Climate change talks pressured by ‘global day of action’
Poznan, Poland – On 6 December, thousands of people including Friends of the Earth campaigners and supporters will join demonstrations around the world urging world leaders to take urgent action on climate change.
This ‘global day of action’ takes place just days before the United Nations Climate Change Conference concludes in Poland on 12 December.
Around the world, a wide spectrum of organisations and movements, ranging from youth and women groups to Indigenous Peoples, trade unions, and environmentalists will participate in rallies and a series of activities to urge governments negotiating at the United Nations to take real action now.
In Poznan, Friends of the Earth Poland is coordinating a bike rally under the slogan ‘Bikes for Climate’ to promote bicycle use instead of car transportation whenever possible.
Fifty youths from ‘Young Friends of the Earth Europe’ are in Poznan to demand that governments ‘Wrap Up’ the international negotiations on climate change, and ‘Act Now’. Later in the week they will hand over to ministers a banner made by young people from 30 European countries who have painted their demands on more than 1000 squares of fabric.
Friends of the Earth International Climate and Energy Campaigner Juana Camacho said:
“United Nations climate change negotiations are deciding the fate of millions of people and of our planet. World leaders must listen to the demands to address climate change now and deliver climate justice.”
The most impoverished people in developing countries are the worst affected by climate change, and have made little or no contribution to current levels of greenhouse gases.
Rising sea levels are already causing major problems for people living on low-lying island and on river deltas where people depend on subsistence farming and fishing to survive.
Industrialised countries owe a ‘climate debt’ to developing countries. Industrialised countries governments must take the lead in radically reducing their emissions and meet their obligations for financial transfers to developing countries.
Friends of the Earth El Salvador President Ricardo Navarro said:
“For us in Central America adapting to climate changes is essentially a struggle for survival. The lack of action by governments prompted people in Latin America to start movements of climate change victims and affected people to resist harmful projects, such as logging, mining and large coal and hydro projects.”
RELATED INFORMATION
Global Climate Campaign – www.globalclimatecampaign.org
Climate Now! – www.koalicjaklimatyczna.org/index.php?id=aktualnosci&lang=en
FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM POZNAN, POLAND, CONTACT:
Ricardo Navarro, President of Friends of the Earth El Salvador: Tel: +48 785401102 (Polish mobile number valid until Dec 12 only)
Juana Camacho, Friends of the Earth International Climate and Energy Coordinator: Tel: + 48 698 33 31 31 (Polish mobile number valid until Dec11 only)
Joseph Zacune Friends of the Earth International Climate and Energy Coordinator: Tel + 48 785401116 (Polish mobile number valid until Dec13 only)
