Students, Scholars, and Activists met last week in Australia for a conference on the kind of social change we will need to stop climate change. They have issued a statement containing both a critical analysis of the problems we face and a call for the kind of cross movement solidarity and radical social change which are necessary preconditions for an effective climate strategy. The language contained in article 11 is, I feel, particularly important:
“The bedrock of the transition to climate sustainability lies in developing the alliance between the environmental and climate change movement and working people, young people, the unemployed and welfare recipients, and their union and community organisations…If those opposed to radical action for climate sustainability succeed in turning the mass of working people against the global warming struggle there simply will not be a sustainability transition…”
As our time grows short, evidence is growing that our current policies are grossly inadequate yet our leaders continue to base policy recommendations on what will maintain the privilege of global elites and economic accumulation as their starting point for analysis rather than what will stop runaway climate change while meeting all people’s basic needs. I am adding my signature to the statement and would urge all other IGHIH readers to consider doing the same.
(statement republished from MRzine, see also John Bellamy Foster’s talk from the conference’s “Climate Change and its Social Roots” panel)
“The bedrock of the transition to climate sustainability lies in developing the alliance between the environmental and climate change movement and working people, young people, the unemployed and welfare recipients, and their union and community organisations…If those opposed to radical action for climate sustainability succeed in turning the mass of working people against the global warming struggle there simply will not be a sustainability transition…”
As our time grows short, evidence is growing that our current policies are grossly inadequate yet our leaders continue to base policy recommendations on what will maintain the privilege of global elites and economic accumulation as their starting point for analysis rather than what will stop runaway climate change while meeting all people’s basic needs. I am adding my signature to the statement and would urge all other IGHIH readers to consider doing the same.
(statement republished from MRzine, see also John Bellamy Foster’s talk from the conference’s “Climate Change and its Social Roots” panel)
Statement Initiated by Participants in the Climate Change|Social Change conference, Sydney, Australia, April 11-13, 2008
The following statement was started by the participants in the Climate Change|Social Change conference. Anyone who agrees with it is welcome to add their signature, and an updated list of signatories will be issued on a regular basis (contact: <climateconf@greenleft.org.au>.).
It is being distributed to environmental, trade union, Indigenous, migrant, religious and community organizations to help build the movement against global warming
Continue reading ‘Climate Crisis — Urgent Action Needed Now!’
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