) health professionals) 27-29 August First Global Conference on Climate Change Climate scientists (provide credibility) 2014 and Health organised by the WHO, Geneva, Switzerland http://climate-l.iisd.org/events/ Groups working on climate finance 19 September NYC Climate Convergence Faith groups (always important e.g. 20-21 September People’s Climate Mobilisation: Global Day Tutu) of Action (20-21); People’s Climate March (21) RE SMEs (business interests not aligned 23 September Ban Ki-moon’s Climate Summit, New York, with those of the dirty energy industry, 2014 http://www.un.org/climatechange/summit2014/ e.g. small renewable energy producers; 10-17 October Reclaim Power (global mobilisation against dirty SMEs also face the impacts of climate 2014 energy, organised by DCJ) change) 11 October 2014 Global Frackdown, mobilisations against fracking (also day of action against TTIP) Trade unions (link to just transition; 27-31 October IPCC adopts Fifth Assessment Review (AR5) avoid tension with dirty industry 2014 Synthesis, Copenhagen, Denmark workers) 4-7 November Social Pre-COP, Caracas, Venezuela (key to getting National groups around COPs 2014 people’s demands into the UNFCCC) (Peruvian; French) 15-16 November G20 Leader’s Summit, Brisbane, Australia 2014 National groups around climate November 2014 Conference of the Youth, Lima (?) criminals (broad coalitions at national 1-12 December UNFCCC COP20, Lima, Peru; People’s Summit level) 2014 Having alliances (formal/informal) with 3-14 June 2015 UNFCCC Intercessional, Bonn, Germany other UN organisations, e.g. WHO, Summer 2015 Alternatiba UNDP, UNHRC, Special Rapporteurs, 30 November-11 UNFCCC COP21, Paris, France could help bring inside pressure – need December 2015 to identify potential individual 49
champions within coordinating Global Frackdown; strong Friendly countries who support the idea CJ politics; link to movements Core steering-committee (as it stands) Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) – strong on public health/climate link; Corporate Europe Observatory, EU wide network Corporate Accountability International, Philippines Movement for Climate US Justice – strong Southern voice; good Democracy Centre, Bolivia inside/outside; strong CJ Environmental Rights Action, Nigeria Potential groups to bring into the 72 Potential other core-members (who have coalition: not decided their capacity) Beyond Copenhagen Collective – small 350.org but good local organizing capacity in Global Campaign to Demand Climate India; inside/outside; strong CJ Justice – good inside/outside approach Corner House – strong CJ politics; can and cross-over between CAN/CJ; strong provide some intellectual rigor CJ politics; organise Reclaim Power Global Alliance for Incinerator Friends of the Earth International/Latin Alternatives (GAIA) – large Southern America and the Caribbean – strong CJ grassroots network; strong CJ politics; connection to movements; Global Forest Coalition – good Southern fighting extractives; important with networks; strong CJ politics; COP20 inside/outside; strong indigenous links Amis de la Terre – part of COP21 National Toxic Network Inc. Australia – preparations and recently launched important for national campaign in dirty energy lobbying campaign Australia ATTAC France – involved in French Southern African Faith Communities’ COP21 coalition; strong supporters of Environment Institute (SAFCEI) – strong initiative African voice and linked to faith groups Climate Justice Youth Network, The South Centre international network SpinWatch – lobby experts in the UK; Institute of Policy Studies – strong CJ good for national climate criminals voice in North America Third World Network UKYCC – strong within CAN youth Groups who want to be part of the coalition network; present within inside World Development Movement – TNI – worked together lots on corporate strong CJ politics; good UK/Intl capture; strong CJ position networks; cross-cutting issues Earth in Brackets – strong climate justice youth voice; good inside knowledge Ecologistas en Acción – strong 72 These are based on my own estimation of the capacity, grassroots network in Spain; strong CJ resources and suitability of those who signed the letter or politics have been approached since; the list would need to be reduced, but there are likely many groups I have not Food and Water Watch Europe – thought of/recognise who should be included 50
World Rainforest Movement (WRM) – broad Southern networks; strong CJ politics
A large part of the work from now until 2015 will be building and strengthening the coalition and finding opportunities within the existing mobilisations of others to bring our demands. This work has already begun but needs to be formalized. Building the coalition will depend on proactive outreach to key groups, as well as making presentations in key civil society spaces and making the campaign as visible as possible.
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New Movement Strategies The citizens’ movement for action on the Jim Shultz global climate crisis has, over time, developed a love-hate relationship with Editors’ note: We provide here three international campaigning. For years, articles that report and analyze the people from all over the planet have joined strategies of the global climate justice together across national boundaries to movement, written between August and address a crisis that knows no such November 2014 by Jim Shultz, founder and boundaries. executive director of The Democracy Center and lives in Cochabamba, Bolivia. They are The climate movement is stepping back into based in part on a much larger report, the international arena once again “Movement Strategies for Moving Mountains: Conversations with Activists The vision they created had an appeal that Worldwide on How to Use Latin America’s was both romantic and strategic at the COP to Build Citizen Action on Climate,” same time. The high point for this “one prepared by The Democracy Center. We planet, one people” activism was in 2009, are grateful to Jim, The Democracy Center, when activists descended on the Danish Yes! Magazine capital of Copenhagen by the tens of thousands to push for action at the U.N.’s Climate Comeback: A Grassroots annual COP (Conference of the Parties) Movement Steps Back Into the summit, with hopes for a global deal as International Arena serious and real as the climate threat itself (some activists dubbed the meeting Three major international meetings about “Hopenhagen”). climate change are on the horizon. Is this the moment to fix the failures of Copenhagen? Those activist hopes crashed, however, Jim Shultz against the unchanged political realities of August 26, 2014 narrow national interest, powerful http://www.yesmagazine.org/planet/climate corporate resistance, complex issues, and a -comeback-international-arena lack of political will. Many climate campaigners reacted by returning to their countries and focusing their energies instead on political battles closer to home, such as the fight over the Keystone XL pipeline in the U.S. and anti-fracking efforts in Europe. By the time the most recent COP negotiations were held in Warsaw last December, the process had become almost completely ignored by the larger public.
Now, in a three-step dance that begins on the streets of New York City in September, A roof in New York City shows a map of the five the climate movement is stepping back into boroughs after a rise in sea levels. Photo by Molly the international arena once again. United Dilworth / Flickr. 52
Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, The Democracy Center recently interviewed who has made climate change a main issue more than 40 key climate activists from of his tenure, has called the planet’s heads across five continents to seek their views on of state and other “world leaders” to a how to use the Lima summit and these special “Climate Week” summit aimed at other global gatherings as an opportunity to increasing the pressure for coordinated alter the political winds around the climate international action. crisis and make real action more possible. What we heard, from people ranging from Knowing what you want and knowing how local indigenous activists to staff at well- to change the political equation are two known NGOs, were three important strands different things. of collective wisdom.
Climate advocacy organizations in the U.S. First, change the global narrative about the have been mobilizing for months to seize climate crisis. Climate activists have the opportunity with plans for a massive bounced for a decade from one way of march through the streets of Manhattan on talking about the crisis to another. We have September 21. In December, this renewed heard about polar bears and sea rise, energy for international action will turn mutant storms and parts per billion of southward to Peru, where the COP carbon in the atmosphere – none of it negotiations will convene in the political sufficiently connected to people’s daily lives shadow of melting Andean glaciers. Then in to gain hard and lasting traction. December of next year the COP negotiations will move to Paris for what is But there are lessons from the grassroots supposed to be the deadline for a new about how to do better. In California, international climate accord. European climate activists successfully fought back a activists are already meeting to organize a political assault by the Koch brothers by mobilization in the streets there to match talking about local fossil fuel plants and or surpass the multitude expected in New their connection to asthma among children. York next month. In South America the crisis is about water – the disappearance of it in some places As the climate movement steps forward causing drought and displacement, and too once again into the arena of international much of it in other places causing flooding politics, it suffers no shortage of demands and destruction. In Asia and Africa, people and proposals. Climate groups can offer up talk about climate’s role in a worsening a diversity of ambitious and passionate food crisis. plans for how to reduce humanity’s use of fossil fuels, protect the world’s forests, and Getting real action on climate is about move money from the rich countries that political power. have caused the crisis to the poor ones least equipped to deal with what’s coming. The common thread in the messages that are winning support is to speak locally and But knowing what you want and knowing connect the climate crisis to real issues of how to change the political equation to life, survival, and the diminished and more make that possible are two different things. dangerous planet we are getting ready to 53 leave to our children and theirs. Just as change,” says Elizabeth Peredo Beltran, a important as the message is the moral well-regarded climate leader in Bolivia. authority of those who deliver it. “We can’t talk about the impacts unless the main The path through New York, Lima, and Paris message comes from the affected offers a chance to engage new communities,” says Juan Carlos Soriano, a communities. Peruvian activist with 350.org. Third, directly confront the powers and Second, use this trilogy of global actions to forces blocking serious action on the build the long-term power of the climate climate crisis. Fossil fuel companies, movement. Getting real action on climate is international agribusiness, automobile not just about raising consciousness; it is manufacturers, and other corporate about political power and how the climate interests have a huge stake in international movement can build muscle. climate negotiations and have used their political muscle to embed themselves in the In New York and Paris the focus will be on U.N.’s COP process. getting multitudes into the streets in the hope of convincing governments that they During the meeting in Warsaw last year, the ignore a rising demand for action at their Corporate Europe Observatory documented political peril. “What we most need to do as all kinds of techniques used by these a movement is move the conversation and corporations to become official sponsors of build power, not lobby global leaders,” global climate negotiations the way they observes Sean Sweeney of the Global Labor might make themselves sponsors of the Institute. Olympics or World Cup. Corporations furnished government negotiators with In Latin America, Africa, and Asia that everything from free cars and drivers to citizen power resides in long-established logo-emblazoned drinking cups, all the movements on the ground tied to while pushing their agendas on issues such indigenous rights, territorial rights, natural as coal capture technology and corporate- resources, and other battles that are now driven carbon markets. impacted by climate change. Sandwiched in between the higher profile, Northern- Activists say it is urgent to put a spotlight on dominated events in New York and Paris, this corporate capture of the negotiations activists we spoke with said that the COP in and on the false solutions corporations Lima must stand out as the “COP of the have used their access to promote. “We South” and make the link between the need to go in with an offensive strategy and climate crisis and these movements. communicate the message that the negotiations are focusing on the wrong “The local struggles seem to be in issues – the real solutions are about compartmentalized spaces that don’t redesigning the economy,” says Nathan connect to this big issue that affects Thanki of the European group Earth in absolutely everything. One of the Brackets. challenges is to connect the local struggles and demands with activism on climate 54
Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War that International Climate Activism: The Second “strategy without tactics is the slowest Coming route to victory and tactics without strategy Jim Shultz is the noise before defeat.” It is good news in the world of climate activism that August 29, 2014 movements and organizations are taking up http://democracyctr.org/news/internationa anew the demand for serious action at the l-climate-activism-the-second-coming/ international level. The Democracy Center has just released our While it is highly doubtful that countries like report on the first phase of a project looking the U.S., China, India, and others would at the opportunities which renewed energy ever bind their domestic policies to a global in international negotiations – and renewed agreement, international action can activist energies – can provide for strategy- increase the pressure on these building within the climate movement. governments to act. As with all successful citizen movements, that begins with A version of this article was also published building a solid, committed, and mobilized in Yes! Magazine base among those already committed to action. The citizen movement for action on the global climate crisis has, over time, But the climate movement must also win developed a love-hate relationship with support from the corners of citizenry that international campaigning. For years the are not yet engaged and not yet persuaded vision of people from all over the planet behind a common agenda for what needs joining together across national boundaries to be done. to address a crisis that knows no such boundaries had an appeal that was both The path through New York, Lima, and Paris romantic and strategic at the same time. offers a chance to do that – if we speak The high point for this ‘one planet, one about the crisis in a way that connects with people’ activism was in 2009 in Copenhagen people, if we use every opportunity to when activists descended on the Danish gather as a chance to build power and not capital by the tens of thousands to push for just blow off steam, and if we unmask, action at the UN’s annual COP (Conference challenge, and undermine the larger forces of the Parties) summit, with hopes for a that stand in the way. global deal as serious and real as the climate threat (some activists dubbed the With so much at stake for the generations meeting “Hopenhagen”). who will follow us on this planet, it is essential that the next round of global climate action be something far more than just “the noise before defeat.”
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Manhattan on September 21. In December this renewed energy for international action will turn southward to Peru, where the COP negotiations will convene in the political shadow of melting Andean glaciers. Then in December of next year the COP negotiations will move to Paris for what is supposed to be the deadline for a new international climate accord. European activists are already meeting to organize a mobilization in the streets there to match or surpass the multitude expected in at the Demonstrators against the Keystone XL pipeline in UN next month. front of the White House As the climate movement steps forward Those activist hopes crashed, however, once again into the arena of international against the unchanged political realities of politics it suffers no shortage of demands narrow national interest, powerful and proposals. Climate groups can offer up corporate resistance, complex issues, and a a diversity of ambitious and passionate lack of political will. Many climate plans for how to reduce humanity’s use of campaigners reacted by returning to their fossil fuels, protect the world’s forests, and countries and focusing their energies move money from the rich countries that instead on political battles closer to home, have caused the crisis to the poor ones least such as the fight over the Keystone pipeline equipped to deal with what’s coming. But in the U.S. and anti-fracking efforts in knowing what you want and knowing how Europe. By the time the most recent COP to change the political equation to make negotiations were held in Warsaw last that possible are two different things. December, the process had become almost completely ignored by the larger public.
Now, in a three-step dance that begins on the streets of New York in September, the climate movement is stepping hard back into the international arena once again. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who has made climate change a main issue of his tenure, has called the planet’s heads of state and other “world leaders” to a special Climate Week summit aimed at increasing the pressure for coordinated international action. Climate advocacy organizations in the U.S. have been mobilizing for months to seize the opportunity with plans for a massive march through the streets of The Democracy Center recently interviewed more than forty key climate activists from 56 across five continents to seek their views on Second, use this trilogy of global actions to how to use the Lima summit and these build the long-term power of the climate other global gatherings as an opportunity to movement. Getting real action on climate is alter the political winds around the climate not just about raising consciousness, it is crisis and make real action more possible. about political power and how the climate What we heard, from people ranging from movement can build muscle. In New York local indigenous activists to staff at well- and Paris the focus will be on getting known NGOs, were three important strands multitudes into the streets in the hope of of collective wisdom. convincing governments that they ignore a rising demand for action at their political First, change the global narrative about the peril. “What we most need to do as a climate crisis. Climate activists have movement is move the conversation and bounced for a decade from one way of build power, not lobby global leaders,” talking about the crisis to another. We have observes Sean Sweeney of the Global Labor heard about polar bears and sea rise, Institute. In Latin America, Africa and Asia mutant storms and parts per billion of that citizen power resides in long- carbon in the atmosphere, none of it established movements on the ground tied sufficiently connected to people’s daily lives to indigenous rights, territorial rights, to gain hard and lasting traction. But there natural resources, and other battles that are lessons from the grassroots about how are now impacted by climate to do better. In California, climate activists change. Sandwiched in between the higher successfully fought back a political assault profile, Northern-dominated events in New by the Koch brothers by talking about local York and Paris, activists we spoke with said fossil fuel plants and their connection to that the COP in Lima must stand out as the child asthma. In South America the crisis is ‘COP of the South’ and make the link about water – the disappearance of it in between the climate crisis and these some places causing drought and movements. “The local struggles seem to be displacement, and too much of it in other in compartmentalized spaces that don’t places causing flooding and destruction. In connect to this big issue that affects Asia and Africa people talk about climate’s absolutely everything. One of the role in a worsening food crisis. The common challenges is to connect the local struggles thread in the messages that are winning and demands with activism on climate support is to speak locally and connect the change,” says Elizabeth Peredo Beltran, a climate crisis to real issues of life, survival, well-regarded climate leader in Bolivia. and the diminished and more dangerous planet we are getting ready to leave to our Third, directly confront the powers and children and theirs. Just as important as the forces blocking serious action on the message is the moral authority of those climate crisis. Fossil fuel companies, who deliver it. “We can’t talk about the international agribusiness, car makers and impacts unless the main message comes other corporate interests have a huge stake from the affected communities,” says Juan in international climate negotiations and Carlos Soriano, a Peruvian activist have used their political muscle to embed with 350.org. themselves in the UN’s COP negotiations process. During the COP meeting in Warsaw 57 last year the Corporate Europe Observatory yet engaged and not yet persuaded behind documented all kinds of techniques used by a common agenda for what needs to be these corporations to become official done. sponsors of global climate negotiations the way they might make themselves official The path through New York, Lima and Paris sponsors of the Olympics or World Cup. offers a chance to do that – if we speak Corporations furnished government about the crisis in a way that connects with negotiators with everything from free cars people, if we use every opportunity to and drivers to logo-emblazoned drinking gather as a chance to build power and not cups, all the while pushing their agendas on just blow off steam, and if we unmask, issues such as coal capture technology and challenge, and undermine the larger forces corporate-driven carbon markets. Activists that stand in the way. With so much at say it is urgent to put a spotlight on this stake for the generations who will follow us corporate capture of the UN negotiations on this planet, it is essential that the next and on the false solutions being promoted round of global climate action be something by these corporations using the access far more than just “the noise before they’ve gained. “We need to go in with an defeat.” offensive strategy and communicate the message that the negotiations are focusing on the wrong issues – the real solutions are about redesigning the economy,” says Time for a New Containment Nathan Thanki of the European group, Earth Strategy? What Climate Marchers Can in Brackets. Learn from the Cold War Jim Shultz Sun Tzu wrote in ‘The Art of War’, “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to September 29, 2014 victory and tactics without strategy is the http://www.yesmagazine.org/climate-in- noise before defeat.” It is good news in the our-hands/time-for-a-new-containment- world of climate activism that movements strategy-what-the-climate-movement-cold- and organizations are taking up anew the war demand for serious action at the international level. While it is highly The leading strategies in the climate justice doubtful that countries like the U.S., China, movement already resemble the Cold War India and others would ever bind their policies of containment, roll-back, and domestic policies to a global agreement; isolation. But can they wear down the international action can increase the political power of the fossil fuel industry? pressure on these governments to act. As with all successful citizen movements, that This story is part of the Climate In Our begins with building a solid, committed, and Hands collaboration between Truthout and mobilized base among those already YES! Magazine. committed to action, a based being mobilized now into the streets. But the More than 400,000 people jammed the climate movement must also win support streets of Manhattan on September 21, from the corners of citizenry that are not 58 drawn from all parts by the magnetic force street or old friends reunited around a of the People’s Climate March. From Times table. It was in these conversations that people dug for deeper insight into the challenge we face and where we go now as a movement.
