Paris: Thousands Call for Climate Justice as Politicians Cop-out on Climate

Paris, December 12, 2015 – As politicians cop-out on genuine climate action at the international climate talks in Paris, over 2,000 activists from the Friends of the Earth International federation, joined by thousands more from Paris sent a global message for climate justice and peace, writ large across the city [1].

Environmental organisations, movements and individuals, including over 40,000 people online, peacefully reacted to the state of the climate talks, on the streets of Paris, and called for the transformation of the energy system away from corporate-driven dirty energy to socially-controlled and owned renewable energy [2].

Jagoda Munic, chairperson of Friends of the Earth International said: “We have shown true people power today. Instead of acting with ambition and urgency, decision-makers are kicking critical issues down the road, so people are taking things into their own hands – building a movement into 2016 and beyond. Politicians will not stop the energy revolution.”

The Paris climate summit has witnessed numerous struggles on energy, food, forests, and trade, but, in the face of a planetary emergency, little is yet delivered in line with equity and justice, according to Friends of the Earth International [3].

Malika Peyraut, campaigner for Friends of the Earth France said: “There is a state of planetary emergency and politicians are failing to act. Despite a clamp-down on civil liberties, people are writing history on the streets of Paris – demanding climate justice and peace. The French government must shift financing from dirty energy like coal and nuclear, towards the socially-controlled and owned renewable energy the world needs.”

Maruška Mileta, from Young Friends of the Earth Europe said: “As youth, we reject a backdoor deal made by and for rich countries, which will condemn millions of people in the global South to death. The climate talks in Paris were rigged from the start, and were never likely to genuinely tackle the climate crisis. System change will only happen through the movement building we’ve witnessed on the streets of Paris.”

Spokespeople and experts are available throughout the day for interviews, analyses of the state-of-play of the Summit, and forward-looking perspectives on what to expect from the climate movement in 2016.


FOR MORE INFORMATION

(EN) Sam Fleet, communications officer for Friends of the Earth Europe, Tel: +33 (0) 7 88 999 442, email: samuel.fleet@foeeurope.org

(FR/EN) Malika Peyraut, Friends of the Earth France, Tel: + 33 (0) 6 88 489 368, email: malika.peyraut@amisdelaterre.org

(EN/HR) Jagoda Munic, chairperson of Friends of the Earth International, Tel: +33 (0) 6 07 104 213, email jagoda@zelena-akcija.hr

(EN/HR/CZ) Maruška Mileta, Young Friends of the Earth Europe, Tel: +33 (0) 6 42 694 732, email marus.mileta@gmail.com

Friends of the Earth International media line: 
Tel: +31 (0) 6 51 005 630 or +33 (0) 6 07 104 509, email media@foei.org

NOTES:

[1] Thousands of individuals spelled out “Climate Justice Peace” across Paris using geo-localisation software, recorded online here: http://www.climatejusticepeace.org/

[2] The Friends of the Earth demonstration is followed by a number of peaceful demonstrations planned by a broad coalition of organisations including the French Coalition Climat 21. Demonstrations include the ‘Climate State of Emergency’ gathering at the Eiffel Tower, co-organised by Friends of the Earth France, Alternatiba and allies, and a ‘Red-Lines’ action organised by 350.org, ATTAC and others.

Over 40,000 people online called for an Energy Revolution: https://www.wearetheenergyrevolution.org/

[3] The Friends of the Earth International reaction to the outcome of the Climate Summit can be found on https://www.foei.org/what-we-do/paris