Cochabamba

Reflections on Climate Justice at COP-16

By Arielle Balbus, Brown University

Attending the various civil society events in Cancun one was struck by how differently the participants framed the issues from their presentation at the UNFCCC negotiations down the road.

Both the Klimaforum and La Vía Campesina presented economic liberalization, the multinational corporations, urbanization, and the acceleration of technological change as direct causes of the climate crisis, and proposed a revalorization of “traditional” knowledge and practices as the first step towards averting environmental disaster.

January 10, 2011 | More on Civil Society, Food Security, International Climate Negotiations | Cochabamba, COP16 | Comment

Climate Justice Movement increases potency in Cancun

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By Arielle Balbus, Brown University

On Tuesday, December 7^th, “1,000 Cancuns” recognized the Global Day of Action for Climate Justice. La Via Campesina, Klimaforum, and Dialogo Climatico-Espacio Mexicano as well as activists in over 20 countries worldwide took to the streets to make a strong statement about who is most affected by climate change and how it should be resolved internationally.

The official slogan of La Via Campesina’s march was “Small Farmers Cool the Planet”. From November 25-December 10, La Via Campesina convened the “Forum for Life, Social and Environmental Justice”, which focused on building a potent climate justice movement among the largely rural and indigenous groups who traveled in caravans from across Mexico and beyond.

Show Me the Money: Securing trust in Cancun contingent on cash

Timmons Roberts

As the Cancun climate talks stagger into the final few hours, the need for the wealthy countries to support actions by developing countries remains a core issue for negotiators. But for Latin American nations, the amount they can expect to receive is uncertain.

Ever since the very first U.N. conference on the environment back in Stockholm in 1972, developing countries have feared that aid funds they desperately required for basic needs like education, health, and infrastructure might be diverted to green issues, and that they’d have to slow their much-needed economic growth.

Way back then, Brazil’s negotiator tartly remarked that it was a “happy coincidence” that those countries who created the problem of global environmental damage were also the ones with the resources to clean it up, including by paying to help developing countries reduce their pollutants.

December 10, 2010 | More on Climate Finance, International Climate Negotiations | Bolivia, Cochabamba, COP16, Guatemala | Comment

President Morales tells world leaders not to forget the people

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By Adam Kotin, Emily Kirkland and Guy Edwards, Brown University

Following the release of two new negotiating texts yesterday, today’s high-level segment is set to chart a course for the next 36 hours of high-octane negotiations. COP16 President Patricia Espinosa said that she is optimism for a productive outcome but nothing is guaranteed at this delicate stage.

During the conference numerous experts have reminded us that reaching an agreement is an extremely difficult task. However, many have consistently stated that sufficient political will could break the impasse. Bolivian President Evo Morales, whose position has been under fire for his consistent critic of developed countries’ feet dragging and climate debt, gave an impassioned speech on why the international community must make history in Cancun. Here we capture some of his remarks given earlier this morning:

December 9, 2010 | More on Civil Society, International Climate Negotiations | Bolivia, Climate Justice, Cochabamba, COP15, COP16 | Comment

Civil society organisations look to build on Cochabamba success in Cancun

Guy Edwards

By Arielle Balbus and Guy Edwards (Brown University)

In April this year, the First World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth drew over 35,000 people to the Bolivian city of Cochabamba.

The challenge it posed to the climate establishment for failing to reach an agreement in Copenhagen, as well as its substantive accomplishments, are considered a revolution in social mobilization around the mounting threat of climate change.

November 1, 2010 | More on Civil Society | Bolivia, Cochabamba, COP16 | Comment

Latin America finds a voice on climate change: With what impact? (2010)

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This article featured in the North American Congress on Latin America written by Jim Shultz and published in 2010 describes the World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth held in Cochabamba, Bolivia, in April 2010. The conference called on wealthy nations to acknowledge and pay a “climate debt” to the countries on the blunt end of climate change as well as for an international tribunal empowered to consider the responsibility of countries and corporations that have contributed to the climate crisis and to enforce penalties and action against them. The author questions how the demands produced by the Conference might be integrated into global decision making on climate and how civil society advocating for greater action can move beyond producing statements and achieve real change.

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August 16, 2010 | More on Civil Society, Reading List | Bolivia, Cochabamba, COP15, COP16, Ecuador | Comment