While the UN climate talks were getting nowhere, distracted by negotiations of false solutions such as REDD and other carbon market schemes, social movements both in Durban and around the globe were calling for real solutions that actually and measurably cool the planet.
Responding to a call from the Grassroots Global Justice Alliance and La Via Campesina, 20 actions took place within the US and abroad during the 1000 Durbans Week of Action.
On Tuesday December 6th, grassroots leaders representing communities across the US and Canada will deliver a petition with 7,585 signatures to the US State Department calling on President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton, and other US State Department Officials to immediately reject the permit for the Transcanada Keystone XL pipeline.
On November 10 President Obama and the State Department announced that they would delay the permit and seek a new environmental review of the Keystone XL pipeline, and are asking TransCanada Corporation to evaluate other options, such as rerouting the pipeline. This decision came about as a result of a multi-year campaign led by Indigenous Environmental Network and other environmental groups, together with family farmers, faith-based groups, youth and students, labor unions, and rural communities living along the proposed pipeline in opposition to the proposed pipeline.
Grassroots Global Justice Alliance and La Vía Campesina North America Call for a GLOBAL WEEK OF ACTION
December 3: 1000 Durbans for Climate Justice
December 5: Via Campesina International Food Sovereignty Day to Cool Down the Earth
GGJ and La Vía Campesina are calling on all members and allies to mobilize on Saturday, December 3 under the banner of “1000 DURBANS FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE! STOP THE 1% FROM PROFITING FROM POLLUTION, LIFT UP COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS THAT COOL THE PLANET!”
“If we were to say global pollution, species extinction, ecosystem destruction, this language is a lot more startling and it also seems to have a stronger call to action. So I appreciate the language of climate justice ‘cause I think it is really important to talk more than just clean energy… We need more people thinking about this and also having a conversation on the depth of the issue." ~ Travis McKenzie, Project Feed the Hood, Albuquerque, New Mexico. http://www.climatejusticenm.org/
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“If we were to say global pollution, species extinction, ecosystem destruction, this language is a lot more startling and it also seems to have a stronger call to action. So I appreciate the language of climate justice ‘cause I think it is really important to talk more than just clean energy… We need more people thinking about this and also having a conversation on the depth of the issue." ~ Travis McKenzie, Project Feed the Hood, Albuquerque, New Mexico. http://www.climatejusticenm.org/
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East Michigan Environmental Action Council held a conversation with 15 members and supporters of the Young Educator's Alliance, its youth leadership group. Youth leader Siwatu-Salama Ra began the conversation by asking participants what they thought of when they hear the words "climate change." One youth shared that the seasons seem out of whack... like the summers are more hot and the winters are much colder than they used to be. Siwatu then moved into a presentation on examples of climate change around the U.S. and throughout the world.
On December 3rd, 2011 in Worcester, MA, USA over 100 people joined in celebration of global resistance to climate chaos and for local resilience and real solutions. While projecting images from the streets of Durban, activists from Providence, RI and Worcester, MA presented their actions from throughout the past year since our joint 1000 Cancuns event on Dec. 7th, 2010.
As part of 1000 Durbans, the Vermont Workers' Center organized a major Human Rights Day Conference & People's Movement Assembly in Burlington, VT with over 500 participants under the banner of "One Movement for People & The Planet".
See a full report at www.workerscenter.org/december10 and watch the trailer for Strength of the Storm, the new film which premiered about the impact of Tropical Storm Irene, the effects of climate and economic crisis on Vermont and a growing grassroots movement to put people and the planet first at www.strengthofthestorm.org.
People’s Global Action Rally
On Friday December 2, 2011 the People’s Global Action took to the Geneva streets. Over 100 activists from around the world gathered at Place des Nations, better known as the "Broken Chair" in front of the UN entrance and called for the rights of all migrants (regardless of status) to be recognized and respected in the Global Forum on Migration and Development deliberations. Chanting and cheering loudly, it was a sight to behold. All PGA participants were united in calling for the recognition of migrants rights in the GFMD, and this was vocalized throughout the rally with loud chants of "Migrants Rights are Human Rights!".
In solidarity with 1000 Durbans, the rally also called on the UN and governments to take up real solutions to address climate change and prevent further mass displacement of our communities.
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