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Copenhagen, Demark - Climate activists and people's organizations gather in front of the Bella Center on December 9, Wednesday, for the Peoples Action for Climate Solutions. The protest action comes on the third day of the 192-country UN Climate Change Conference, which is expected to conclude with a strong agreement for global action to address climate change.
The activity is an initiative by the Peoples' Movement on Climate Change (PMCC), together with organizations from Asia, Africa, Middle East and Europe. The protesters discuss the impacts of climate change in their regions, and call for people-centered solutions to climate change.
"Developing countries, especially the poor and disadvantaged, bear nine-tenths of climate change's worst impacts, despite having done little to cause it," says Don Marut of PMCC. "We're already suffering from droughts, flooding, stronger cyclones, crop failures, and water shortages. Without drastic action, these impacts are going to get worse," he adds.
Protesters criticize the solutions being offered by developed countries as unjust.
"The solutions we're getting from rich countries are either solutions that shift the burden of cutting emissions and funding climate action to developing countries. They are holding out on their pledges until poorer countries come forward with their own commitments. What they want is unjust and must be resisted," stated Wahu Kaara of PMCC.
Developed countries have at the time of this writing only pledged aggregate emissions reductions no higher than 23%, and international public financing for climate action in developing countries no higher than $50 billion annually. Estimates from scientific and development institutions for necessary emissions cuts and financing from rich countries amount to 40% reductions below 1990 levels by 2020 and at least $100 billion per year, respectively.
Protesters also criticize market-based and technology-centered schemes which they say "try to reconcile profit-making and saving the planet."
"Nuclear energy, biofuels, carbon trading, carbon capture and storage, biochar, genetically modified crops, geo-engineering - they all try to keep the unsustainable corporate-led and profit-centered economic system that caused climate change in the first place, and they also pose threats to the health, security, and livelihood of local and indigenous communities. They should all be rejected," says adds Kaara.
The group concludes the action by highlighting the need for a "Peoples Protocol on Climate Change" whose solutions are just, people-centered, and consistent with science as well.
Contact Persons:
Ms. Maria Theresa Lauron
+63.918.902.8320
+45 52 69 78 32
Ms. Maitet Ledesma
+31.6.14659558
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