Tuesday 12 January 2010

Invitation to the Peoples’ World Conference on Climate Change and Mother Earth’s Rights



April 20-22, 2010 – Cochabamba, Bolivia

Considering that climate change represents a real threat to the existence of humanity, of living beings and our Mother Earth as we know it today;

Noting the serious danger that exists to islands, coastal areas, glaciers in the Himalayas, the Andes and mountains of the world, poles of the Earth, warm regions like Africa, water sources, populations affected by increasing natural disasters, plants and animals, and ecosystems in general;

Making clear that those most affected by climate change will be the poorest in the world who will see their homes and their sources of survival destroyed, and who will be forced to migrate and seek refuge;Confirming that 75% of historical emissions of greenhouse gases originated in the countries of the North that followed a path of irrational industrialization;

Noting that climate change is a product of the capitalist system;

Regretting the failure of the Copenhagen Conference caused by countries called “developed”, that fail to recognize the climate debt they have with developing countries, future generations and Mother Earth;

Affirming that in order to ensure the full fulfillment of human rights in the twenty-first century, it is necessary to recognize and respect Mother Earth’s rights;

Reaffirming the need to fight for climate justice;

Recognizing the need to take urgent actions to avoid further damage and suffering to humanity, Mother Earth and to restore harmony with nature;

Confident that the peoples of the world, guided by the principles of solidarity, justice and respect for life, will be able to save humanity and Mother Earth, and Celebrating the International Day of Mother Earth,

The Government of the Plurinational State of Bolivia calls on the peoples of the world, social movements and Mother Earth’s defenders, and invites scientists, academics, lawyers and governments that want to work with their citizens to the Peoples’ World Conference on Climate Change and Mother Earth’s Rights to be held from 20th to 22nd April 2010 in Cochabamba, Bolivia.

The Peoples’ World Conference on Climate Change and Mother Earth’s Rights has as objectives:

(1) To analyze the structural and systemic causes that drive climate change and to propose radical measures to ensure the well-being of all humanity in harmony with nature

(2) To discuss and agree on the project of a Universal Declaration of Mother Earth Rights

(3) 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 negotiations and in all United Nations scenarios, related to:
  • Climate debt
  • Climate change migrants-refugees
  • Emission reductions
  • Adaptation
  • Technology transfer
  • Finance
  • Forest and Climate Change
  • Shared Vision
  • Indigenous Peoples,
  • and Others
(4) To work on the organization of the Peoples’ World Referendum on Climate Change

(5) To analyze and develop an action plan to advance the establishment of a Climate Justice Tribunal

(6) To define strategies for action and mobilization to defend life from Climate Change and to defend Mother Earth’s Rights.

Evo Morales Ayma
President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia
Bolivia, January 5th, 2010


9 comments:

John Robinson said...

Think hard here. Climate change is principally due to burning fossil fuels and travel to another conference adds to the problem. ALL environmental groups must stay at home, express support for the idea but state clearly that the time is for real action. Then they can get together here in a parallel conference to discuss practical policies for New Zealand with the knowledge that they are acting out their concerns, following good principles, emphasising how we should all behave.

Don't go.

Grant Morgan said...

John, you raise a valid point about "burning fossil fuels" to get to the climate change conference in Bolivia. However, I believe it is vital for the global grassroots to take advantage of president Evo Morales' invitation to gather together and collectively strategise about how to take international initiatives for climate justice. This cannot be done by the leaders of world capitalism, as we saw recently at the Copenhagen farce. So, on balance, I think the benefits of the Bolivia conference far outweigh the inevitable carbon deficits of getting there. This international grassroots conference should give practical impetus and coherence to local initiatives everywhere, including in New Zealand where the climate justice movement lags sadly behind coalitions in the global South. It is fitting that Bolivia's first indigenous president, re-elected on the Movement Towards Socialism ticket which puts grassroots people and Mother Earth ahead of corporate profits and imperial power, is inviting climate justice activists from around the world to gather in Bolivia. And it's no accident that Bolivia is sited in Latin America, a continent in revolt against neoliberalism. This invitation, I believe, is an opportunity that should be seized by climate justice activists on all continents. The difficulty will be funding air fares to Bolivia, which aren't cheap (about NZ$4,000 return from New Zealand). Whoever attends from our country should be encouraged to speak about the experience in different localities after they return to assist the discussion around the "real action" which you rightly point out is so badly needed in New Zealand.