Many of those conversations were about hope.
Just hours off my long plane ride to New York from Bolivia, I stood before an auditorium of students at Brooklyn College, young people who spoke of the future with fear and concern. Many of them had their introduction to the climate issue during Hurricane Sandy, an experience of At the People's Climate March in New York City. vulnerability still fresh in their minds. Photo by Stephen D. Melkisethian / Flickr. Finding hope may be more essential on Square to the upper reaches of Central Park climate than on any other crisis we face. West, a 40-block sea of humanity joined War, genocide, disease, and injustice – dire under banners that demanded action, as they are – have “off switches” that named the responsible, and articulated the history has shown us before. Barbarians fall, solutions. Most moving of all were those governments make peace, vaccines are that expressed the fears and hopes of the discovered. children who drew and carried them. For those fortunate enough to be there, it was We don’t know if the climate crisis has an a deeply empowering experience. off switch, even if we do muster powerful global citizen action. “Let’s be honest,” said The People’s March was not about a woman in the audience at one of the demands that lacked the power to force forums where I spoke. “It is OK for us to be action. here just to recharge our batteries for the battles ahead.” That said, Climate Week in New York – the march, the special U.N. summit that A basic principle that is both big enough to catalyzed it, and the swirl of side events make a difference and simple to surrounding both – was about far more understand: “Leave it in the ground.” than a one-time gathering of the masses. Its true value lay in the millions of I saw that hope over and over again in small conversations it spawned among the ways: in Christina, the young muralist I met citizens who committed their presence to on a corner in SoHo, painting a banner for the battle. Some of these conversations the march. I saw it in Raymond, an engineer came in organized forums but most were from Alaska who flew to New York to spontaneous, between strangers on the participate in the first political action of his 59 life. “It seemed like an opportunity to do Climate March seemed, for the most part, something,” he told me. In our large no different. numbers, we saw glimpses of a people rising and we need that. Finding hope may be more essential on climate than on any other crisis we face. But there were many, many other conversations about what must come after On Sunday evening people gathered in the March, about goals, power, tactics, and gaggles to take stock of what they had just the missing connection between each of been a part of. I had the fortune to have those: strategy. I heard familiar criticisms of that after-march conversation over Chinese the March. Michael Dorsey, a 20-year take-out in the Harlem apartment of veteran of U.N. and NGO work who spoke someone who has written extensively about on a panel alongside me, chastised 350.org these kinds of questions for many decades: leader Bill McKibben as he listened to us, City University of New York professor saying the weekend’s action lacked a clear Frances Fox Piven. message beyond “Do something!” An avid scholar of (and participant in) “Brother Bill,” he said, “I will not march with people’s movements since the 1960s, Piven you tomorrow. I will not join in a march that listened and then offered a simple truth has no demands.” that has run through every key social movement of the past hundred years: But the People’s Climate March was not Persuasion through words is not enough. about demands that lacked the power to We have to find the levers of real power, force action. It was about building a base and then reach and seize them. Marching for action wide enough to connect Brooklyn en masse alongside Central Park and families pushing strollers to the anti- blocking lower Broadway the next day may capitalists who got arrested at Flood Wall have raised our voices, but it brought Street the next day. neither shudders nor changes of course on Wall Street or in the U.N. assembly. I have been in gatherings like this one before: the People’s Climate Summit in But among the many who gathered in New Bolivia in 2010; the activist assembly at Rio York this past week, among the activists 20 in 2012; and others. I am continually who carry the fight forward, there is a good amazed at the energy invested – and deal of solid thinking about how we move wasted – in these spaces as the from inspiration to real strategy. movement’s intellectuals polish theories that no one outside the movement Around the world, there is a gathering understands; as the various coalitions polish around a basic principle that is both big their passionate declarations that no one enough to make a difference and simple to will read. understand: “Leave the oil, gas, and coal in the ground.” Absent always is genuine debate about how we make any of it actually happen. And in Over cheap Mexican food at a sticky table in this way the debates around the People’s Brooklyn, I listened to my old friend and 60 fearless activist Antonia Juhasz. She began California, against fracking efforts in New battling the oil industry years before the York, and others show us what strategy and practice came into vogue, writing widely victory look like. read books and getting arrested at a Chevron shareholder meeting in Texas. She As I stood in the crowd during the march, I had just returned from a submarine trip to heard a chorus of unfamiliar voices chanting the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico to witness my name. “Hey Jim, we came, we came!” A the destruction of the sea floor wrought by group of the students I had spoken to days BP’s spilled oil. earlier at Brooklyn College had heeded my pleas and had given up their precious As she spoke about the People’s Climate Sunday to join the march. They were all March, I began to recognize a strategy that smiles as they walked. was old and familiar: containment. This is where hope comes from. This is what For five decades, this was the geopolitical the People’s Climate March was really strategy that the U.S. aimed at Soviet about. Now we must make sure that the Communism – don’t let it spread, roll it march does not end on Eleventh Avenue, back where you can, and support those where we all went our separate ways, but actions that will hasten it collapsing of its that it continues on across continents and own weight. countries in a way that can go beyond talking about our fears, demands, and Even if we have not articulated it as such, dreams to also make a serious difference. that is our strategy today against the threat of fossil fuels. The battles against fracking are about containing the spread of the drilling. The battles against existing coal plants are about rolling it back. The battles for divestment are aimed at making the industry a political pariah, akin to tobacco, to diminish its political clout. The hope is that the move toward energy and transportation alternatives, combined with divestment, will loosen fossil fuels’ grip over the political and economic territory the industry holds now, and hasten its collapse.
The march’s true value lay in the millions of conversations it spawned.
We also know that our political clout against the industry is strongest closest to our communities, and that those are the battlefields we must drag the fight to. Victories against the Koch brothers in 61
Integrate and Escalate that will radicalize and mobilize them. We Nathan Thanki need to ask: what issues do radicalize and mobilize people? Of those issues, which What strategies and tactics should the climate ones are really the same fight as the climate justice movement adopt, both inside and outside fight, and which ones are struggles in need the U.N. negotiations (known as the COP, or of solidarity and support? In my mind, the Conference of the Parties), to create maximum pushback against the status quo of unfettered best way forward for the climate movement carbon-fuelled capitalism, and to ensure that the is to connect with the struggles that matter United Nations' next universal climate treaty, to to people: land, food, energy, extraction, be adopted at the COP 21 Paris talks in December water, health, transport, development, or 2015, leads the world away from its current some combination of many issues. This destination of global climate apartheid and toward climate justice? doesn’t mean adopting the bad-ally habits of doing things like showing up at Ferguson These are not new questions and neither shouting about climate change.73 Nobody are my answers. I don’t assume to have the wants that. That isn’t helpful. What it does experience or intelligence to be able to means is a lot of hard, humble, solidarity outline any grand strategies to achieve work. Many groups are of course already climate justice, but I will humbly offer some doing this and more connections between ideas (the list is definitely not exhaustive) struggles are being made every day – my that may contribute to getting us on the point is that this needs to become the norm way. rather than the exception. At least in the English-speaking world, the Right have Integrate and escalate with other struggles gained so much ground in recent years. A climate *justice+ movement that doesn’t For being such a cross-cutting issue, climate recognize this as a major problem and work change is oddly isolated and most of the to push back against a common enemy will people from mainstream groups that self- fail to achieve any of its objectives. identify as being part of a climate [justice] movement have become stranded in the Use diversity as strength increasingly apolitical, click-bait work of online “communications,” or in the obscure Part of the reason that right-wing ideology depths of national or international policy. I has taken over the mainstream is that while don’t say this to denigrate this work – it is it presents a broadly united front, the left is essential and somebody must do it – but utterly fractured. That’s not news to just to question if the compartmentalization anyone, I know, but then why do we remain of activism and further specialization within so? Stuart Hall talked about the need to climate change activism has led us to lose foster an ability to live with difference. To sight of the bigger picture. work together through our differences for a common cause. We seem to be finding that One thing many who organize around difficult. Instead of building our counter- climate change have pointed out is that apart from during extreme weather events, 73 Just want to be really clear that Deirdre Smith’s piece it is very hard to make climate change (the for 350 was a really good articulation of how racism and abstract concept) real for people in a way climate justice are connected. It can be done, but doing it wrong is worse than not trying at all. 62 cultures and constructing a new cultural who had not tried to collaborate with the hegemony (that is negotiated) we are organizers in order to better the caught in a cycle of imperialistic activism message/route/whatever else they had forcing groups to maintain at all costs their issue with in the preceding months. The independence to such an extent that a final word was that 400,000 were on the common platform or agenda becomes streets of New York for climate change. impossible. Why, for example, do we spend Some of them lacked a sharp analysis about a lot of time dismissing each other’s work? the root causes of the crisis, but I saw many Why is US organizing culture the dominant people who were clearly protesting one? Among groups that do climate justice neoliberal capitalism. You can have all the work there are many approaches, but sadly analysis you like and spend all your time rather than treating, for example, Keystone, cynically blogging away, but unless you’re the WTO, GMOs, the Green Climate Fund actually doing something in the real world and fracking as different fronts of the same as well, you appear to me to be an war we treat them as unrelated or attention seeker more concerned with their competing projects. That’s not to say we own ego than with actually building bridges shouldn’t recognize the different utility of and the type of movements needed. In my each to movement building (most people mind, there’s no contradiction in having are turned on by stopping a new extractive ideals that are not lived up to but which you project rather than by incremental gains in constantly strive for. The old chestnut international law) just that we should treat “don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the them all as part of the same overall good” rings true. struggle. Get over the EGO and NGO politics Be pragmatic and idealistic at the same time As mentioned, a huge drag on movement building is the prevalence of some massive In spite of all the cynicism, I actually think egos and the persistence of NGO in-fighting many activists are highly idealistic. To the over brand recognition and funding. Of point of it being a burden on them, their course egos exist in any movement, the work, and any hopes of building a popular personal is always political, and as humans movement for climate justice. If we’re to we are not purely logical (thankfully). But have any hope of doing that, we’ll need to our inability to overcome or at least live leave behind some of our notions of with certain differences of opinion, our ideological purity. At the very least we need inclination to get personal when things get to envision the way forward to achieving heated, and the pressure to advance brands our objectives – including all the milestones rather than the overall movement all stand to getting there. For example, the People’s in the way of ever achieving climate justice. Climate March in September 2014 was not perfect. I think everyone centrally involved As a species we seem to have a thing for would freely admit that. But some of the leaders. In the climate movement(s), the public criticism of the mobilization was urge for memes and trends leads us to totally unhelpful – especially as it came splashing certain people’s faces and words merely days beforehand and from people all over the internet, but then we get 63 annoyed and jealous when they are portioned out according to a balance of identified by the media as leaders or responsibility (cumulative, per capita, spokespeople. Leaders, especially discounting survival emissions) with charismatic ones, can be useful – to a point. capacity (using the right indicators to Within the movement(s) we have to ensure real equity, including a high income recognize and exploit the strategic potential threshold). Countries unable to stay within of having spokespeople and leaders, but their fair share would have to pay, and everyone should remember that they are climate finance to support developing propelled into that role by the movement in countries stay within their fair share would order to serve the movement. also been a key component. The work of the Stockholm Environment Institute and The best way to undermine false solutions others to develop such an approach helps is proposing real ones us have something both idealistic and possible – the technical proposal is there, I’m not one for the “if you don’t have the we have to make it accessible, popular, and solution you should just keep quiet” well messaged. attitude which is often used to dismiss dissent, but I do think that not having Overall I’m fairly restrained in my optimism solutions – clear and compelling solutions – about the possibility of a global popular is bad strategy. For one, it makes resisting social movement for climate justice. The the false solutions that much harder. It forces of evil are strong and the forces of allows the cleverer corporate agents a drop good fragmented. But this is not a struggle of undeserved legitimacy as they muddy the with a guaranteed outcome either way. And water. while it continues, we can always find ways to make success more likely. In terms of the 2015 treaty, what possible outcomes could be anything even approaching good for climate justice? What real solutions stand a chance? I suspect there’s an array of different opinions, but that most of them hold little to no hope of anything good coming out of 2015. Even the most deluded negotiators would probably struggle to say that Paris will deliver us climate justice or a plan to get it.
But there are still many things to fight for (both to advance and to prevent). Agreeing on that point, though basic, would be a start. In terms of how the 2015 deal is framed, my vote goes for advocating a “fairshares” approach that sees us set a Global Budget in line with science to keep us below 1.5 degrees warming that is then 64
The Evolution of Climate Justice affected communities are immediate and Brian Tokar often devastating.
