Climate Activists to Expose Carbon Trading Scam for “350” Global Day of Action

From: Rising Tide North America Date: Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 8:13 PM Subject: Spread the word! 350 reasons to launch Oct 24! For Immediate Release October 21, 2009 Contact: Hilary Moore: 916.802.4984 falsesolutions@RisingTideNorthAmerica.org www.350reasons.org Media Advisory Climate Activists to Expose Carbon Trading Scam for “350” Global Day of Action What: An online video report exploring 350 reasons why “carbon trading” will not work, as well as printed literature distributed at dozens of “350” events around the world. The video will be available for download at www.350reasons.org on October 24th. A teaser zine with 35 of the full 350 list is available now. The activities are part of the “350”, an international day of climate action expected to be one of largest days of global political action in history, with over 300 simultaneous events in more than 170 countries. (More information on the international day of action at www.350.org). Who: The reports are produced by Rising Tide North America, Carbon Trade Watch, the Camp for Climate Action, the Mobilization for Climate Justice West. Submissions to the 350 reasons came from nearly 100 people on 5 continents. Why: Domestic and international climate policy arenas are failing to protect people and planet by opting for carbon trading schemes proposed by major industrial polluters. Instead of taking scientific, tangible and democratic measures to reduce industrial sources of greenhouse gas emissions, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and many of the wealthiest countries in the world are instead choosing to mitigate impacts to corporate profits and carbon-intensive industrial growth through the marketing and offsetting of emissions. This markets-driven approach only exacerbates current levels of climate pollution, while making it impossible for the most impacted communities to be relieved of their burden of toxic pollutants, and to receive the trillions of dollars of reparations owed them for decades of illness, exploitation and death. In order to stabilize the global climate before billions of people around the world suffer the consequences, we need to: a. Immediately start reducing the carbon emissions of major corporate polluters b. Prioritize just transition and local renewable energy strategies that are democratically determined by the most impacted communities and workers c. Stop carbon-trading regimes from swindling our economies. Website: www.350reasons.org Email: falsesolutions@risingtidenorthamerica.org