Today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, more than 15,000 young people marched to call for 350ppm, as part of the International Day of Climate Action on October 24. Here’s part of an email from one of the lead organizers of the action, Tinebeb Yohannes, cross-posted from 350.org:
One of the biggest events with over 15,000 participants for Climate Action took place at Yekatit 12 Martyrs Square at Sidit Kilo, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The event began with a procreation of marching band, the Ethiopian Police Federation, followed by students from more than 15 primary and secondary school in the city. After a welcome speech by our own 350 representative (Lily) an opening speech was made by the representative of H.E. Green Hero Girma Woldegiorgis, President of the F.D.R.E, Ato Assefa Kesito, followed by a brief presentation on climate change and its impact by Mrs Akille Assefa from the Ethiopian National Metrological Services Agency.
A short speech was also made by Ato Alemayehu Akalu, Director of Tenakebenaand Ginfle Cleansed Youth Association. The most impressive part was that the students that came to this event had used their own creativity to create unique and outstanding slogans and banners related with 350 and climate change. There was great media coverage from local (ETV, ENA and Ethiopian Environmental Journalists Association/EEJA/) as well as international media. Various guests were also present at the event including Grace Mwaura from African Youth Initiative on Climate Change from Kenya, 350 reporter and camera women- Emily Taylor, representatives of Forum for Environment and one of our 350 volunteers, Amrote A. Assefa, from Oxfam America.
This protest is orchestrated by the govt of Ethiopia, and they did it by bribing the people with food. Ethiopians have a lot more issue to worry about such as, human rights and finding food. Over 15 million are facing starvation right now (govt number of 6million is also under reported.) The Ethiopian govt is the most dangerous element threatening the existence of Ethiopia.
When you live in a democratic country you can worry about Climate Change, but when your people are being abused and starving to death, you can put that issue on the ‘back-burner’
I’m an environmental activist from the U.S. who’s been volunteering for 2 months in Ethiopia, and had the opportunity to meet Tinebeb and learn about all of the amazing work that’s being done to fight climate change– from the community AND government levels. It’s true that Ethiopia faces vast health and poverty challenges, but these will only be exacerbated by climate change impacts of increased diseases, droughts, floods, and desertification. Citizens and youth around the country are truly mobilized by these challenges, and the Ethiopian government’s support for fighting these challenges is strong. The policy/legal framework is also positive; for example there are several sectoral policies such as health, environment, population, and rural development, which are compiled and produced as one poverty reduction strategy paper, The Plan for Accelerated and Sustained Development to End Poverty (PASDEP). The PASDEP cascades from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and addresses issues mentioned in the MDGs, including climate change, and sectors work to attain the overall objective of sustainable development. I have the opportunity to participate in Addis Ababa’s Earth Day activities this year, and can assure you that many thousands of people will be galvanized in supoprt of integrated climate change and development solutions!