Climate justice has emerged over more than For some years now, people engaged with a decade now as a political sensibility, a all these approaches have tried to figure out scientific understanding, and an organizing how to work together. The international agenda, focused on the disproportionate Climate Justice Now network has become impacts of the climate crisis on vulnerable divided around the question of how much peoples and the failure of conventional, to engage in the official UN climate corporate-driven solutions. negotiations. A fledgling Mobilization for Climate Justice in the US in 2009-’10 fell The multiple meanings of climate justice short in engaging the leadership of roughly correspond to the differing community-based environmental justice geographic locations of its key proponents: activists. The current Climate Justice An initial impetus came from indigenous Alliance is significantly led by people of and other land-based peoples, mainly in the color groups, but seems reluctant to engage global South, who have raised crucial activists outside of its core networks and demands at the UN and other settings since best-organized locales. Rising Tide is the early 2000s around their communities’ organizing direct actions against extreme unique vulnerability to climate disruptions. energy all over the continent but is limited Advocates for racial and environmental in its ability to speak for the movement as a justice in the US have added additional whole. dimensions, including a link to the legacies of the civil rights movement, an So how to move forward from here? The understanding of the effects of climate global justice movement, which change on marginalized urban communities, dramatically challenged the major and essential links to other justice-based international financial institutions during movements around food, healthcare, the late 1990s-early 2000s sought to revive transportation, etc. Explicitly anticapitalist the long- standing left libertarian vision of a formations, mainly in the US and Europe, broad-ranging “movement of movements,” have brought an added critical dimension, organized from below and bringing together focused on the systemic roots of the crisis a diversity of voices into an organic whole, and the many corporate-driven false representing far more than the sum of its solutions, including nuclear power, biomass disparate parts. But that movement’s incineration and biofuels, and the appeal was limited by its youth and by emergence of carbon markets. “summit-hopping” strategies that embraced community-based movements more in All three sectors are also challenging the rhetoric than in praxis. The Occupy largest US expansion of fossil fuel movement did a better job for a time, but a infrastructure since the economic boom mix of state repression and internal years of the 1950s. With fossil fuels now problems limited its potential. How can the coming from increasingly extreme sources, climate justice movement succeed where the impacts of this new infrastructure on these earlier efforts fell short? 65
The still-emerging climate justice movement We don’t yet have a clear picture of the has many unique qualities that suggest it new organizing models that can genuinely can make a much broader contribution. It bring together all these disparate elements. links a uniquely urgent environmental focus The September 2014 System Change to a sharp critique of the economic and Convergence and People’s Climate March in political system. It brings demands for racial New York City, followed by several days of justice and human rights explicitly into actions and educational events with a environmental organizing, an element specific climate justice focus, helped increasingly embraced by climate organizers strengthen the movement’s sense of from many backgrounds and various political and organizational vision, and organizations. It offers a direct and demonstrated the broad appeal of a justice- compelling challenge to an especially and liberation-centered approach to destructive new wave of resource climate activism. But the next steps remain extraction, and looks to indigenous values, uncertain, with the right wing dominance of among other inspirations, as a source of mainstream US and European politics post- capitalist solutions. systematically obstructing any policy measures that might accurately reflect the One additional set of actors has not yet urgency of the situation. We know the become fully engaged in climate justice, but coming decades’ climate changes will be needs to be part of our story: that is the disruptive and difficult, but our actions may various efforts toward local solutions to the still help prevent them from becoming climate crisis. That includes people who are catastrophic and extreme. This will only localizing their food systems, greening their come to pass, however, if we keep our eyes cities and towns, and sometimes creating on the prize and create new ways to work community- owned energy alternatives. together. Today these efforts often lack the essential critical dimension that’s inherent to climate justice, making various experiments more prone to cooptation and absorption into the capitalist market. But that is beginning to change, from explicitly justice-centered urban farming projects to some nonprofit green jobs programs focused on weatherizing homes. These efforts can help us link our resistance to a community- centered future vision, and to the potential for a democratic confederation- from-below of communities that might help us transcend the limits of localism. These experiments can also keep us focused on the essential promise that another world is still possible, and that we can live a better quality of life with less energy consumption and more resilient communities. 66
Stop Accepting Climate Change, to move through the five stages, our Get Active: institutions will ultimately collaborate to implement solutions that will mitigate, and Global Activism and Global Negotiations Emily Williams help adapt to, this crisis. However, if acceptance is enough to enact change, a We’ve probably all heard of the Five Stages climate denier would not be poised to be of Climate Grief.74 It has its roots in the Five head of the Senate Environment and Public Stages of Grief, and refers to the emotional Works committee, our government would processing our society uses to cope with not continue subsidizing the fossil fuel climate change. industry, and the fossil fuel industry itself would invest its money and infrastructure in First you are in denial. You deny that the renewable technology development, earth is warming, you deny the severity of accepting that we must leave 80% of 75 climate change, and you deny that current reserves in the ground. In the five stages, human activities could cause it. there is no mention activism. However, the climate crisis needs more than acceptance. Next, you become angry that corporations If we are to see meaningful action on and government have allowed for and climate change, we cannot wait for these financed such reckless exploitation, creating stages to play out; civil society needs to climate chaos; or you are angry that pave the way76. environmentalists are demanding that people change their habits and give up their Where are we trying to get to? comforts for the polar bears. Let’s talk about 2 degrees Celsius. The Next, you bargain. We trade scientific fact Copenhagen Accord set the target, stating for political gain, trade carbon credits for a that governments recognize “that the few more years of uncontrolled burning, increase in global temperature should be and trade our logical minds for a below 2 degrees Celsius.” But what does 2 monopolized media that will tell us that the degrees entail? Was it in fact science that science isn’t that serious and we will all be arrived at the 2 degree target as a safe ok. limit? Ultimately, 2 degrees is a political concept; most climate research shows little When one of our cities is devastated by a confidence in 2 degrees as a safe limit.77 superstorm or plagued by drought, we The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) – enter into depression. a contingent of more than forty nations at the COP – has listed 1.5 degrees of warming And so, grudgingly, we enter into as a safer limit that will help avoid the worst acceptance. Acceptance is when we acknowledge the science and explore solutions…. But will we really ever accept? 75 http://www.carbontracker.org/ 76 Acceptance assumes that if we understand http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/09/04/791221/the- climate science and are given enough time six-stages-of-climate-grief/ 77 http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/03/14100 74 http://www.climatetoday.org/?p=2173 1-two-degrees-global-warming-climate-science/ 67 catastrophes.78 Yet it is hard to put an details that the wealthy nations of Annex 1 upper limit on how much warming is “ok”; need to cut 70% of their emissions in 10 no matter how small, any changes in the years. To put that figure in perspective, by climate will have repercussions. Already, at 2023 the U.S. would have to cut the 0.8 degrees of warming, we are seeing equivalent of all the emission from the changes in our climate and adverse impacts electricity, transportation, and agriculture on our society occurring at an alarming sectors.82 In November 2014, the United rate. A 2 degree limit leaves island states States and China reached a “historic underwater, or at least inhabitable. agreement”, committing the nations to Representatives from African nations and certain emissions cuts and peaks in Pacific Island nations stated that by signing emissions – the United States would onto the accord, they would be signing a decrease its emissions by 26-28% of 2005 “suicide pact.”79 By agreeing to this political levels by 2025; China would peak its limit, our governments have already sold emissions in 2030 with 20% of its electricity out the Global South, committing one of the pledged to come from non-fossil fuel worst and largest-scale injustices. sources.83 This agreement is historic in that it was not mandatory, and it was made by However, to illustrate just how hard it will two of the most powerful countries in the be to stay within even 2 degrees, we need climate negotiations. However, this to understand the carbon gap. The carbon agreement is non-binding, and translates to gap is the difference between the rates of a 10% emissions cut from the base year emissions we need to stay under to achieve scientists use. So can we succeed in climate stability versus our actual rate of reducing our emissions to stay below 2 emissions. Closing this gap would mean degrees? It’s not impossible, but ambitious achieving a modicum of climate stability. and extremely difficult, especially if there However, our current rate of emissions is isn’t financial support and regulatory 80 not slowing, and the gap widens . pressure to enable the transition.
Kevin Anderson, Deputy Director of the Climate activism as a tool to reach our goal Tyndall Centre, outlined the global emissions cuts we need to make if we are to If we are to ensure that our five stages of stay below 2 degrees.81 Anderson’s plan not climate grief result in ambitious action only closes the gap, but factors in climate instead of a numb acceptance of the justice. Granting non-Annex 1 countries (or horrors that are to occur, we have to developing countries) a carbon budget so rethink how we as civil society engage to that they may continue to develop and catalyze ambitious action. Civil society is phase away from fossil fuels, Anderson responsible for the agreement that the US and China reached last week; civil society
78 pushed, and in the wake of the Republican http://aosis.org/small-islands-call-for-research-on- survival-threshold/ 79 http://www.theguardian.com/environment/southern- crossroads/2014/sep/09/new-york-climate-summit-two- 82 degrees-warming-policy-disaster http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/sources 80 http://shrinkthatfootprint.com/mind-the-carbon-gap .html 81http://climatenorthernireland.org.uk/cmsfiles/resources 83 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-henn/fossil-fuel- /Presentations/What-Next.pdf divestment_b_6147234.html 68
Party’s sweep of the 2014 midterm That means that we need to mobilize. elections, U.S. President Barack Obama Especially now that there is only one year chose to take a stand and leave his legacy between Lima and COP 21 in Paris, we need as an actor on climate. We now know that to mobilize even more, grow stronger, and the administration listens to us; this past build a people’s movement that can week, Obama addressed the Young effectively push our governments to enter Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative and said into that conference with the kind of “the issue of climate change is a perfect ambition that would make us proud. So let’s example of why young people have to take a look at how one campaign – lead.”84 But if we are to see a more divestment – manages to do that. ambitious agreement and achieve significant action on climate change that Fossil Fuel Divestment and the Road to adheres to the severity of the crisis, and if 2015 we are to achieve climate justice, we need to push harder. We’ve heard a lot about divestment over the past few years: Bill McKibben became Nations will not make progress if their civil an unlikely rock star overnight with the Do societies do not push them. No matter how The Math tour, the campaign spread to new much we hope, our governments’ continents making it an international effort, negotiators will never author a treaty of and the Rockefellers – the family that made which we would be proud unless there is its fortune from oil – chose to divest. sufficient pressure coming from their own Divestment gives a face to the crisis, people to push them in the right direction. allowing people to rally around a target and Despite being seemingly easy targets, feel empowered to take their futures into negotiators at the COP have relatively little their own hands, therefore democratizing freedom to make the decisions they want to the issue of climate change. Divestment has see. At COP 19 in Warsaw, Trigg Talley – the the power to change the public perception U.S. Senior State Department Negotiator – of the fossil fuel industry. It points to the told me flat out that he wished he could do culprit and organizes the masses to demand more to effect change at the COP, but that their institutions – their campuses, unfortunately his hands were tied and he businesses, churches, or cities – refuse to lost faith in the process a long time ago. profit from that industry. When enough Now whether Mr. Talley was being honest institutions divest, it creates a tipping point or if he was just trying to escape my where people become passionate about the badgering, we do not know. What we do issue and put enough pressure on their know though is that these negotiators, elected officials to start representing their despite being visible and easily accessible needs instead of the desires of oil barons. by civil society at the COP, will not make the changes we want to see unless they are told Divestment also frees up finance, forcing to do so by their superiors. institutions and our government to shift finances away from the industry that’s launching us over the edge and instead
84 http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/11/14/obama- begin to finance and build the low-carbon, to-youth-on-climate-change-old-people-theyve-created-a- just economy we need. This is the mess/ 69 reinvestment side of the campaign, and it to take a stand and commit to the transition goes far beyond moving that money into to a low-carbon and just future, standing on renewable technology development. When the side of future generations and those we divest, we can reinvest in communities – most disproportionately impacted by both in their resilience and in community-owned climate change and the extractive economy. energy generation – and in radical and It commits to invest in the solutions that innovative solutions. The campaign is works the Global South so desperately need. This with both yin and yang: it identifies that shift impacts negotiations. When enough which is harmful, denounces it, and calls institutions in a country divest, it begins to upon society to denounce it as well; but it change the climate and discourse around also identifies the real solutions, and climate change and the fossil fuel economy. financially and ideologically supports those It ultimately shifts the political atmosphere solutions by investing in them. of the country and puts pressure on governments to go into the negotiations There are a fair number of critiques of with a few more bargaining chips. When divestment – that it’s too symbolic and our campuses, states, foundations, and draws attention from what really works (on- other institutions divest in the United the-ground resistance); that it is an elitist States, it will give Obama the go-ahead and campaign and excludes those who are the the political backing to offer more at the most marginalized by the climate UN. movement and those who are most affected by the industry, both in the U.S. It’s up to us and abroad; and that isn’t radical if folks like Tom Steyer can hop on board to perpetuate Divestment, and every other campaign that the same old capitalist, exploitative, focuses on local and grassroots action, immoral system.85 A lot of those critiques shifts systems and create tipping points. have validity, and like most campaigns, the Civil rights, women’s rights, and democracy divestment campaign has made many were all won by local, grassroots actions mistakes and still has a lot to learn before and narratives. They have the power to reaching its effective potential. But it learns create a peoples’ movement that creates from its mistakes, and therefore creates a the political backing (or pressure) that platform on which many related campaigns allows for (or forces) governments to enact can converge into a global movement. changes that work for the people over profit. But no one else is going to create this So what is the role of divestment in national change. If we want to see change, it’s up to and international politics? Divestment is us. local – it’s implemented at the local level, and has direct local repercussions. Yet its It is unlikely that any agreement reached in ability to influence the public opinion on Paris will manage to “lead the world away climate change gives it a global scope. It is a from its current destination of global solidarity campaign that allows institutions climate apartheid and toward climate justice.” To accomplish that, we would need
85 http://www.energyjustice.net/content/fossil-fuel- to build the largest movement ever in the divestment-how-evolve-campaign-beyond-its- history of humanity, and most likely shortcomings 70 experience many devastating natural disasters that have a severe negative impact on the global economy. That movement would have to be built in six months to give time to the heads of state to design a treaty that would sufficiently respond to the threats of climate change, mitigate emissions as ambitiously as possible, and finance extreme adaptation to reduce the level of damage that will be experienced by the Global South. It is unlikely to happen. What can happen, however, is that between now and Paris, we can begin to build that movement and be ready to launch the biggest, most diverse, and most radical movement the world has ever seen in Paris when the final decision is made. We can launch that movement on the last day of COP 21. We will still fail the Global South and condemn many, many lives, but we can still save some.
Many in our society have moved through all five stages of grief, and hang in an uneasy balance of acceptance and denial as they anxiously place hope in the status quo’s ability to make the changes necessary. But it’s time to stop accepting and start acting. If we want to see global change, we need a global movement – and that movement needs to come from the grassroots, be led by those most disproportionately impacted, and create the solutions that our generation needs.
Let’s get active, very active, now.
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Vision, Hope, and Power: have been achieved in history with a little A Contribution to the Discussion faith. Leehi Yona Outrage What a loaded question. When I was first Where is the outrage? Seriously, where is asked to answer it, I struggled. I see and it? We need more outrage! We need to interact with climate change from many convey the urgency of this problem, the points of view – as a community organizer, way we feel it sink a heavy weight onto our as a budding climate scientist, as a hearts. We need to make others – policymaker-in-training, as an amateur particularly those in power – feel the sociologist, as an American student, as an suffering, feel the heartbreak, feel the Israeli, as a Canadian, as a representative of injustice, feel the outrage that global future generations. How could I possibly warming stirs. The time has passed to condense these viewpoints into two pages? temper our anger; we cannot and should If I could pull some key thoughts, I’d break it not subdue our burning fire that energizes down into these nine words: vision, us to find the solutions to this climate outrage, hope, humanity, storytelling, challenge. celebration, interaction, mobilization, and Hope power. These thoughts by no means encapsulate all I have to say about this This outrage cannot survive without hope. question, but it brings to light some short, We cannot exist without hope. And we important personal realizations I’ve had in need even more than just hope to solve a my climate justice work. problem as monstrous as the one we are facing – we need extravagant hope, the Vision unwavering and fervent belief that we will What is a vision? A vision is the broader rise to the occasion and find a solution to imagination, the future we can see within the climate crisis. Yes, we can be critical (we our grasp. A vision is boldly optimistic, must), yes, we must have outrage – but we ambitious, dream-like. Of course, our vision must never lose sight of our vision, lose is vitally important in determining our sight of hope. To do so, to allow our decisions. Above all, we need to be driven cynicism and pessimism to consume us, by a vision, not a goal. This understanding is would be condemning ourselves to failure crucial. Our motivations for our work – the by default. We must couple our urgency things that govern what we do – should be with active hope. huge, and hopeful, and even unrealistic at Humanity first. That is fine, because they are visions – they shouldn’t be solutions that would work We must remember that climate change within the systems we currently have, but has a human face. Global warming is not solutions that transcend beyond these very about rising sea levels and extreme weather systems. They should be wildly idealistic, events – it’s about Ula who lives in the because even the most idealistic of visions Maldives and doesn’t know where her children will live, Olivia who lives in a First 72
Nations community and doesn’t know bring the future into the present. We must what’s in her drinking water – it’s about do this through storytelling. We need this these people on the front lines. framing to bypass the human exemptionalism that is wreaking havoc on Acknowledging our shared humanity when climate progress. speaking about climate change is also about acknowledging that some communities are Celebration disproportionally affected by climate change compared to others. This I cannot stress this enough. Celebrate! particularly includes communities of lower Celebrate every little accomplishment socioeconomic status, people of colour, and worth celebrating. Celebrate your women. We need to make sure that these colleagues, celebrate your volunteers, and voices are amplified within our movement, most importantly, celebrate yourselves and so that the most common face speaking the collective work you are all doing. We about climate change isn’t that of affluent rarely celebrate in this movement – we white men. Let’s bring more humanity into move forward too quickly. As soon as we’ve our movement by striving to have a real finished a march, as we’ve done whatever anti-oppression model of leadership. needs to be done – we move on to the next task at hand. We rarely celebrate the Storytelling and Power beautiful thing we’ve just done. Of course, this behaviour makes sense, considering the This humanity is why we need storytelling. urgency of climate change – but it is Numbers and data don’t really work when it unsustainable! comes to motivating people to act on climate change – but the stories of those Celebrate! suffering climate injustices do. Interaction An important element to acknowledge when it comes to climate change is the third When we’re working on effecting positive dimension of power. This dimension of change, it’s important to nurture our power is one that isn’t directly exerted relationships with each other, and with upon a person, one wherein consciousness nature. Many of us may lose sight of this. is manipulated. The third dimension of Think about it: for those of you working on power here is one that is exerted upon us organizing this march, what did you spend by broken systems of governance and fossil most of your time doing? You were most fuel companies that make us believe that likely, just as I was, glued to your computer, sweeping change isn’t possible or feasible to social media, to various screens that when it comes to climate action. But this disconnect us both from each other and isn’t true. We do have the power to change from the very planet we’re trying to save. things – we must re-write the narrative That needs to change. We need more we’re being given, the narrative that is direct, face-to-face interactions and being told. Storytelling is vital. conversations with the people who matter – with everyone. Chee Yoke Ling of Third World Network once told me that youth have the power to Mobilization 73
There are frequently such marches and rallies that take place… yet usually, the end outcome is that people go home and after a few days ask themselves, “Well, now what?” Now, we must mobilize! Too often such gatherings are plagued by a lack of concrete demands or next steps. Let’s make sure our demands and asks are clear.
Power
As I mentioned earlier, power dynamics are entirely at play when it comes to global warming inaction. We must recognize these sources of disempowerment and target them directly to shift it back to the people.
Like I said, these words do not encompass all I have to say – but I do believe that they can bring us closer to building the movement we need for real climate justice.
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APPENDIX 1 Climate Justice Manifestos
Editors’ note: we have assembled this by no means comprehensive list of climate justice manifestos so that the movement can see some of its own demands evolve over time. Many of these manifestos have been drawn from the website of the Centre for Civil Society, University of KwaZulu- Natal: http://ccs.ukzn.ac.za/default.asp?4,80,5,23 81 , which we gratefully acknowledge.