Millennium Twain said...

haku and taney (thanks in Native California Chumash) for posting this ...

unfortunately Evo Morales Ayma -- and Chavez in Venezuela, and Castro in Cuba -- as you will have noted from the Copenhagen fraud -- as you will note from this conference announcement -- have no interest in Mother Earth. their sole interest is getting money and industry from the Western banksters.

any native elder on the planet, and all people of integrity, can tell you that the ONLY solution to the 97-99 percent eradication, as of today, of the Earth's Whales and Dolphins, the forests and rainforests, the rivers and wetlands, the aquafir and mycosphere, the Ocean and Atmospheric death -- the ONLY solution is reforesting the Earth some ten times over its current 97-98 percent deforested state.

this is also the ONLY solution to returning the health and sanity of the world, and INCREASING the global economy.

of and for all our relations ...

Unknown said...

Millennium Twain is correct correct. Copenhagen is a complete fraud that will NOT address the issues of deforestation which in turn addresses not only carbon sequestering but also watershed, and biodiversity protection. Simple, MORE TREES, not cap and trade and huge taxes on carbon that are funneled into private banks. Nothing at Copenhagen suggests repairing the planet.
In Costa Rica we simply plant trees as part of our non profit mission. Native forest regeneration is the goal. This in turn leads to economic productivity into future generations as we then have available and sustainable resources as the indigenous know is the key to perpetual long term health for ourselves as a part of our Mother.

Good post,
Gaiadruid Dave

Anonymous said...

Millennium Twain, I agree with you about the need to plant trees, and lots of them.

However, I question your claim that Morales, Chavez and Castro “have no interest in Mother Earth. their sole interest is getting money and industry from the Western banksters.”

If foreign investment was their goal, they would be following neo-liberalism, as the “banksters” demand, not attempting to forge a new economic path.

I agree too that Copenhagen conference was a fraud, and that cap and trade will make things worse. But Morales, Chavez and even Castro have been some of the most promenent critics of this false solution.

As for reforestation, according to this article, Venezuela at least is promoting this: ‘Misión Arbol: Reforesting Venezuela’
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/1801

So I would be interested to see some more background to you harsh condemnation of these leaders.

Anonymous said...

This article may also be of interest:

'Venezuelan Environmentalist: "Tomorrow is too late"'

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/4739

Unknown said...

I lived for two years in Bolivia, and organise the latin america solidarity network in NZ. WOuld be fascinated to return to Bolivia, but at the moment, feel compromised by the green house emissions that would result. However, I will be watching events closely and reporting on them in our LAC news bulletins. To subscribe to lac news.

http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/lac-news

Millennium Twain said...

uplifted by the Sky Dragon Mother Galaxy ... leaving behind all former shells of self ... singing only the Wholeness of the Five Sacred Songs of: 1) Empowering Forever the Women and Children, 2) Honoring All Tribes, All Cultures, All the Ancestors, 3) Through the GrandMother's Words, 4) Reforesting the Biodiversity of our Mother Earth, 5) Returning the Choral Landscape of All Our Relations ...

Millennium

Millennium Twain said...

sorry, everyone -- por todas las cosas -- all our sacred relations -- this 'Conference' is just more World-Rape promotional fraud -- as any native elder of integrity will tell you, as anyone who honours our Mother Earth ...

the ONLY solution to the Economic Crisis -- the ONLY solution to our World Sickness/Insanity crisis -- is to REFOEST OUR MOTHER EARTH ten times over. Ten times over the current 98 percent dead, eradicated, raped landscape of destruction.

these money-and-power-hungry frauds, whether they call themselves capitalists or socialists, like Evo Morales -- these who use the NewsSpeak words of 'environment', 'climate change', etc. -- these are used by the gangsters who want money, want power, want privilege ...

only the honest people speak the truth ... that it is the BioDiversity, the Water, the Forests, the Rainforests, all our relations who are the ONLY WEALTH ... and that wealth we have spent, 98 percent ...

THE ONLY WAY TO RETURN THE WEALTH, THE WATERS, THE LIFE, IS THROUGH MASSIVE REFORESTING --

NOT PLANTING TREES, BUT PLANTING FORESTS AND RAINFORESTS -- TEN TIMES MORE THAN REMAIN NOW.

these are the words of the Adi Shakti, the Divinity 2010, our world body of consciousness, whose love is Seven Billions strong ...

por todas las cosas ..