(In case you didn't know) the fiasco we know as The Copenhagen Climate Summit concluded last year with no targets, no binding agreements and no attempts to tackle the root causes of global warming. But despite the display of global (first world and corporate) bullying there were and are kernels of hope seeded.The positions taken by some of the leaders of Majority World countries should have embarrassed their more affluent neighbours, but regardless of the response one man stood out. Evo Morales, Bolivia's President, has seized the initiative and called a new global summit - The People's World Conference on Climate Change and Mother Earth's Rights. This will take place in the Bolivian city of Cochabamba on April 19-22 of this year.
Amongst the aims of this Summit are proposals for a global referendum on climate change; the adoption and promotion of 'earth rights' and their transition into law; and the establishment of an international Climate Justice Tribunal.
The Objectives
The Peoples’ World Conference on Climate Change and Mother Earth Rights objectives are the following:
The Peoples’ World Conference on Climate Change and Mother Earth Rights objectives are the following:
- Analyze the structural and systemic causes of climate change and propose substantive measures that facilitate the well-being of all mankind in harmony with nature.
- Discuss and agree the draft Universal Declaration of rights of Mother Earth.
- To agree on proposals for new commitments to the Kyoto Protocol and projects for a COP Decision under the United Nations Framework for Climate Change that will guide future actions in those countries that are engaged with life during climate change negotiation
- Work on the organization of a people’s world referendum on climate change.
- Analyze and draw up a plan of action to advance the establishment of a Climate Justice Tribunal;
- Define strategies for action and mobilization in defense of life against climate change and for mother earth rights.
You may or may not agree with the arguments of Climate Change, but regardless of your position maybe you can agree that our earth seems to be throwing up a regular number of awe-filled catastrophic events. At the moment most of these are happening in the majority, disadvantaged and 'easily ignored' world. But are we really going to gamble that the money and knowledge of the 'developed' world can keep disaster away?
The church needs to get behind The People's World Conference on Climate Change and Mother Earth's Rights. We need to pray for the leaders and we need to hope that common sense - that is sense for the common good of the earth - will prevail and people will seek to live for one another.