At the CCS website, Patrick Bond “defines” climate justice as “the fusion of social and environmental justice philosophies, political practices and projects aiming to both redefine and redistribute wealth and to transform socio-economic relations, grounded in a political-ecological praxis (analysis-activism) that seeks root causes and proposes and implements genuine solutions to the climate crisis.”86
86 See also http://climate-justice.info/resources/cj- statements/ 75
Durban Group for Climate Justice, footsteps of this history and turns the Durban, October 2004 earth’s carbon-cycling capacity into property to be bought or sold in a global market. Through this process of creating a “The Durban Declaration on new commodity – carbon – the Earth’s Carbon Trading” ability and capacity to support a climate conducive to life and human societies is As representatives of people’s movements now passing into the same corporate hands and independent organisations, we reject that are destroying the climate. the claim that carbon trading will halt the climate crisis. This crisis has been caused People around the world need to be made more than anything else by the mining of aware of this commodification and fossil fuels and the release of their carbon privatisation and actively intervene to to the oceans, air, soil and living things. ensure the protection of the Earth’s climate. Carbon trading will not contribute This excessive burning of fossil fuels is now to achieving this protection of the Earth’s jeopardising Earth’s ability to maintain a climate. It is a false solution which liveable climate. entrenches and magnifies social inequalities in many ways: Governments, export credit agencies, corporations and international financial institutions continue to support and finance – The carbon market creates transferable fossil fuel exploration, extraction and other rights to dump carbon in the air, oceans, activities that worsen global warming, such soil and vegetation far in excess of the as forest degradation and destruction on a capacity of these systems to hold it. Billions massive scale, while dedicating only token of dollars worth of these rights are to be sums to renewable energy. It is particularly awarded free of charge to the biggest disturbing that the World Bank has recently corporate emitters of greenhouse gases in defied the recommendation of its own the electric power, iron and steel, cement, Extractive Industries Review which calls for pulp and paper, and other sectors in the phasing out of World Bank financing for industrialised nations who have caused the coal, oil and gas extraction. climate crisis and already exploit these systems the most. Costs of future We denounce the further delays in ending reductions in fossil fuel use are likely to fall fossil fuel extraction that are being caused disproportionately on the public sector, by corporate, government and United communities, indigenous peoples and Nations’ attempts to construct a ‘carbon individual taxpayers. market’, including a market trading in ‘carbon sinks.’ – The Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), as well as many private History has seen attempts to commodify sector trading schemes, encourage land, food, labour, forests, water, genes and industrialised countries and their ideas. Carbon trading follows in the corporations to finance or create cheap carbon dumps such as large-scale tree 76 plantations in the South as a lucrative – In addition to these injustices, the internal alternative to reducing emissions in the weaknesses and contradictions of carbon North. Other CDM projects, such as trading are in fact likely to make global hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) - warming worse rather than ‘mitigate’ it. reduction schemes, focus on end-of pipe CDM projects, for instance, cannot be technologies and thus do nothing to reduce verified to be ‘neutralising’ any given the impact of quantity of fossil fuel extraction and burning. Their claim to be able to do so is – Fossil fuel industries’ impacts on local increasingly dangerous because it creates communities. In addition, these projects the illusion that consumption and dwarf the tiny volume of renewable energy production patterns, particularly in the projects which constitute the CDM’s North, can be maintained without harming sustainable development window-dressing. the climate.
– Impacts from fossil-fuel industries and – In addition, because of the verification other greenhouse-gas producing industries problem, as well as a lack of credible such as displacement, pollution, or climate regulation, no one in the CDM market is change, are already disproportionately felt likely to be sure what they are buying. by small island states, coastal peoples, Without a viable commodity to trade, the indigenous peoples, local communities, CDM market and similar private sector fisherfolk, women, youth, poor people, trading schemes are a total waste of time elderly and marginalised communities. CDM when the world has a critical climate crisis projects intensify these impacts in several to address. ways. First, they sanction continued exploration for, and extraction, refining and – In an absurd contradiction the World Bank burning of fossil fuels. Second, by providing facilitates these false, market-based finance for private sector projects such as approaches to climate change through its industrial tree plantations, they appropriate Prototype Carbon Fund, the BioCarbon land, water and air already supporting the Fund and the Community Development lives and livelihoods of local communities Carbon Fund at the same time it is for new carbon dumps for Northern promoting, on a far greater scale, the industries. continued exploration for, and extraction and burning of fossil fuels – many of which – The refusal to phase out the use of coal, are to ensure increased emissions of the oil and gas, which is further entrenched by North. carbon trading, is also causing more and more military conflicts around the world, In conclusion, ‘giving carbon a price’ will not magnifying social and environmental prove to be any more effective, democratic, injustice. This in turn diverts vast resources or conducive to human welfare, than giving to military budgets which could otherwise genes, forests, biodiversity or clean rivers a be utilised to support economies based on price. renewable energies and energy efficiency. We reaffirm that drastic reductions in emissions from fossil fuel use are a 77 prerequisite if we are to avert the climate crisis. We affirm our responsibility to coming generations to seek real solutions that are viable and truly sustainable and that do not sacrifice marginalised communities. We therefore commit ourselves to help build a global grassroots movement for climate justice, mobilise communities around the world and pledge our solidarity with people opposing carbon trading on the ground.
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Climate Justice Now! Bali, renewable energy. 14 December 2007 – Rights based resource conservation that enforces Indigenous land rights and “Founding Statement” promotes peoples’ sovereignty over energy, forests, land and water. Peoples from social organizations and movements from across the globe brought – Sustainable family farming and peoples’ the fight for social, ecological and gender food sovereignty. justice into the negotiating rooms and onto the streets during the UN climate summit in Inside the negotiations, the rich Bali. Inside and outside the convention industrialized countries have put centre, activists demanded alternative unjustifiable pressure on Southern policies and practices that protect governments to commit to emissions’ livelihoods and the environment. reductions.
In dozens of side events, reports, At the same time, they have refused to live impromptu protests and press conferences, up to their own legal and moral obligations the false solutions to climate change – such to radically cut emissions and support as carbon offsetting, carbon trading for developing countries’ efforts to reduce forests, agrofuels, trade liberalization and emissions and adapt to climate impacts. privatization pushed by governments, Once again, the majority world is being financial institutions and multinational forced to pay for the excesses of the corporations – have been exposed. minority.
Affected communities, Indigenous Peoples, Compared to the outcomes of the official women and peasant farmers called for real negotiations, the major success of Bali is the solutions to the climate crisis, solutions momentum that has been built towards which have failed to capture the attention creating a diverse, global movement for of political leaders. These genuine solutions climate justice. We will take our struggle include: forward not just in the talks, but on the ground and in the streets – Climate Justice – Reduced consumption. Now!
– Huge financial transfers from North to South based on historical responsibility and ecological debt for adaptation and mitigation costs paid for by redirecting military budgets, innovative taxes and debt cancellation.
– Leaving fossil fuels in the ground and investing in appropriate energy-efficiency and safe, clean and community-led 79
Climate Justice Alliance, February 2010 Linking with social struggle. The solutions to systematic repression, exploitation, and the climate crisis are the same. Climate Justice “What does Climate Justice mean means linking all struggles together that in Europe?” reject neoliberal markets and working towards a world that puts autonomous This discussion paper was drafted by a decision making power in the hands of the working group at the Climate Justice communities. We look towards a society Alliance meeting in Amsterdam in February which recognises our historical 2010. Its purpose is to collectively explore responsibilities and seeks to protect the the concept of climate justice in the context global commons, both in terms of the of Europe. Through providing this climate and life itself. Solidarity. From the discussion paper as both incomplete and shanty towns of the Americas to the unending, we hope it will be useful as a tool precariats of Europe, the global south is all in linking the diverse struggles throughout of those, whether resisting or not, who Europe and elsewhere, and strengthen the suffer the impacts of the relationships of collective movement towards our visions of capital and domination. It is important to the future. recognise that the marginalised in the geographic south are also the front line of In choosing Europe as the terrain of this the struggle for climate justice. Solidarity is discussion, we are not separating ourselves the realisation of the common struggle. It is from those struggling elsewhere in the realising that the geography which divides world. On the contrary, through asking us is insignificant compared to the strength what the basis of climate justice is in on our of the values that hold us together – our own doorstep, and discovering how we go shared affirmation of life and liberty in the about implementing it, we are fighting for a face of exploitation and oppression. better world for all. Solidarity means fighting for our own autonomy at the same time as we struggle The abject failure of governments to against corporations and the relationships provide a political solution to the climate of capital that exploit people everywhere. crisis in Copenhagen was unsurprising to those who, from the outset, understood the The EU. Europe, including the EU, is UN as an institution whose interests lie in historically responsible for climate change extending the legitimacy of global and social and environmental exploitation capitalism and the nation-state. Those who world wide. The EU as a political institution placed their hope in the COP15, due either serves only to extend the interests of the to naivety or necessity, left with a sense of wealthy and the powerful. Its Lisbon disbelief. More and more are now coming Agenda, and the more recent 2020 Agenda, to the realisation that it is social looks to increase the dominance of movements, not governments, that have European based corporations and extend the power to make the necessary changes the rule of capital into every sphere of our to solve the climate crisis. lives. Its pursuit of the Emissions Trading Scheme has pioneered a system that serves 80 only to profit from our ecological crises, its armed force and social control. Social Bologna process turns our universities into exclusion, poverty, loss of biodiversity, ‘sausage factories’, whilst the EU trade ecosystem collapse, and increasingly scarce strategy looks to control access to natural resources leading to an escalation in resources and cheap labour for European conflicts and resource wars, are posing a far corporations, continuing its historical legacy bigger threat than the ghost of terror, or of colonialism through different methods. any other imaginary foe created to mask Overcoming institutions that override the the social conflicts that exists within and autonomy of communities through tying us between our societies. The struggle for to capitalist growth is essential if we are to climate justice is about highlighting another move towards an ecologically and socially concept of sustainable ‘human security’, just world. which a military and policing force will never be able to guarantee. In practice by Food and Agriculture. Climate Justice is resisting changes in our global systems, the closely linked to breaking the circle of military and police apparatus is endangering industrialised agricultural production security, not increasing it. perpetuated through WTO and European policies. Speculation on food as an Migration. Climate change is exacerbating industrial commodity and the domination of factors which force people to migrate; lack long unsustainable production chains by of access to land or livelihood, failing international capital threatens the agriculture, conflict and lack of access to biosphere and the lives of billions of people. water. The tiny proportion of those This attack on food sovereignty and the displaced who attempt the expensive and planet must be met with a social struggle dangerous journey, are met with militarised for food production defined by the needs border controls if they reach ‘Fortress and rights of local communities. This means Europe.’ Labelled ‘illegals,’ they are denied redefining, re-localising and re- basic human rights and struggle to live in appropriating the control of our food and dignity, whilst providing a neat scapegoat agricultural systems through engaging and for a range of social problems. The historical acting in solidarity with existing struggles. development of capital accumulation, colonialism and carbon emissions, means Military. In Europe, as elsewhere, the that Europe has a unique responsibility to military-industrial complex is one of the key act in solidarity with those who are actors in maintaining business as usual in displaced. In our free market system only the current dominant economic political those with certain papers such as an EU system. Under the false promise of ensuring passport and capital and commodities are ‘security’ and in the ‘war against terror’, free to move around the world. Those huge and ever increasing budgets are being seeking a better life or moving to survive spent on military and policing are increasingly denied this option. As well infrastructure. Often military ventures are as fighting for the conditions for people to thinly veiled attempts at securing access to be able to stay in their homes and foreign resources and ensuring vast profits communities, we must also defend the for the arms industry. The real security principle of freedom of movement for all as threat we face cannot be addressed by one key aspect of climate justice. 81
ourselves to be defined as consumers, a de- Energy. The need for constant economic humanising and restrictive identity. Social growth also means an ever increasing thirst values must be based on human needs and for energy. While there is sufficient energy not on ever increasing consumption, in Europe we see that despite producing economic growth and competition. more and more energy, due to inefficiency and inequality, millions of people in Europe Climate Justice in Europe. Climate justice do not have access to affordable energy and means recognising that the capitalist are unable to heat their homes. Moreover growth paradigm, which leads to over our energy policy within Europe directly extraction, overproduction and results in huge amounts of dangerous waste overconsumption stands in deep contrast to (nuclear and other), and vast levels of the biophysical limits of the planet and the emissions which are rapidly destabilising struggle for social justice. The historical the global climate. We must ensure that legacy of European expansion/colonialism is everyone in Europe has access to sufficient a root cause of the current geopolitical levels of energy which is produced in a way inequalities, in which the global North is that does not damage or endanger people consuming the global South. Climate justice or the environment. We need to radically means addressing the inequalities that exist transform our ways of producing, between and within countries, and distributing and consuming energy. This replacing the economic and political means leaving fossil fuels in the ground, systems that uphold them. The status quo is democratising means of production and maintained through unequal exchange via changing our attitudes to energy unjust trade policies and unequal access to consumption. Energy resources should be in technological capacity. On a global level the control of communities that use them, Europe is a centre of capital accumulation and this means challenging the power and and thus socio-ecological exploitation of the ownership of energy companies. South, however, internally in Europe there are huge inequalities in terms of race, Production and consumption. Europe has gender and class. These are crucial issues some of the highest concentrations of that need to be addressed in the struggle wealth in the world and consumes for climate justice on a European level. enormous amounts of resources, yet there are stark inequalities. Production and We hope that this discussion paper has consumption should be based on values helped to explore the concept of climate other than profit; this means changing the justice in the context of Europe, and we way we structure our social, economic and invite your comments to further this political relationships, and ensuring discussion. Fundamentally, we believe that democratic control of the means of we cannot prevent further global warming production. This will require expropriation without addressing the way our societies and conversion not only of climate are organised – the fight for climate justice damaging companies and industries, but all and the fight for social justice are one and spheres of life that operate according to the the same. logic of capital. We need to challenge individualism in society and stop allowing 82
World People’s Conference on We confront the terminal crisis of a Climate Change and the Rights of civilizing model that is patriarchal and based on the submission and destruction of Mother Earth, Cochabamba, April human beings and nature that accelerated 2010 since the industrial revolution.
