Five things to look forward to at the Paris COP
Date: 30 November 2015
“The barbaric attacks on civilians in Paris, Ankara and Beirut in recent weeks are the latest terrible symptoms of a world economy experiencing multiple crises”
We’re all shocked and saddened by the recent attacks in Paris. Our work on the COP21 climate talks this year have brought Global Justice Now staff much closer to our allies in France. The above quote comes from an open letter to the French president released last week by 70 non-governmental groups. The letter spells out the need for peaceful protest now more than ever. One of the crises it is referring to is the crisis of climate change.
However, the climate negotiations which start in Paris next week are not likely to avert the crisis. Even Christina Figueres the U.N. Executive Secretary on climate change said it was “pellucidly clear” that current commitments were not enough for us to avert a two degree rise in global temperatures.
We’ve always argued that we need to look beyond the negotiations towards building a stronger grassroots movement against climate change. It is not the conference outcome that is important, it’s the chance to add to this movement and take part in some of the important and useful events organised over the two weeks in Paris. Below are a few of the things that we’re looking forward to.
Agroecology
Agroecology is big in France, and lots of people will be talking about agriculture and climate. The Confederation Paysanne, or Peasant Confederation, is a major player in the French farm union and carries values of solidarity and supports food sovereignty. Clearly voicing a realistic alternative to a model of industrial agriculture which is carbon intensive and forces small scale farmers out of work.
There will also be a strong delegation from La Via Campesina, the international peasant movement who were the first to talk about food sovereignty. They’ll be running a number of workshops, some of which Global Justice Now will be involved with.
Trade deals
If we want to stop climate change we also need to stop unjust trade agreements. Many of the same governments that are supposedly fighting climate change in Paris are also pushing corporate trade deals like TTIP, which is between the EU and US. TTIP will benefit the fracking industry and support big agribusiness companies, making it harder for farmers to subsist at a smaller scale and work with the environment rather than against it.
We’re looking forward to getting involved in the TTIP day of action in the week 7 to 11 December and in the long-term strategy discussion on trade and climate on 9 December in the Centquatre.
The Centquatre
In a working class area in North East Paris is the Centquatre, an art institution for theatre, dance, music, cinema, video and digital and urban art. From 7 to 11 December its inviting architecture will become a home for art and arts activism at the COP. It’s exciting that art will have such a large focus in Paris. It’s exactly what will be needed and it’s a different approach than has been taken at previous conferences which have tended to focus more on counter conferences and meetings. There’s something exciting and powerful in the overlap between art and activism that doesn’t get explored enough.
12 December
This is the day that the negotiations finish. This has always been one of the most important days, as it is about moving beyond the COP onto what happens next. In the wake of the attacks in Paris the French climate coalition is working hard, adjusting plans to ensure that protests are within the law while giving a chance for ordinary citizens to create the political space necessary to build a brighter future.
We are not quite sure what the major event of the day will look like. But we are waiting in anticipation and we know that our French allies will ensure our safety while also making the space for our voices to be heard. We do know that there will be speakers, leaders and members of environmental, economic and social justice movements from all over the world there on that day and that their stories and their dynamism will be inspiring to witness.
Global Justice Now
Global Justice Now’s input into these mobilisations will be great to see. We’ve got 150 people going on the Eurostar and a number of our staff are going – it will be great for so many supporters to be travelling together. 25 of these are young people who would not be able to go had it not been for the donations of Global Justice Now supporters. We’ll also be taking our Road Through Paris newspaper to distribute.
Our director, Nick Dearden, will be speaking at the general assembly on 7 December at 5pm, and we’ll be running workshops on the Financialisation of Nature and energy democracy, along with speakers from across Africa, Germany, Spain, India, France and the US.
And of course we’ll be updating the blog while we are there, so watch this space.
