Climate activists prepare for false solutions in Copenhagen

international | environment | news report

Thursday September 10, 2009 13:26

by one drop - Young Friends of the Earth Europe

actnowdublin at actnow09 dot eu

www.actnow09.eu

Climate activists from Ireland, the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg to converge in Dublin from 15th-18th October

As part of the global mobilisation for climate justice at the United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen in December 2009, young activists prepare for four days of action and media skill-sharing in Dublin this October

Climate Justice Now!

A historic moment in the global movement for climate justice is coming. This year in December the world leaders will come together in Copenhagen to discuss a new climate deal.

There is little cause to expect a just agreement. One commentator Patrick Bond prepares us for 'a stalemate by a coalition of selfish, fossil-fuel addicted powers. Terribly weak targets may get a mention (or even no mention, as in Bali), but market mechanisms will be invoked as the 'solution' so as to appease polluting capitalists and the governments under their thumb, especially Barack Obama's.'

The earlier weak but possible build-up towards a possible emission reduction target by developed countries to the tune of 40% of the 1990 levels by 2020, have already been diluted by most of the developed countries, with figures floating around from 8% to 25% at most, and baseline also flexible. This Tuesday, a draft document revealed that the European Union has now scaled back plans to give billions of euros to countries of the Global South. The final figures are due to released today.

'In contrast (to the market mechanisms on the table) there are attractive, simple mechanisms for financing Africa's survival, including the militant 'ecological debt' (or 'climate reparations') demands now being made by environmental leaders of the African Union (AU), as well as Jubilee Africa's request to just remove the damn boot from Africa's financial neck by canceling ongoing debt repayments.'

A global climate justice movement is mobilising to push for real solutions at the conference.

The Young Friends of the Earth Europe Climate Team is one group forming the youth mobilisation towards Copenhagen. Along with thousands of other young people, the yfoee team will be pushing for climate justice both inside and outside the conference centre walls, and reporting on the proceedings though numerous communication channels to young people all over Europe.

This week they are preparing for europe wide skill-shares in advance of the summit. During October regional conferences will be taking place all across Europe. The aim of the conferences is to empower young people to participate in climate politics and join the global movement for climate justice. At the conferences participants will explore the UNs role in forming the new global climate deal; and equip each other with all the action and media skills needed to carry out successful local climate justice actions at home and in Copenhagen.

For young people from the UK, Ireland, Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg a conference will be held in Dublin, Ireland. To apply visit www.actnow09.eu before 14th September