“People’s Agreement” The capitalist system has imposed on us a logic of competition, progress and limitless
growth. This regime of production and Today, our Mother Earth is wounded and consumption seeks profit without limits, the future of humanity is in danger. separating human beings from nature and
imposing a logic of domination upon If global warming increases by more than 2 nature, transforming everything into degrees Celsius, a situation that the commodities: water, earth, the human “Copenhagen Accord” could lead to, there genome, ancestral cultures, biodiversity, is a 50% probability that the damages justice, ethics, the rights of peoples, and life caused to our Mother Earth will be itself. completely irreversible. Between 20% and
30% of species would be in danger of Under capitalism, Mother Earth is disappearing. Large extensions of forest converted into a source of raw materials, would be affected, droughts and floods and human beings into consumers and a would affect different regions of the planet, means of production, into people that are deserts would expand, and the melting of seen as valuable only for what they own, the polar ice caps and the glaciers in the and not for what they are. Andes and Himalayas would worsen. Many island states would disappear, and Africa Capitalism requires a powerful military would suffer an increase in temperature of industry for its processes of accumulation more than 3 degrees Celsius. Likewise, the and imposition of control over territories production of food would diminish in the and natural resources, suppressing the world, causing catastrophic impact on the resistance of the peoples. It is an imperialist survival of inhabitants from vast regions in system of colonization of the planet. the planet, and the number of people in the world suffering from hunger would increase Humanity confronts a great dilemma: to dramatically, a figure that already exceeds continue on the path of capitalism, 1.02 billion people. depredation, and death, or to choose the
path of harmony with nature and respect The corporations and governments of the for life. so-called “developed” countries, in complicity with a segment of the scientific It is imperative that we forge a new system community, have led us to discuss climate that restores harmony with nature and change as a problem limited to the rise in among human beings. And in order for temperature without questioning the cause, there to be balance with nature, there must which is the capitalist system. first be equity among human beings. We
propose to the peoples of the world the 83 recovery, revalorization, and strengthening our Mother Earth continues, we will need of the knowledge, wisdom, and ancestral two planets by the year 2030. In an practices of Indigenous Peoples, which are interdependent system in which human affirmed in the thought and practices of beings are only one component, it is not “Living Well,” recognizing Mother Earth as a possible to recognize rights only to the living being with which we have an human part without provoking an indivisible, interdependent, complementary imbalance in the system as a whole. To and spiritual relationship. To face climate guarantee human rights and to restore change, we must recognize Mother Earth as harmony with nature, it is necessary to the source of life and forge a new system effectively recognize and apply the rights of based on the principles of: Mother Earth. For this purpose, we propose the attached project for the Universal – Harmony and balance among all and with Declaration on the Rights of Mother Earth, all things; in which it’s recorded that:
– Complementarity, solidarity, and equality; – The right to live and to exist;
– Collective well-being and the satisfaction – The right to be respected; of the basic necessities of all; – The right to regenerate its bio-capacity – People in harmony with nature; and to continue its vital cycles and processes free of human alteration; – Recognition of human beings for what they are, not what they own; – The right to maintain their identity and integrity as differentiated beings, self- – Elimination of all forms of colonialism, regulated and interrelated; imperialism and interventionism; – The right to water as the source of life; – Peace among the peoples and with Mother Earth. – The right to clean air;
The model we support is not a model of – The right to comprehensive health; limitless and destructive development. All countries need to produce the goods and – The right to be free of contamination and services necessary to satisfy the pollution, free of toxic and radioactive fundamental needs of their populations, waste; but by no means can they continue to follow the path of development that has led – The right to be free of alterations or the richest countries to have an ecological modifications of its genetic structure in a footprint five times bigger than what the manner that threatens its integrity or vital planet is able to support. Currently, the and healthy functioning; regenerative capacity of the planet has been already exceeded by more than 30 – The right to prompt and full restoration percent. If this pace of over-exploitation of for violations to the rights acknowledged in 84 this Declaration caused by human activities. Developed countries, as the main cause of The “shared vision” seeks to stabilize the climate change, in assuming their historical concentrations of greenhouse gases to responsibility, must recognize and honor make effective the Article 2 of the United their climate debt in all of its dimensions as Nations Framework Convention on Climate the basis for a just, effective, and scientific Change, which states that “the stabilization solution to climate change. In this context, of greenhouse gases concentrations in the we demand that developed countries: atmosphere to a level that prevents dangerous anthropogenic inferences for the – Restore to developing countries the climate system.” Our vision is based on the atmospheric space that is occupied by their principle of historical common but greenhouse gas emissions. This implies the differentiated responsibilities, to demand decolonization of the atmosphere through the developed countries to commit with the reduction and absorption of their quantifiable goals of emission reduction emissions; that will allow to return the concentrations of greenhouse gases to 300 ppm, therefore – Assume the costs and technology transfer the increase in the average world needs of developing countries arising from temperature to a maximum of one degree the loss of development opportunities due Celsius. to living in a restricted atmospheric space;
Emphasizing the need for urgent action to – Assume responsibility for the hundreds of achieve this vision, and with the support of millions of people that will be forced to peoples, movements and countries, migrate due to the climate change caused developed countries should commit to by these countries, and eliminate their ambitious targets for reducing emissions restrictive immigration policies, offering that permit the achievement of short-term migrants a decent life with full human rights objectives, while maintaining our vision in guarantees in their countries; favor of balance in the Earth’s climate system, in agreement with the ultimate – Assume adaptation debt related to the objective of the Convention. impacts of climate change on developing countries by providing the means to The “shared vision for long-term prevent, minimize, and deal with damages cooperative action” in climate change arising from their excessive emissions; negotiations should not be reduced to defining the limit on temperature increases – Honor these debts as part of a broader and the concentration of greenhouse gases debt to Mother Earth by adopting and in the atmosphere, but must also implementing the United Nations Universal incorporate in a balanced and integral Declaration on the Rights of Mother Earth. manner measures regarding capacity building, production and consumption The focus must not be only on financial patterns, and other essential factors such as compensation, but also on restorative the acknowledging of the Rights of Mother justice, understood as the restitution of Earth to establish harmony with nature. integrity to our Mother Earth and all its 85 beings. We require first of all the establishment of a We deplore attempts by countries to annul goal for the group of developed countries the Kyoto Protocol, which is the sole legally to achieve the assignment of individual binding instrument specific to the reduction commitments for each developed country of greenhouse gas emissions by developed under the framework of complementary countries. efforts among each one, maintaining in this way Kyoto Protocol as the route to We inform the world that, despite their emissions reductions. obligation to reduce emissions, developed countries have increased their emissions by The United States, as the only Annex 1 11.2% in the period from 1990 to 2007. country on Earth that did not ratify the Kyoto Protocol, has a significant During that same period, due to unbridled responsibility toward all peoples of the consumption, the United States of America world to ratify this document and commit has increased its greenhouse gas emissions itself to respecting and complying with by 16.8%, reaching an average of 20 to 23 emissions reduction targets on a scale tons of CO2 per-person. This represents 9 appropriate to the total size of its times more than that of the average economy. inhabitant of the “Third World,” and 20 times more than that of the average We the peoples have the equal right to be inhabitant of Sub-Saharan Africa. protected from the adverse effects of climate change and reject the notion of We categorically reject the illegitimate adaptation to climate change as understood “Copenhagen Accord” that allows as a resignation to impacts provoked by the developed countries to offer insufficient historical emissions of developed countries, reductions in greenhouse gases based in which themselves must adapt their modes voluntary and individual commitments, of life and consumption in the face of this violating the environmental integrity of global emergency. We see it as imperative Mother Earth and leading us toward an to confront the adverse effects of climate increase in global temperatures of around change, and consider adaptation to be a 4°C. process rather than an imposition, as well as a tool that can serve to help offset those The next Conference on Climate Change to effects, demonstrating that it is possible to be held at the end of 2010 in Mexico should achieve harmony with nature under a approve an amendment to the Kyoto different model for living. Protocol for the second commitment period from 2013 to 2017 under which developed It is necessary to construct an Adaptation countries must agree to significant Fund exclusively for addressing climate domestic emissions reductions of at least change as part of a financial mechanism 50% based on 1990 levels, excluding carbon that is managed in a sovereign, transparent, markets or other offset mechanisms that and equitable manner for all States. This mask the failure of actual reductions in Fund should assess the impacts and costs of greenhouse gas emissions. climate change in developing countries and 86 needs deriving from these impacts, and production of every nation and people. monitor support on the part of developed countries. It should also include a Climate change is now producing profound mechanism for compensation for current impacts on agriculture and the ways of life and future damages, loss of opportunities of indigenous peoples and farmers due to extreme and gradual climactic throughout the world, and these impacts events, and additional costs that could will worsen in the future. present themselves if our planet surpasses ecological thresholds, such as those impacts Agribusiness, through its social, economic, that present obstacles to “Living Well.” and cultural model of global capitalist production and its logic of producing food The “Copenhagen Accord” imposed on for the market and not to fulfill the right to developing countries by a few States, proper nutrition, is one of the principal beyond simply offering insufficient causes of climate change. Its technological, resources, attempts as well to divide and commercial, and political approach only create confrontation between peoples and serves to deepen the climate change crisis to extort developing countries by placing and increase hunger in the world. For this conditions on access to adaptation and reason, we reject Free Trade Agreements mitigation resources. We also assert as and Association Agreements and all forms unacceptable the attempt in processes of of the application of Intellectual Property international negotiation to classify Rights to life, current technological developing countries for their vulnerability packages (agrochemicals, genetic to climate change, generating disputes, modification) and those that offer false inequalities and segregation among them. solutions (biofuels, geo-engineering, nanotechnology, etc.) that only exacerbate The immense challenge humanity faces of the current crisis. stopping global warming and cooling the planet can only be achieved through a We similarly denounce the way in which the profound shift in agricultural practices capitalist model imposes mega- toward the sustainable model of production infrastructure projects and invades used by indigenous and rural farming territories with extractive projects, water peoples, as well as other ancestral models privatization, and militarized territories, and practices that contribute to solving the expelling indigenous peoples from their problem of agriculture and food lands, inhibiting food sovereignty and sovereignty. This is understood as the right deepening socio-environmental crisis. of peoples to control their own seeds, lands, water, and food production, thereby We demand recognition of the right of all guaranteeing, through forms of production peoples, living beings, and Mother Earth to that are in harmony with Mother Earth and have access to water, and we support the appropriate to local cultural contexts, proposal of the Government of Bolivia to access to sufficient, varied and nutritious recognize water as a Fundamental Human foods in complementarity with Mother Right. Earth and deepening the autonomous (participatory, communal and shared) The definition of forests used in the 87 negotiations of the United Nations mechanisms and propose non-existent and Framework Convention on Climate Change, conditional results. We call on governments which includes plantations, is unacceptable. to create a global program to restore native Monoculture plantations are not forests. forests and jungles, managed and Therefore, we require a definition for administered by the peoples, implementing negotiation purposes that recognizes the forest seeds, fruit trees, and native flora. native forests, jungles and the diverse Governments should eliminate forest ecosystems on Earth. concessions and support the conservation of petroleum deposits in the ground and The United Nations Declaration on the urgently stop the exploitation of Rights of Indigenous Peoples must be fully hydrocarbons in forestlands. recognized, implemented and integrated in climate change negotiations. The best We call upon States to recognize, respect strategy and action to avoid deforestation and guarantee the effective and degradation and protect native forests implementation of international human and jungles is to recognize and guarantee rights standards and the rights of collective rights to lands and territories, indigenous peoples, including the United especially considering that most of the Nations Declaration on the Rights of forests are located within the territories of Indigenous Peoples under ILO Convention indigenous peoples and nations and other 169, among other relevant instruments in traditional communities. the negotiations, policies and measures used to meet the challenges posed by We condemn market mechanisms such as climate change. In particular, we call upon REDD (Reducing Emissions from States to give legal recognition to claims Deforestation and Forest Degradation) and over territories, lands and natural resources its versions + and + +, which are violating to enable and strengthen our traditional the sovereignty of peoples and their right to ways of life and contribute effectively to prior free and informed consent as well as solving climate change. the sovereignty of national States, the customs of Peoples, and the Rights of We demand the full and effective Nature. implementation of the right to consultation, participation and prior, free and informed Polluting countries have an obligation to consent of indigenous peoples in all carry out direct transfers of the economic negotiation processes, and in the design and technological resources needed to pay and implementation of measures related to for the restoration and maintenance of climate change. forests in favor of the peoples and indigenous ancestral organic structures. Environmental degradation and climate Compensation must be direct and in change are currently reaching critical levels, addition to the sources of funding promised and one of the main consequences of this is by developed countries outside of the domestic and international migration. carbon market, and never serve as carbon According to projections, there were offsets. We demand that countries stop already about 25 million climate migrants actions on local forests based on market by 1995. Current estimates are around 50 88 million, and projections suggest that In view of the inefficiency of the current between 200 million and 1 billion people mechanism, a new funding mechanism will become displaced by situations should be established at the 2010 Climate resulting from climate change by the year Change Conference in Mexico, functioning 2050. under the authority of the Conference of the Parties (COP) under the United Nations Developed countries should assume Framework Convention on Climate Change responsibility for climate migrants, and held accountable to it, with significant welcoming them into their territories and representation of developing countries, to recognizing their fundamental rights ensure compliance with the funding through the signing of international commitments of Annex 1 countries. conventions that provide for the definition of climate migrant and require all States to It has been stated that developed countries abide by abide by determinations. significantly increased their emissions in the period from 1990 to 2007, despite having Establish an International Tribunal of stated that the reduction would be Conscience to denounce, make visible, substantially supported by market document, judge and punish violations of mechanisms. the rights of migrants, refugees and displaced persons within countries of origin, The carbon market has become a lucrative transit and destination, clearly identifying business, commodifying our Mother Earth. the responsibilities of States, companies It is therefore not an alternative for tackle and other agents. climate change, as it loots and ravages the land, water, and even life itself. Current funding directed toward developing countries for climate change and the The recent financial crisis has demonstrated proposal of the Copenhagen Accord are that the market is incapable of regulating insignificant. In addition to Official the financial system, which is fragile and Development Assistance and public sources, uncertain due to speculation and the developed countries must commit to a new emergence of intermediary brokers. annual funding of at least 6% of GDP to Therefore, it would be totally irresponsible tackle climate change in developing to leave in their hands the care and countries. This is viable considering that a protection of human existence and of our similar amount is spent on national Mother Earth. defense, and that 5 times more have been put forth to rescue failing banks and We consider inadmissible that current speculators, which raises serious questions negotiations propose the creation of new about global priorities and political will. This mechanisms that extend and promote the funding should be direct and free of carbon market, for existing mechanisms conditions, and should not interfere with have not resolved the problem of climate the national sovereignty or self- change nor led to real and direct actions to determination of the most affected reduce greenhouse gases. It is necessary to communities and groups. demand fulfillment of the commitments assumed by developed countries under the 89
United Nations Framework Convention on and the Kyoto Protocol, and given the lack Climate Change regarding development and of a legal international organism to guard technology transfer, and to reject the against and sanction climate and “technology showcase” proposed by environmental crimes that violate the developed countries that only markets Rights of Mother Earth and humanity, we technology. It is essential to establish demand the creation of an International guidelines in order to create a multilateral Climate and Environmental Justice Tribunal and multidisciplinary mechanism for that has the legal capacity to prevent, judge participatory control, management, and and penalize States, industries and people evaluation of the exchange of technologies. that by commission or omission These technologies must be useful, clean contaminate and provoke climate change. and socially sound. Likewise, it is fundamental to establish a fund for the Supporting States that present claims at the financing and inventory of technologies that International Climate and Environmental are appropriate and free of intellectual Justice Tribunal against developed countries property rights. Patents, in particular, that fail to comply with commitments under should move from the hands of private the United Nations Framework Convention monopolies to the public domain in order to on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol promote accessibility and low costs. including commitments to reduce greenhouse gases. Knowledge is universal, and should for no reason be the object of private property or We urge peoples to propose and promote private use, nor should its application in the deep reform within the United Nations, so form of technology. Developed countries that all member States comply with the have a responsibility to share their decisions of the International Climate and technology with developing countries, to Environmental Justice Tribunal. build research centers in developing countries for the creation of technologies The future of humanity is in danger, and we and innovations, and defend and promote cannot allow a group of leaders from their development and application for developed countries to decide for all “living well.” The world must recover and countries as they tried unsuccessfully to do re-learn ancestral principles and at the Conference of the Parties in approaches from native peoples to stop the Copenhagen. This decision concerns us all. destruction of the planet, as well as Thus, it is essential to carry out a global promote ancestral practices, knowledge referendum or popular consultation on and spirituality to recuperate the capacity climate change in which all are consulted for “living well” in harmony with Mother regarding the following issues; the level of Earth. emission reductions on the part of developed countries and transnational Considering the lack of political will on the corporations, financing to be offered by part of developed countries to effectively developed countries, the creation of an comply with commitments and obligations International Climate Justice Tribunal, the assumed under the United Nations need for a Universal Declaration of the Framework Convention on Climate Change Rights of Mother Earth, and the need to 90 change the current capitalist system. The Africa (ELA) eThekwini Branch, South Africa; process of a global referendum or popular FERN, EU; FASE-ES/Green Desert Network consultation will depend on process of Brazil; Global Justice Ecology Project, USA; preparation that ensures the successful groundwork, South Africa; National Forum development of the same. of Forest People And Forest Workers(NFFPFW), India; Patrick Bond, In order to coordinate our international Professor, University of KwaZulu-Natal action and implement the results of this School of Development Studies, South “Accord of the Peoples,” we call for the Africa; O le Siosiomaga Society, Samoa; building of a Global People’s Movement for South Durban Community Alliance (SDCEA), Mother Earth, which should be based on South Africa; Sustainable Energy & the principles of complementarity and Economy Network, USA; The Corner House, respect for the diversity of origin and UK; Timberwatch Coalition, South Africa; visions among its members, constituting a World Rainforest Movement, Uruguay. broad and democratic space for coordination and joint worldwide actions. Supporting organisational signatories: 50 Years Is Enough: U.S. Network for Global To this end, we adopt the attached global Economic Justice, USA; Aficafiles, Canada; plan of action so that in Mexico, the Africa Groups of Sweden, Sweden; Alianza developed countries listed in Annex 1 Verde, Honduras; Ambiente y Sociedad, respect the existing legal framework and Argentina; Angikar Bangladesh Foundation, reduce their greenhouse gases emissions by Bangladesh; Anisa Colombia, Colombia; 50%, and that the different proposals Asociacion Alternativa Ambiental, Spain; contained in this Agreement are adopted. Asociacion Amigos Reserva Yaguaroundi, Argentina; Asociacion de Guardaparques Finally, we agree to undertake a Second Argentinos, Argentina; Asociación World People’s Conference on Climate Ecologista Piuke, Argentina; Asociacion para Change and the Rights of Mother Earth in la Defensa del Medio Ambiente del Noreste 2011 as part of this process of building the Santafesino, Argentina; Asociación San Global People’s Movement for Mother Francisco de Asís, Argentina; Association Earth and reacting to the outcomes of the France Amerique Latine, France; Climate Change Conference to be held at Associacion Lihue San Carlos de Barloche / the end of this year in Cancún, Mexico Rio Negro, Argentina; Association pour un contrat mondial de l’eau, Comité de Seine Saint Denis, France; Associação Caeté – Cultura e Natureza, Brasil; Athlone Park Residents Association, South Africa; [i]. Durban Meeting Signatories: Carbon Austerville Clinic Committee, South Africa; Trade Watch; Indigenous Environmental Australian Greens, Australia; Aukland Rising Network; Climate & Development Tide, New Zealand; BanglaPraxis, Initiatives, Uganda; Coecoceiba-Amigos de Bangladesh; Benjamin E. Mays Center, USA; la Tierra, Costa Rica; CORE Centre for Bluff Ridge Conservancy (BRC), South Africa; Organisation Research & Education, BOA, Venezuela; Boulder Environmental Manipur, India; Delhi Forum, India; Earthlife Activists Resource, Rocky Mountain; Peace 91 and Justice Center, USA; The Bread of Life Russia; FSC-Brasil, Brasil; Fundación Development Foundation, Nigeria; CENSAT- Argentina de Etoecología (FAE), Argentina; Friends of the Earth Colombia, Colombia; Fundación Los de Tilquiza, proyecto Center for Economic Justice, USA; Centre AGUAVERDE, Argentina; Groupe d’Etudes et for Environmental Justice, Sri Lanka; Center de Recherche sure les Energies for Environmental Law and Community Renouvelables et l’Environnement Rights Inc./; Friends of the Earth (PNG), (GERERE), Morocco; Gruppo di Volontariato Papua New Guinea; Center for Urban Civile (GVC-Italia), oficina de Nicaragua, Transformation, USA; Centro de Derecho Nicaragua; House of Worship, South Africa; Ambientaly Promoción para el Desarrollo Indigenous Peoples’ Biodiversity Network, (CEDAPRODE), Nicaragua; Centro de Peru; InfoNature, Portugal; Infringement Investigacion Cientifica de Yucatan A.C., Festival, Canada; Iniciativa ArcoIris de Mexico; Committee in Solidarity with the Ecologia y Sociedad, Argentina; Iniciativa People of El Salvador, USA; Christ the King Radial, Argentina; Institute for Social Church Group, South Africa; Clairwood Ecology Biotechnology Project, USA; Ratepayers Association (CRA), South Africa; Instituto Ecoar para Cidadania, Brasil; Cold Mountain, Cold Rivers, USA; Colectivo Instituto Igaré, Brasil; International Fund for de Proyectos Alternativos de México Animal Welfare (IFAW), Belgium; (COPAL), Mexico; Colectivo MadreSelva, International Indian Treaty Council; Isipingo Guatemala; Comité de Análisis ‘Ana Silvia Environmental Committee (IEC), South Olán’ de Sonsonate – CANASO, El Salvador; Africa; Isipingo Ratepayers Association, Committee in Solidarity with the People of South Africa; Jeunesse Horizon, Camerun; El Salvador, USA; Community Health Cell, JKPP /Indonesian Community Mapping Bangalore, India; Corporate Europe Network, Indonesia; Joint Action Observatory (CEO), Netherlands; C.P.E.M. Committee of Isipingo (JACI), South Africa; Nº29-Ciencias Ambientales, Argentina; Del KVW Translations, Spain; LOKOJ, Consejo de Organisaciones de Médicos y Bangladesh; London Rising Tide, UK; Parteras Indígenas Tradicionales de Malvarrosamedia, Spain; Mangrove Action Chiapas, Mexico; Enda América Latina, Project (MAP), USA; Mano Verde, Colombia; Colombia; ECOGRAIN, Spain; Ecoisla, Puerto Mercy International Justice Network, Rica; EarthLink e.V.-The People & Nature Kenya; Merebank Clinic Committee (MCC), Network, Germany; Ecological Society of South Africa; Movimiento por la Paz y el the Philippines, Philippines; Ecologistas en Ambiente, Argentina; Movimento por los Acción, Spain; Ecoportal.net, Argentina; Derechos y la Consulta Ciudadana, Chile; ECOTERRA International; El Centro de Nicaragua Center for Community Action, Ecología y Excursionismo de la Universidad USA; Nicaragua Network (US), USA; de Carabobo, Venezuela; Els Verds – Nicaragua-US Friendship Office, USA; Alternativa Verda, Spain; Environment Desk NOAH-Friends of the Earth Denmark, of Images Asia, Thailand; FASE Gurupá, Denmark; Núcleo Amigos da Terra, Brasil; Brasil; Forest Peoples Programme, UK; Ogoni Rescue Patriotic Fund, Nigeria; Foundation for Grassroots Initiatives in Oilwatch International, Ecuador; Oilwatch Africa, Ghana; Friends of the Earth Africa, Nigeria; Organisacion Fraternal International; Friends of the Earth Australia, Negra Honduirena, Honduras; Parque Australia; Friends of the Siberian Forests, Provincial Ernesto Tornquist, Argentina; 92
Pacific Indigenous Peoples Environment [ii]. Carbon Trade Watch, Transnational Coalition (PIPEC),Aotearoa/New Zealand; Institute; Center for Environmental Pesticides Action Network Latin America, Concerns; Focus on the Global South; Uruguay; Piedad Espinoza Trópico Verde, Freedom from Debt Coalition, Philippines; Guatemala; PovoAção, Brasil; Prideaux Friends of the Earth International; Gendercc Consulting, USA; Projeto tudo Sobre Plantas – Women for Climate Justice, Global Forest – Jornal SOS Verde, Brasil; Public Citizen, Coalition; Global Justice Ecology Project; USA; Rainforest Action Network, USA; Rainy International Forum on Globalization; River First Nations, Canada; Reclaim the Kalikasan-Peoples Network for the Commons, USA; Red de Agricultura Environment (Kalikasan-PNE); La Vía Orgánica de Misiones, Argentina; REDES- Campesina; members of the Durban Group Amigos de la Tierra, Uruguay; Red Verde, for Climate Justice; Oilwatch; Pacific Spain; Rettet den Regenwald, Germany; Indigenous Peoples Environment Coalition, Rising Tide, UK; Sahabat Alam Malaysia Aotearoa/New Zealand; Sustainable Energy /FOE-Malaysia, Malaysia; San Francisco Bay and Economy Network; The Indigenous Area Jubilee Debt Cancellation Coalition, Environmental Network; Third World USA; Scottish Education and Action for Network; WALHI/ Friends of the Earth Development, UK; S.G.Fiber, Pakistan; Indonesia; World Rainforest Movement. Silverglen Civic Association (SCA), South Africa; Sisters of the Holy Cross – Congregation Justice Committee, USA; Sobrevivencia, Friends of the Earth Paraguay, Paraguay; Sociedad Civil, Mexico; SOLJUSPAX, Philippines; Tebtebba Foundation, Philippines; The Sawmill River Watershed Alliance, USA; TRAPESE – Take Radical Action Through Popular Education and Sustainable Everything, UK / Spain; Treasure Beach Environmental Forum (TBEF), South Africa; Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development, Uganda; Ujamaa Community Resource Trust (UCRT), Tanzania; UNICA, Nicaragua; Union Chrétienne pour l’Education et Développement des Déshérités (UCEDD), Burundi; Union Mexicana de Emprendedores Inios, A. C., Mexico; VALL DE CAN MASDEU, Spain; Wentworth Development Forum (WDF), South Africa; Western Nebraska Resources Council, USA; World Bank Boycott/Center for Economic Justice, USA; worldforests, UK; World Peace Prayer Society, USA.
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Universal Declaration of the conscious of the urgency of taking decisive, Rights of Mother Earth, collective action to transform structures and systems that cause climate change and Cochabamba, April 27, 2010 other threats to Mother Earth;
This Declaration was adopted by the World proclaim this Universal Declaration of the People’s Conference on Climate Change and Rights of Mother Earth, and call on the the Rights of Mother Earth, in Bolivia. The General Assembly of the United Nation to Bolivian government has submitted it to the adopt it, as a common standard of United Nations for consideration. achievement for all peoples and all nations of the world, and to the end that every Preamble individual and institution takes responsibility for promoting through We, the peoples and nations of Earth: teaching, education, and consciousness raising, respect for the rights recognized in considering that we are all part of Mother this Declaration and ensure through prompt Earth, an indivisible, living community of and progressive measures and mechanisms, interrelated and interdependent beings national and international, their universal with a common destiny; and effective recognition and observance among all peoples and States in the world. gratefully acknowledging that Mother Earth is the source of life, nourishment and Article 1. Mother Earth learning and provides everything we need to live well; (1) Mother Earth is a living being. (2) Mother Earth is a unique, indivisible, recognizing that the capitalist system and self-regulating community of interrelated all forms of depredation, exploitation, beings that sustains, contains and abuse and contamination have caused great reproduces all beings. destruction, degradation and disruption of (3) Each being is defined by its relationships Mother Earth, putting life as we know it as an integral part of Mother Earth. today at risk through phenomena such as (4) The inherent rights of Mother Earth are climate change; inalienable in that they arise from the same convinced that in an interdependent living source as existence. community it is not possible to recognize (5) Mother Earth and all beings are entitled the rights of only human beings without to all the inherent rights recognized in this causing an imbalance within Mother Earth; Declaration without distinction of any kind, such as may be made between organic and affirming that to guarantee human rights it inorganic beings, species, origin, use to is necessary to recognize and defend the human beings, or any other status. rights of Mother Earth and all beings in her (6) Just as human beings have human rights, and that there are existing cultures, all other beings also have rights which are practices and laws that do so; specific to their species or kind and appropriate for their role and function 94 within the communities within which they (1) Every human being is responsible for exist. respecting and living in harmony with (7) The rights of each being are limited by Mother Earth. the rights of other beings and any conflict (2) Human beings, all States, and all public between their rights must be resolved in a and private institutions must: way that maintains the integrity, balance (a) act in accordance with the rights and and health of Mother Earth. obligations recognized in this Declaration; (b) recognize and promote the full Article 2. Inherent Rights of Mother Earth implementation and enforcement of the rights and obligations recognized in this (1) Mother Earth and all beings of which she Declaration; is composed have the following inherent (c) promote and participate in learning, rights: analysis, interpretation and communication (a) the right to life and to exist; about how to live in harmony with Mother (b) the right to be respected; Earth in accordance with this Declaration; (c) the right to regenerate its bio-capacity (d) ensure that the pursuit of human and to continue its vital cycles and wellbeing contributes to the wellbeing of processes free from human disruptions; Mother Earth, now and in the future; (d) the right to maintain its identity and (e) establish and apply effective norms and integrity as a distinct, self-regulating and laws for the defence, protection and interrelated being; conservation of the rights of Mother Earth; (e) the right to water as a source of life; (f) respect, protect, conserve and where (f) the right to clean air; necessary, restore the integrity, of the vital (g) the right to integral health; ecological cycles, processes and balances of (h) the right to be free from contamination, Mother Earth; pollution and toxic or radioactive waste; (g) guarantee that the damages caused by (i) the right to not have its genetic structure human violations of the inherent rights modified or disrupted in a manner that recognized in this Declaration are rectified threatens it integrity or vital and healthy and that those responsible are held functioning; accountable for restoring the integrity and (j) the right to full and prompt restoration health of Mother Earth; the violation of the rights recognized in this (h) empower human beings and institutions Declaration caused by human activities; to defend the rights of Mother Earth and of (2) Each being has the right to a place and all beings; to play its role in Mother Earth for her (i) establish precautionary and restrictive harmonious functioning. measures to prevent human activities from (3) Every being has the right to wellbeing causing species extinction, the destruction and to live free from torture or cruel of ecosystems or the disruption of treatment by human beings. ecological cycles; (j) guarantee peace and eliminate nuclear, Article 3. Obligations of human beings to chemical and biological weapons; Mother Earth (k) promote and support practices of respect for Mother Earth and all beings, in 95 accordance with their own cultures, traditions and customs; (l) promote economic systems that are in harmony with Mother Earth and in accordance with the rights recognized in this Declaration.
Article 4. Definitions
(1) The term “being” includes ecosystems, natural communities, species and all other natural entities which exist as part of Mother Earth.
(2) Nothing in this Declaration restricts the recognition of other inherent rights of all beings or specified beings.
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The Margarita Declaration on are incompatible with the happiness of the Climate Change peoples;
Whereas, the environment is a political Preparatory Meeting, Venezuela, July 18, issue and it is the duty of the governments 2014, Margarita Island, Social PreCOP and the multilateral system to hear the
voices of the peoples; Changing the system, not the climate
Whereas, the peoples endure the http://www.precopsocial.org/sites/default/ consequences of the climate change, and files/archivos/margarita_declaration_on_cli are the ones who live and understand its mate_change.pdf social dimensions, and whereas they are
the actors that have the moral strength and We, women and men representing social the creative capacity necessary to change movements and organizations, gathered in course towards systems that are fair and Margarita Island from July 15th thru 18th, sustainable enabling a lasting happiness in 2014, committed to the Good Living, in harmony with the cycles of nature; harmony with the ecosystems of the Earth as a way to counteract the current Whereas, the developing countries are environmental crisis and the climate faced with various kinds of problems and change, one of its most ferocious faces; endure more and major consequences of concerned by the social dimension of this climate change than the developed crisis that has been ignored for long, but countries; filled with hope and faith in the creating powers of the peoples as the necessary Hereby declare: driving force to achieve substantial changes in the system; salute and welcome the As to the social processes that are being lived and INTERGENERATIONAL EQUALITY AND constructed in various countries, RIGHTS OF THE communities and model societies. FUTURE GENERATIONS
Whereas, there is a social dimension of the “Let us go to the future, let us bring it and climate change and an unalienable right of sow it here” the peoples to be the protagonists in the Hugo Chávez construction of their own destinies;
1. “Men and women have become Whereas, each country lives in a particular consumerist monsters that consume all the historic context within a complex world resources given by the Earth”. Génesis made up by diversity of experiences and Carmona, aged 11, elected representative of visions from which transformational the Venezuelan Children Environment initiatives rise; Movements.
Whereas, the climate crisis results from 2. We must share our experiences from all unsustainable development systems that over the world to understand and construct 97 true solutions. Expressing solidarity to way how people are educated on comrades in other parts of the world means environment and Climate Change. We need understanding their context, understanding to open new spaces where the ultimate their struggle for life, sovereignty and causes of the environmental crisis are identity. discussed. Youth need to promote such changes. The hegemonic system is 3. Change depends on the capacity of our frightened of peoples that are educated generation to produce a counterculture, because they may call into question the transform the consumption model into structures power. Good Living and global cooperative societies. We must generate a revolutionary 9. Colonialism continues to operate. Climate counterculture. The task of youth is to open change occurs within a historic context roads and generate cracks in a system that where a group of countries based their is unsustainable. development on practices generating the current environmental crisis, including 4. Youth must be politicized and Climate Change, while others suffer the empowered. Most importantly, youth must worst consequences. The developed have the will and the capacity to transform countries causing the Climate Change things. We must change the system and intend to side-track the discussion towards begin to mobilize our best efforts. It is not technological or market solutions, thus an environmental issue alone; it is an issue eluding their historic responsibilities. that is deeply social, ethical, political and cultural. 10. The struggles of the South must be supported in the countries of the North. 5. We must change our perception of power The wealthiest countries must commit and promote diverse and inclusive spaces, themselves to finding a solution to the open to intercultural thinking. We must Climate Change. Youth in the North must move from the discourse to a transforming exert pressure on their governments in that action. sense. There is not much time left, the global North must take on its historic 6. The world needs corrective actions responsibility and youth must exert before damages become irreversible. We pressure for this to happen. denounce the lack of political will of the wealthiest countries. 11. We need to recover the notion of solidarity, understand the differences 7. Education must look like the society we existing among the countries, their different dream of. It must be revolutionary and historic contexts, the right to Good Living transform reality. If it cannot undertake and also the responsibilities of such transformations, it does not work. development. Transition may not be Education and communication are the restricted to a reduction of emissions. It has cornerstones for transformation. to be a fair transition guaranteeing that the peoples of the South will not be adversely 8. The environmental issue must be a pillar affected. in curricula. It is necessary to re-think the 98
12. We need to create our own dreams, by the developed countries and the elites of forget the perverse developmentalist the developing countries. dream, and find inspiration in ourselves. We need to share a new narrative based on our We demand the leaders in the North not to own experiences. As to continue such wicked practices that destroy the planet and demand the leaders in the BUEN VIVIR (GOOD AND SUSTAINABLE South not to follow the development LIVING) models in place in the North which lead to this civilizing crisis. We urge them to Climate Ethics: Differentiated construct an alternative path to achieve Responsibilities and fair, egalitarian and sustainable societies Respective Capacities and fair economies. For such purposes, it is required that the developed countries meet 13. It is necessary to reach an alternative their moral and legal obligations, especially development model based on the principles vis-à-vis vulnerable and marginalized of living in harmony with nature, guided by countries and communities by lifting absolute and ecological sustainability limits, barriers such as intellectual property rights and the capacity of mother Earth as well; a which prevent the attainment of the fair, egalitarian model that constructs preservation of life over the planet and the sustainable economies that moves us away salvation of human species. We likewise from energy models based on fossil fuels urge them to comply with the financial and hazardous energies, that guarantees contribution and the transfer of safe and and recognizes the respect to Mother Earth, locally suitable technologies free from the rights of women, children, adolescents, barriers such as intellectual property rights, gender diversity, the impoverished, the strengthen capacities and embrace the vulnerable minority groups and the original principles set forth in the Climate Change indigenous peoples – A fair and egalitarian Convention and in the Rio Earth Summit, model that fosters the peaceful coexistence especially as to the common but of our peoples. We likewise want a society differentiated responsibilities and where the right of Mother Earth prevails respective capabilities, and the principles of over neoliberal policies, economic precaution and gender equality. globalization and patriarchy, because without Mother Earth life does not exist. 15. According to scientific evidence, in order not to exceed 1.5 degrees increase of 14. The main sources for climate crisis are temperature, it becomes necessary not to the political and economic systems produce 80% of the fossil fuel reserves commercializing and reifying nature and known. For this purpose, the developed life, thus impoverishing spirituality and countries require to immediately reduce imposing consumerism and consumption and production of fossil fuels. developmentalism that generate unequal Also, they need to recognize the rights of regimes and exploitation of resources. This the developing countries that rely on the global crisis is exacerbated by unsustainable production of fossil fuels as a source of practices of exploitation and consumption revenues. The developing countries require time for a fair transition to reduce their 99 dependence on such activity, as the 19. We reject any attempt to implement or developed countries should provide promote dangerous and unethical solutions unconditional assistance to the developing or responses to Climate Change, solutions nations so that the latter may carry out whereby wealthy industrialized countries such urgent transition. and corporations ultimately seek to use climate change as a means for profit. Some 16. We demand the change of the of such false responses, such as carbon production and consumption patterns production and soils, whereas the taking into account the historic implementation of the “United Nations responsibilities of the emissions from Program on Reducing Emissions from nations and corporations and their Deforestation and Forest Degradation in cumulative nature, thus recognizing that Developing Countries (UN-REDD)” and the the carbon atmospheric space is finite and production of agrofuels, have already needs to be equally distributed amongst the caused seizure and fragmentation of lands. countries and their peoples. As to the 17. The historically unequal Social Impact of Climate Change overconsumption of the global emissions budget managed by mainstream 20. The environment is a political issue, corporations and economic systems has which has to do with power, and therefore contributed to cause inequalities in terms of it is necessary that the peoples and the the capacities of the countries. Some key social movements are empowered and indicators to measure such disparity would participate on the making of the decisions be the national per capita emission of that affect them. greenhouse effect gases since 1850, the distribution and size of the wealth and 21. Risk management must have deep social national income, and the technological and local roots, and include national, local resources owned by a country. Such and community-based risk alert, prevention indicators may be used to determine the and management systems as an essential fair portion of effort corresponding to each part of the adaptation process. country (emissions budget) if the Earth limits are respected and if the historic 22. Planning must be participative and lean responsibilities, the needs for sustainable towards a habitat (either urban or rural) development, the losses and damages constructed and managed by everybody to caused by climate change and the need of meet the needs of the inhabitants in their technology transfer and financial support specific contexts of action. are recognized. 23. It is necessary to generate structural 18. We demand the implementation of a changes in the mainstream production, Justice, Ethics and Moral Court on Climate distribution and consumption models that Change, where humanity at large may file reject the commodification of nature as a complaints against crimes related to this solution to climate change. topic.
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24. We demand the repair of historic debts, 31. Forms of penalization, penalties and and reject the financing proposals which do repair mechanisms are necessary for crimes not bring about effective transformations against nature. Violation of Human Rights for a sustainable solution. need to be seen not only as a weapons use problem, but also as a result of other forms 25. Buen Vivir (Good Living) practices of aggression, such as the pollution of the should be promoted: To feel good, live fully Earth by the use of agrotoxics and the and stay in balance and harmony with the restriction of access to water. others, and respect the cycles of life and the Mother Earth. 32. Promote small-scale family farming without agrotoxics as an alternative 26. We must promote territory participative economic model that guarantees good and management by fostering social dialogue healthy nourishment for the peoples. and ensuring the participation of women in the decision-making and in the As to implementation of mitigation and Social Participation in the Decision-making adaptation mechanisms vis-à-vis climate change. 33. We must organize ourselves to guarantee life on the planet through a great 27. It is necessary to recover the ancestral world social movement. A change of technologies and promote the training and attitude for a conscience of power keeping support of popular technology experts with the peoples united becomes necessary. As the capacity to create new technologies organized peoples we can push for the which contribute to mitigation and transformation of the system. adaptation to climate change. 34. We must guarantee compliance with 28. Communities must have access to the Convention, especially in the matter information on the Climate Change concerning the participation of the Social negotiations through strategies devised for Movements and Organizations. such purposes. 35. The current spaces need to be 29. We must include Climate Change as a broadened, and new broad and permanent topic in the curriculum at all levels and in spaces for participation need to be created the programs of all disciplines, focusing on so that Social Movements and the structural causes for climate change. Organizations may contribute their proposals to guide the decisions in the 30. It is necessary to design strategies to negotiation process of the Convention. guarantee social security of workers and the dialogue between them and the 36. It is necessary to establish nationwide governments in the transition to a new information and full citizen participation economic model that respond to Climate mechanisms to be aware and include the Change problems. vision of the peoples with regard to climate problems and promote transparency in the 101 dissemination of information on the status 43. We demand the UN the public of the negotiation of the Convention. dissemination and access to the sessions, meetings and negotiations with translation 37. The accreditation and financing in the languages of the peoples. mechanisms for participation shall be revised and improved so that they do not 44. Material conditions need to be constitute an obstacle that hinders effective guaranteed, such as time, space and the participation of the Social Movements and necessary resources for the mobilization Organization in the negotiation process of and participation of social movements and the Convention. organizations in the processes associated with the negotiations on climate change 38. Transparency and access to relevant and and binding topics within the UN. adequate information in the processes associated with the participation of Social 45. It is necessary that the ancestral Movements and Organizations in the knowledge of the Peoples be deemed as Convention are to be guaranteed. equally important and valuable as scientific knowledge for decision-making and for 39. It is important to take into account actions against climate change by the UN diversity in the forms of social organization and by the governments. as basis to broaden their participation on the Convention. 46. We demand that the use of specialized language and the profusion of acronyms in 40. We must propose the creation of a high- the UN do not constitute exclusion level committee to restructure the mechanisms preventing the understanding participation mechanisms in the of the climate negotiation process by the Convention. It should include social peoples of the world. movements and Non-Governmental Organizations and count on the 47. Synergies should be created between participation of countries with significant the governments and the Social Movements experience on this issue. and Non-Governmental Organizations to promote the attendance of the latter to the 41. We reject the interference of the work sessions and their coordinated corporations in the decisions of the United participation on the decision making of the Nations Organizations to the prejudice of negotiation process. the rights of the Peoples and the sovereignty of the States. As to Fighting Climate Change: Direct Action for 42. Citizen consultation processes need to Transformation be established to guide the decision-making of each government within the Convention, 46. The structural causes for climate change such as national consultation referenda are linked to the current capitalist with a direct impact on the climate hegemonic system. Fighting the climate agreement. change involves changing the system.
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47. The change of the system must provide and other historically excluded and for a transformation of the economic, victimized human groups. political, social and cultural systems at local, national, regional and global levels. 52. We reject the implementation of false solutions to climate change, such as: carbon 48. Education is a right of the peoples, a markets and other forms of privatization continuous process of fair, free, and and commodification of life; geo- transversal comprehensive training. engineering, agrofuels productions, and Education is one of the fundamental driving measures favoring agribusiness and forces for transformation and construction harming the production of food in an agro in diversity of the new women and men, for ecological manner, such as the use of the Good Living and the respect of life and transgenic seeds and agrotoxics, synthetic Mother Earth. fertilizers and any other measure lessening the priority of the right to Good Living, 49. Education should be oriented to reflect health and the eradication of poverty value, create, raise awareness, coexist, enshrined in the Convention. We likewise participate and act. When we speak of reject the green economy, the intellectual education to face the climate change, we property rights; the mega water dam speak of the main roots of such change and projects, monocultures and nuclear energy. the historic and current responsibilities. We also speak of poverty, inequality and 53. It is necessary to know and take into vulnerability of the peoples, especially the account the extraterritorial effects of indigenous peoples and other historically climate solutions. excluded and victimized groups. 54. We propose the following actions to 50. Social participation is a fundamental change the system: driving force for transformation. It is necessary to facilitate the integration of o Transformation of the power relations social movements and include the peoples and the decisionmaking systems for the and their organizations in the decision- construction of an anti-patriarchal people’s making process at all levels. power.
51. Any transformation mechanism must o Transformation of food production include the principles of respect to life and systems into agro ecological systems, thus human rights; sovereignty of the peoples, ensuring food sovereignty and security and solidarity, fair transition and the recognition valuing knowledge, innovations, ancestral of the ecological limits and the rights of and traditional practices. Mother Earth. It should also consider the common but differentiated responsibilities; o Transformation of the energy production the ancestral character of the indigenous systems, eradicating dirty energies peoples, the various forms and degrees of respecting the right of the peoples to fight vulnerability of the countries and the poverty and keeping fair transition as a peoples, especially the indigenous peoples guiding principle.
103 o Transformation of the energy be reliable, predictable, sufficient and consumption patterns through education, adequate. regulations to large energy consumers and empowerment of the people over 56. All obligations of the countries in the community-scaled systems of renewable North in relation to finance, technology energies production under control of the transfer and support for the compensation communities. Implement participative of losses and damages should be legally government of territory and city planning binding under the Climate Change systems, thus ensuring fair and sustainable Convention. access to land and to urban services, as well as other means that are necessary to face 57. Financing mechanisms must not the Climate Change impacts. respond to the logics of market supply and demand, but to compliance with o Shift from an energy and materials responsibilities. It must be guaranteed that profligate system to a cyclic system that funds promote development and reach the emphasizes the eradication of the most vulnerable communities. unsustainable exploitation of nature and promotes reduction, reutilization and 58. Technology transfer from countries in recycling of residues. the North to the South must promote the process of appropriation, innovation and o Ensure the financing by the developed endogenous technology development. In countries to developing countries for such this connection, it is essential to consider transformations, and for compensation and specific mechanisms to lift the barriers rehabilitation of the impacts of Climate created by intellectual property rights. Change. Financing must not be conditioned, South-South technology transfer and and the management of the funds supplied cooperation need also to be promoted, and shall be in the hands of the Peoples. the value of the knowledge of the ancestral people and of the senior o Create accessible mechanisms for the citizens as well. protection of the displaced people and the defenders of the environmental rights. 59. Adaptation transcends the construction of infrastructure. Injustice, marginalization As to the and social exclusion adversely impact on North-South Responsibilities: the vulnerability and the possibility to Commitments of the North adapt. These aspects need to be considered to Promote Actions in the South in the Climate Change adaptation programs and in the financial mechanisms. 55. The financing of mitigation and adaptation actions by the developed 60. Loss and damages caused by Climate countries in the developing countries is a Change must be considered from the moral and legal obligation under the perspective of justice and human rights. The Convention by virtue of the historic governments of the South must receive responsibilities of the former. Funding must from the North the necessary funds to compensate loss and damages. South-South 104 solidarity systems need to be endorsed. The experience of Venezuela’s assistance to Caribbean countries and their massive housing programs constitute an example of solidarity vis-à-vis the loss and damages generated by climate change.
61. The military sector is one of the main consumers of fossil fuels and one of the largest gas-emission contributors in the planet. This needs to be included in the global discussions on Climate Change. The military sector shall be responsible and accountable.
62. Our task as civil society is to work for the transformation of our societies and the production and consumption systems which constitute the cause for climate change by generating new development paradigms determined by the peoples. Part of this task needs to aim at influencing the national governments and international settings such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
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A Zero Emissions Manifesto for Michael Mann, professor of meteorology at the Climate Justice Movement Penn State University: “There is no precedent for what we are doing to the Tom Weis, President, Climate Crisis Solutions atmosphere. It is an uncontrolled experiment.” If you believe your own eyes Rev. Lennox Yearwood, President and CEO, Hip Hop that climate chaos has already gone too far, Caucus the only logical response is to stop making things worse. Posted: 09/11/2014 11:54 am EDT Updated: 09/11/2014 7:59 pm EDT We are not suggesting ending the use of fossil fuels tomorrow. Decarbonizing our http://ecowatch.com/2014/09/03/zero- industries, homes, transportation, power emissions-manifesto-climate-change/ generation and food production will take years of concerted effort and require every “Zero emissions is an ambitious but ounce of courage, ingenuity, patience and achievable goal.“ humility we possess. But intergenerational –UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon justice demands that we commit ourselves now as a nation to leading this green Zero has become the most important industrial revolution. number for humanity. Why? Some will no doubt call this goal unrealistic, Any chance of stabilizing the climate hinges saying it cannot be achieved, but they on transitioning to zero greenhouse gas would underestimate the creative genius of emissions as quickly as humanly possible. the American people. What is unrealistic is Simply slowing the rise of emissions will not thinking we can continue with business as work. For the first time, the world’s leading usual and leave a habitable planet for our climate authority, the Intergovernmental children. Americans are a supremely Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), has resourceful people with a long history of embraced a goal of near zero greenhouse meeting, and exceeding, monumental gas emissions or below. challenges. While we have never faced anything as daunting as the global climate Top military experts and government crisis, there are precedents for the U.S. institutions like the U.S. Department of overcoming seemingly insurmountable Defense and National Intelligence Council odds. warn that climate destabilization threatens our national security, yet global emissions When destiny came knocking during World just keep going up. Leading biologists like War II, we initially resisted, then answered E.O. Wilson warn that the sixth great by leading the allied forces to victory in extinction is now upon us, yet emissions three and a half short years. keep going up. It took a Civil War to end the scourge of By heating the globe at such a relentless slavery, and a monumental civil rights rate, we are playing a deadly game of struggle to outlaw segregation, Jim Crow planetary Russian roulette. In the words of laws and discrimination, but we not only 106 overcame, we elected a person of color as picking up steam on college campuses President of the United States. (including Stanford University, Sydney University and historically black colleges When President John Kennedy boldly and universities) and in houses of worship challenged America to land a man on the around the world. moon in less than a decade, our best and brightest responded by accomplishing this Sweden, Iceland, Costa Rica and the seemingly impossible task ahead of Maldives are among the nations vying for schedule. carbon neutrality. Denmark is committed to becoming fossil fuel free, with Copenhagen It is now time for our generation to do seeking to become the world’s first carbon- something great. neutral capital by 2025. In the U.S., cities like Austin and Boulder are striving for Zero Emissions Bandwagon carbon neutrality, with San Francisco pledging to generate all of its electricity It may surprise you to learn that zero from renewables by 2020. emissions has already been embraced as a goal by business leaders as well-known as Scotland is on track to generate 100 percent Bill Gates, and world leaders as prominent of its electricity from renewables by 2020. as UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; The Philippines aims to shift the country’s OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria; UN fuel system to 100 percent renewables in climate chief Christiana Figueres; Prince ten years. The German state of Schleswig- Charles; and former President Jimmy Holstein is set to go 100 percent renewable Carter, former UN Secretary-General Kofi this year. Munich’s goal is 100 percent Annan, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu of renewables by 2025. The British Labour The Elders. Party wants to decarbonize the UK’s electricity grid by 2030. And the island Again, even the conservative, consensus- nation of Tokelau is already 100 percent based IPCC supports near zero emissions or renewable. below, albeit on a year 2100 timeline that belies the urgency of their August draft In stark contrast, neither the U.S. President, report, which warns of “irreversible nor a single member of the U.S. Congress, impacts” from continued emissions. has yet publicly called for a zero emissions goal for America. Major corporations, like Google, have embraced a zero carbon goal. Others like °C Wrong Target Microsoft and Deutsche Bank are moving in this direction by committing to net zero Just because the governments of the world emissions, or carbon neutrality (using accept 2° Celsius of heating above the carbon offsets or carbon credits to balance preindustrial average as the agreed-upon out remaining emissions). 684 college and target does not make it the right target. To university presidents (and growing) have the contrary, last December, preeminent taken a similar climate neutrality pledge. climate scientist James Hansen and And a fossil fuel divestment movement is seventeen co-authors released a study in 107 the scientific journal PLOS ONE revealing The United Nations is not leading on this the UN-approved 2°C ceiling is based on issue, as it must. Since 1990, when the IPCC politics, not science, and would unleash issued its first report, CO2 emissions have “disastrous consequences” beyond our increased by approximately sixty percent. control. Last year in Warsaw, after 19 successive sessions of the UN Conference of the Dr. Hansen, economist Jeffrey Sachs, and Parties (COP) failed to achieve meaningful others argue that “morality” demands a emissions reductions, labor and rapid and dramatic cut in global carbon environmental groups walked out after emissions to stay as close as possible to a deciding governments were performing so 1°C ceiling (we are already at 0.85°C). poorly they could no longer legitimize the Here’s what they said about the urgency of climate cop-out with their presence. dropping from the current level of 400 parts per million (a level not reached in at least Congress is not leading on this issue, as it 800,000 years) of carbon dioxide (CO2) in must. Since refusing to ratify the 1997 the atmosphere to 350 parts per million Kyoto protocol, the U.S. Congress has failed (ppm), the level many consider the to enact any significant climate legislation. uppermost safe limit for civilization: The closest they came was a Wall Street- friendly “cap and trade” bill passed by the “It is instructive to see how fast Democratic-controlled House of atmospheric CO2 declines if fossil fuel Representatives in 2009. Described as an emissions are instantly terminated. Halting “unacceptable compromise” by Greenpeace emissions in 2015 causes CO2 to decline to and “a step backwards” by Friends of the 350 ppm at century’s end. A 20 year delay Earth, it called for a modest 17 percent in halting emissions has CO2 returning to reduction of carbon emissions by 2020. Five 350 ppm at about 2300. With a 40 year years later, too few members of the delay, CO2 does not return to 350 ppm until Republican-controlled House of after 3000. These results show how difficult Representatives are even willing to admit it is to get back to 350 ppm if emissions humans are changing the climate. continue to grow for even a few decades.” The White House is not leading on this We’re obviously not going to achieve zero issue, as it must. The EPA’s proposed rules emissions by 2015. The point is we need to to limit carbon pollution from existing coal- do it as soon as necessary to avoid fired power plants are a step in the right catastrophe impacts from global climate direction, but President Obama’s widely change. Every day we delay buries us heralded “climate action plan” will be more deeper in the climate hole. PR than plan, with no chance of stabilizing the climate, unless the White House takes Failure of Moral Leadership bold action. In fact, the administration’s attempt to please all during this climate The United Nations, Congress and the crisis with its all-of-the-above energy White House are all failing in their moral strategy promises more climate chaos by obligation to stem the tide of this gathering promoting natural gas fracking; storm. mountaintop removal mining; deepwater 108 and Arctic oil drilling; tar sands mining; and in the strongest position to respond, the deafening seismic oil and gas exploration U.S. has a moral imperative to lead this off the Atlantic coast. That the President global charge. has not yet denounced a scheme as “absurdly reckless” as Keystone XL‘s Making the Great Transition northern leg speaks volumes. It is time for America to unleash its Even the renewable energy industry is not entrepreneurial can-do spirit through a leading on this issue, as it must. Four years wartime-like mobilization to help save after it was first pointed out, America’s America, and the world. Innovating to zero largest wind, solar and geothermal trade emissions will not only help ensure our associations continue to embrace collective survival, it is the key to incrementalism, when the times call for revitalizing our ailing economy and putting revolutionary change. America back to work. But we don’t have until 2100, or even 2050, to transition off of Because the climate crisis threatens all life fossil fuels. Scientists are calling for deep on Earth, it is first and foremost a moral cuts in emissions now. Leaders showing us issue. We have already seen how the poor how to get there include: and communities of color bear the brutal brunt of fossil fuel extraction and suffer the The National Renewable Energy most from extreme weather disasters. Laboratory, which in 2012 Three out of four African Americans live commissioned a Renewable Electricity within 30 miles of a coal-fired power plant. Futures Study showing that 80% of all African-American children have an 80 U.S. electricity demand can be met with percent higher rate of asthma, and are currently commercially available nearly three times more likely to die from renewable energy technologies at the asthma, than their white peers. The moral hourly level every day of the year. urgency of this crisis requires a rainbow coalition of people - reflecting the diversity Former Vice President Al Gore, who in of our great nation - coming together to 2008 boldly called for 100% renewable solve it. electricity for the U.S. by 2018.
Alarmingly, latest projections by the U.S. Lester Brown, who in 2008 mapped out Energy Information Administration have how to achieve 80% carbon cuts fossil fuels supplying almost 80 percent of worldwide by 2020 in his authoritative the world’s energy use through 2040, with book Plan B. carbon dioxide emissions rising 46 percent from 2010 levels. If this perilous trend is not Marc Jacobson and Mark Delucchi, who reversed, runaway climate change could in 2009 released a plan to power the cause most of life on Earth to go extinct, planet with 100 percent renewables by testing the survival of humanity itself. 2030, a vision that spawned The Solutions Project (a plan to transition all As the nation that historically contributed 50 states to 100 percent renewables). the most to global climate pollution, and is 109
The prestigious Tyndall Centre for Our colleague Bill McKibben, who earlier Climate Change Research in London, this year called out the Obama Zero Carbon Britain and Australia’s administration for sabotaging the 2009 Beyond Zero Emissions, all of which are Copenhagen climate negotiations through working to achieve zero emissions. NSA spying, has issued a “call to arms“ inviting all who “give a damn about the Zero Emissions Mandate biggest crisis our civilization has ever faced” to gather in New York City on Sept. 21 for a We have solutions. They even have names: People’s Climate March to demand bold conservation; energy efficiency; solar climate action at the UN Summit. We ask, power; wind power; geothermal power; what could be bolder than zero emissions? standing forests; organic farms; industrial hemp; electric vehicles; bicycles; mass Earth is the only known habitable planet in transit; wave energy; tidal power; zero the universe, making the climate risks to waste ... humanity so great as to warrant the utmost precaution. Now is the time for the climate Here and there aggressive initiatives are justice movement to rally around a goal of underway. China is developing a single zero emissions, with the U.S. leading the 38,000 MW wind project large enough to way by enacting zero emissions policies at electrify a country the size of Poland. Four the local, state and federal levels. For the states in Germany already get more than 50 love of humanity, and our children, we must percent of their electricity from wind act now. power, while in the U.S., Iowa and South Dakota are generating more than 25 Zero emissions: because the first step to percent of their electricity from wind farms. making things better is to stop making But progress is not being made at anything things worse. close to a speed and scale commensurate with the scope of the planetary emergency we face.
On, Sept. 23, a UN Climate Summit is being held in New York City. UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon has challenged world leaders to bring their pledges to set the world on a low-carbon path. We entreat Mr. Ban, who calls zero emissions an “achievable goal,” to challenge attendees of the UN Climate Summit to bring their zero emissions plans to COP20 in Peru this December and to COP21 in France in 2015. Anything less will show our governments are not serious about solving this existential threat. 110
The Lima Ecosocialist Declaration It is now fundamental to ask ourselves who and what is causing the climate to change October 6, 2014 like this. We urgently need to unmask all the abstract answers, which attempt to http://ecosocialisthorizons.com/2014/10/th blame all of humanity. These abstract e-lima-ecosocialist-declaration/ answers disconnect the current situation from the historical dynamics which have emerged from fossil fuel (coal, oil gas)- based industrialization, which causes global warming, and the logic of capitalism, which is sustained by the private appropriation of wealth, and the conquest of profit. Profit at the cost of social exploitation and ecological devastation: these are two faces of the same system, which is the culprit of climate catastrophe.
Declaration of the Ecosocialist International Network before COP20 in Lima, Peru (December 2014)
Translated by Quincy Saul for Ecosocialist Horizons, affiliate of the Ecosocialist International Network. (Illustration by Seth Tobocman, from “Truth and Dare,” Ecosocialist Horizons) Our lives are worth more than their profits! In this panorama, the Conference of the Parties (COP), organized by diverse The imminent climate crisis that we governments and funded by large confront today is a grave threat to the corporations, confirms the responsibility of preservation of life on the planet. Many capitalism for the climate crisis, by putting academic and political works have on empty events without any effective confirmed the fragility of life on earth to resolutions capable of solving the problem. temperature change. Only a few degrees In fact, we are moving backwards, a retreat can cause – and are causing – an ecological expressed in the ridiculous “green funds” catastrophe of incalculable consequences. which openly profit from pollution. Sadly, Now we are experiencing the deadly effects this dynamic is deepened through the of this situation. The melting ice, the attitudes sustained by multiple contamination of the atmosphere, rising sea governments – facilitating pollution and levels, desertification, and the increasing putting the profits of corporations above intensity of the weather, are all proof. the wellbeing of people. This can be seen 111 most strongly in the countries of the South, will emerge from the power of struggle and and thus it is fundamental to comprehend the organization of the oppressed and that the dynamics of this system tend to exploited peoples of the world, with the dump the global ecological crisis upon the understanding that the struggle for a world shoulders of the oppressed and exploited of without ecological devastation must the earth. connect to the struggle for a society without oppression or exploitation. This It is vital to emphasize the importance of change must begin now, bringing together the diverse social and ecological struggles unique struggles, daily efforts, processes of all over the world, which propose to stop self-management, and reforms to slow the climate change and the ecological crisis crisis, with a vision centered on a change of through the logic of solidarity. It is civilization; a new society in harmony with important to note that many of these nature. This is the central proposal of processes are launched and led by women. ecosocialism, an alternative to our current Without a doubt, the Latin American ecological catastrophe. scenario today exemplifies the mix of resistance, self-management and processes Change the system, not the climate! of transformation, based on projects which can unite new proposals with ancestral Signatures: cosmovisions. One example can be found in Argentina: Manuel Ludueña, Paulo Bergel. the brave struggles of the indigenous peoples and campesinos of Peru, in Belgium: Christine Vanden Daelen, Daniel particular their resistance to the Conga Tanuro. mega-mining project. It is also useful to focus our attention on the experience of Brazil: Joao Alfredo de Telles Melo, Marcos the Yasuni Park, which was the initiative of Barbosa, José Corrêa, Isabel Loureiro, indigenous and ecological movements – to Renato Roseno, Renato Cinco, Henrique protect a large region of Amazon rain forest Vieira, Flávio Serafini, Alexandre Araújo, from oil drilling, in exchange for payments Carlos Bittencourt, Renato Gomes. from rich nations to the people of Ecuador. Canada: Jonatas Durand Folco (Quebec), The government of Rafael Correa accepted Terisa Turner. the proposal for several years, but recently decided to open the park to multinational Spain: Esther Vivas (Cataluña), Jaime Pastor, oil corporations, provoking important Justa Montero, Mariano Alfonso, Teresa protests. Another case can be found in the Rodrigues, Manuel Gari. Jorge Riechmann, development projects which the Brazilian Joaquin Vega government is attempting to carry out, which threaten a large part of Amazonia United States: Ariel Salleh, Capitalism, with destruction. Nature and Socialism (Revue, USA), Joel Kovel, Leigh Brownhill, Qunicy Saul , From this perspective, there is very little to Salvatore Engel Di Mauro, Terran Giacomini. hope for at COP20 this December in Lima, Peru. If there is any escape from climate France: Christine Poupin, Dominique Cellier, change and the global ecological crisis, it Henrik Davi, Mathieu Agostini, Michel Bello, 112
Michael Löwy, Vincent Gay. Laurent Garrouste, Sophie Ozanne
Greece: Yorgos Mitralias, Panos Totsikas
México : Andrés Lund, Samuel González Contreras. José Efraín Cruz Marín
Norway: Anders Ekeland.
Perú: Hugo Blanco.
País Vasco: Iñigo Antepara, Josu Egireun, Mikel Casado, Sindicato ELA. Ainhara Plazaola.
Switzerland: Juan Tortosa, Mirko Locatelli. Anna Spillmann, Félix Dalang www.ecossocialisthorizons.com // [email protected]
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Contributors and oldest US environmental organizations. Dorsey is a recognized expert on global governance, finance and sustainability. In Patrick Bond, a political economist, 1992, he was a member of the U.S. State specializes in climate change, global Department Delegation to the United governance, economic policy, Nations Conference on Environment and environmental policy and civil society. His Development, “The Earth Summit.” From doctoral studies under David Harvey’s 1994-96 he was a task force member of supervision were at Johns Hopkins President William Jefferson Clinton’s University in Geography and Environmental Council on Sustainable Development. In Engineering. He is senior professor at the 1997, in Glasgow, Scotland, Dorsey was University of KwaZulu-Natal School of Built bestowed Rotary International’s highest Environment and Development Studies. honor, The Paul Harris Medal for Since 2004 he has directed the UKZN Centre Distinguished Service to Humanity. From for Civil Society, which in December 2011 April 2007 until November 2008 Dr. Dorsey hosted the “People’s Space” counter- was a member of Senator Barack Obama’s summit to the COP17. Patrick’s books energy and environment Presidential include: BRICS and the Contradictions of campaign team. In 2010 Lisa Jackson, the World Capitalism (co-edited with Ana US Environmental Protection Agency (US- Garcia, Haymarket Press, Pluto Press, Aakar EPA) Administrator, appointed Dr. Dorsey to Press and Jacana Press, 2015); Politics of the EPA’s National Advisory Committee Climate Justice: Paralysis Above, Movement (NAC). Administrator Jackson reappointed Below (UKZN Press 2012 – named by the Dr. Dorsey to the US-EPA NAC in 2012. In Guardian as one of ten leading climate 2013 Dr. Dorsey was made a “Full member” politics books); Durban’s Climate Gamble: of the Club of Rome; that same year the Trading Carbon, Betting the Earth (edited, National Journal named Dr. Dorsey one of Unisa Press, 2011); Climate Change, Carbon 200 national “energy and environment Trading and Civil Society: Negative Returns expert insiders”. on South African Investments (co-edited with Rehana Dada and Graham Erion for John Foran has taught sociology at the UKZN Press, 2009); Trouble in the Air: University of California, Santa Barbara since Global Warming and the Privatised 1989. His books include Fragile Atmosphere (edited with Rehana Dada for Resistance: Social Transformation in Iran the TransNational Institute, 2005); and from 1500 to the Present (1993, get it free Unsustainable South Africa: Environment, here) and Taking Power: On the Origins of Development and Social Protest (UKZN Third World Revolutions (2005). Since Press and Merlin Press, 2002). (Publications attending the COP15 in Copenhagen in archive.) 2009, he has taken constant inspiration
from the global climate justice movement, Dr. Michael K. Dorsey is interim Director of which he teaches, researches, and speaks the energy and environment program at the about whenever he can (he has been Joint Center for Political and Economic accused of talking about nothing Studies. He is a Director on the national else). Foran is engaged in a long-term board of the Sierra Club—one of the largest participatory action project with the global 114 climate justice movement, and with Dr. As the founder and executive director of Richard Widick, he also co-directs the The Democracy Center since 1992, Jim has International Institute of Climate Action & led advocacy development programs in Theory (IICAT) (www.iicat.org) and is a more than two dozen countries across five founding member of the Climate Justice continents, training and counseling Project, where his blog posts can be found. thousands of citizen activists across a wide He is also active in the Green Party, 350.org, range of social, economic, and and System Change Not Climate Change. environmental justice issues. He has He has written and writes for a number of worked internationally as a consultant in on-line publications about these struggles close collaboration with organizations (see his work here and here). including UNICEF, UNDP, the Ford Foundation, the Open Society Institute, the Pascoe Sabido has been with Corporate International Budget Partnership and Europe Observatory in Brussels since others. As an advocate, Jim has also helped January 2013, focusing on industry lead a variety of victorious citizen action influence over policy making within the campaigns at the state, national and European institutions and internationally. international level, including the campaign His current focus is on exposing the role of that forced the Bechtel Corporation to drop dirty industry lobbying in climate policy its $50 million legal action against Bolivia making – at the national, regional (EU), and following the Cochabamba Water Revolt. UN level. He previously worked as an international renewable energy campaigner Jim is the author and editor of three books, at Friends of the Earth England, Wales and including the award-winning The Northern Ireland, focusing on community- Democracy Owners' Manual (Rutgers owned and controlled energy alternatives University Press, 2002) and Dignity and (see the book chapter “Reclaiming Power – Defiance – Stories from Bolivia's Challenge an energy model for people and the to Globalization (UC Press, 2009). His is also planet,” with Niclas Hällström, in What Next author of a variety of major reports on Volume III: Climate, Development and global public policy issues and his articles Equity; and the book Powering Africa have appeared in newspapers and Through Feed-in Tariffs). He previously magazines across the US, Canada and worked at the New Economics Foundation Europe. His reporting on the Bolivian Water in London, working on social policy. Revolt was named top story of 2000 by Project Censored. Jim Shultz, a native of California, holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Jim and his wife Lynn have three children UC Berkeley and a master’s degree in public and have lived in Cochabamba, Bolivia since administration from Harvard University. He 1998, where he also served for many years has served as staff to the California as president of an 80-child orphanage. Legislature, as an advocate with Common Cause and Consumers Union, and as a Nathan Thanki is from Belfast, Ireland but is visiting professor at San Francisco State currently based in Lima, Peru where he is University and faculty at the Salzburg supporting Peruvian movements and Seminar. organizations as they prepare a People’s 115
Summit on Climate Change and a People’s two collections on biotechnology and March during the UN negotiations in GMOs: Redesigning Life? and Gene Traders. December 2014. Nathan has been involved Tokar is a board member of 350Vermont, in environmental justice activism since he and a contributor to the Routledge began his undergraduate degree at College Handbook of the Climate Change of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, in Movement, A Line in the Tar Sands, and 2011, through collectives like Earth in other recent books. His articles on Brackets and the Tipping Point Collective. environmental issues and popular He has reported from multilateral movements appear in Z Magazine and governmental and civil society processes Green Social Thought, and on websites such such as UNCSD, UNFCCC, CBD, and the as Counterpunch, ZNet, and Toward World Social Forum. Inside the Freedom. He has lectured across the US and negotiations, Nathan is an active member internationally on social ecology and the of several informal coordination networks links between environmental and social as well as the Youth constituency, YOUNGO. movements. He has worked for Third World Network (TWN) to conduct research into the Dr. Richard Widick is a Visiting Scholar at the landscape of adaptation finance, economic Orfalea Center for Global & International costs of climate change impacts, traditional Studies at the University of California, and adaptation technologies in agriculture, and Co-Director with John Foran of The the scope and spread of climate change International Institute of Climate Action and research centres. However, Nathan does Theory (IICAT), where he publishes his not just follow the official process. Since its environmental and climate-focused cultural founding in 2012 he has served as a theory, history and analysis. He is author of member of the Coordinating Committee for Trouble in the Forest: California’s Redwood the Global Campaign to Demand Climate Timber Wars (2009, University of Minnesota Justice, through which he has worked on Press). In Spring of 2015 he will be teaching Reclaim Power! -- a month (2013) and a Dreaming the Revolution: Marx, Freud, and week (2014) of coordinated global action on Nietzsche in the German, Slavic and Semitic energy. He has also worked on grassroots Languages/Comparative Literature campaigns with Friends of the Earth in Department at the University of California, Belfast. Santa Barbara.
Brian Tokar is an activist and author, Emily Williams is a Campaign Director with director of the Institute for Social Ecology, CSSC for the fossil fuel divestment and a lecturer in Environmental Studies at campaign, in which she works with college the University of Vermont. He is the author and university students across the state to of The Green Alternative, Earth for Sale, and support them in their campaigns and grow Toward Climate Justice: Perspectives on the them into climate leaders. She graduated Climate Crisis and Social Change, which was from UCSB in 2013, with a B.S. in recently reissued in an expanded and Environmental Studies and a concentration revised edition by the New Compass Press. in Geographic Information Systems, where He is an editor of Agriculture and Food in she co-founded the Fossil Free UC Crisis (with Fred Magdoff) and also edited campaign. She wrote her thesis on 116 determining the financial harm UCSB is responsible for vis-a-vis its investments in the coal industry. She attended COP19 in Warsaw, Poland with the Climate Justice Project, a project of the International Institute of Climate Action and Theory (iicat.org/cjp), and is a member of the SustainUS delegation to COP 20 in Lima, Peru.
Leehi Yona grew up in Montreal, Canada. After completing a Diploma of Collegial Studies in Arts & Sciences with a Third World Studies Certificate at Marianopolis College in Québec, she now attends Dartmouth College, where she is pursuing her undergraduate studies, double majoring in Biology and Environmental Studies, and minoring in Public Policy. She is deeply passionate about the intersection of science, policy, economics, health, and society as they pertain to climate change and climate justice. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Green Coalition -- a Montreal-area green and blue space conservation organization -- and founded the Green Schools Coalition of Montreal, an alliance of the student leaders of environmental clubs and organizations in elementary and high schools in the region. She helped organize PowerShift Canada in 2012 and PowerShift USA in 2013, has served on the national core team for XL DISSENT, a youth-led act of nonviolent civil disobedience against the Keystone XL pipeline, and is a lead organizer of the Divest Dartmouth fossil fuel disinvestment campaign. She is on the SustainUS youth delegation to COP20 in Lima. Leehi received the Lieutenant Governor of Québec’s Youth Medal in 2010 and was named Canada’s Top Environmentalist under 25 in 2013.