History was made on Wednesday as the largest climate march ever in Latin America took place on the streets of Lima. Led by indigenous communities from across Peru and Latin America, an estimated 15,000 individuals took to the traffic-choked streets to call for climate justice. Our partners were also out in force, peacefully chanting, singing and carrying signs calling for an end of fossil fuels and a clean energy future, in what was described as a
“carnival atmosphere.”The march took place just kilometers from where ministers continued hammering out the details of the new global climate agreement. It’s fitting that the march came on International Human Rights Day as climate change remains one of the greatest human rights challenges of our time.
Inside the talks, our partners worked hard to ensure delegates heard the human rights message, and understood that the UNFCCC has a crucial role in protecting those rights for all. Nearly 250 organizations signed a letter demanding that human rights considerations be part of any climate change agreement that is crafted in the coming year, to take effect in 2020.
Meanwhile, ministers and heads of state continued to give statements and make announcements in high-level meetings - including climate finance pledges to the Green Climate Fund announced by Peru and Colombia. Political negotiations crept along, with line-by-line negotiations going late into Wednesday night over the scope and process surrounding countries’ national contributions to the post-2020 deal and on ways to boost climate action pre-2020. Governments also continued to discuss the elements that will make up the new agreement.
At a stocktaking meeting on Wednesday night, the COP President and co-chairs leading the negotiations seemed to agree that they could complete their work by Thursday night and tie everything together on Friday. A COP wrapping up on time would be unprecedented, at least in recent years. But with civil society pressure for climate action hitting unprecedented levels, as evidenced by today’s historic climate march, perhaps the momentum building around the world will be echoed in the negotiation halls and governments will respond with the urgency that the climate crisis demands.
From our partners
Nearly 250 organizations joined a letter highlighting the huge threat that climate change poses to human rights. The letter aimed to be a strong message to those governments planning a new global climate deal, which must also ensure human right are safeguarded.
Over 80 civil society organisations have signed a letter to ministers calling for a strong and distinct inclusion of loss and damage in the 2015 agreement.
100 Peruvian children delivered a 2.2 million signature petition to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, calling for 100% Clean Energy.
Catholic bishops from around the world are calling for an end to fossil fuel useand increased efforts to secure a global climate treaty. Catholics, they say, should engage with the process leading to a proposed new deal to be signed in Paris next year. The statement is the first time senior Catholic church figures from every continent have issued such a call, and further sign of increasing interest in climate action from a broad array of faith communities.
REN Alliance partners and the World Future Council have submitted a Memorandum for Energy & Climate to COP20 host and Peruvian Environment Minister Manuel Pulgar-Vidal. It calls for global transition towards 100% renewables and for the Green Climate Fund to play a key role in financing such a transition in the developing world.
CAN International awarded three fossil awards on Wednesday for countries holding back climate progress. The US and Japan received joint first place for their continued attempts to get vital language about loss and damage removed from Lima’s decision text. Poland received the second place award for its continued pursuit of coal against all the odds, while Venezuela came in third after the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs used the country’s intervention at today’s high-level meeting to defend oil use. Meanwhile, climate finance pledges got Colombia, Peru and Germany the much coveted Ray of the Day award.
Perhaps WWF best captured the feeling shared by many of our partners as they chase negotiators through the halls of the UN climate talks in Lima.
In the news
Lima’s climate march dominated the headlines today. The Guardian has a colourful description that will leave you feeling like you were on the ground. Meanwhilethe Hindu focuses on the climate justice message of the march. Both put the number of marches at 15,000.
As the talks move into their final days, Reuters is reporting that the old “Berlin Wall” divide between rich and poor nations are again looming large and threaten to disrupt the final hours of the talks.
UN Secretary General is also in the news today, as he warns of the looming threats if the world fails to tackle climate change. He also expressed concern at the slow progress of climate action to date.
In the US, this story by Ronald Bailey of Reason, outlined how the Obama administration can move forward on climate change without having to deal with a highly oppositional Congress.
The Associated Press has also begun running with stories about the need to phase out greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. In the article Farhana Yamin is quoted saying, "In your lifetime, emissions have to go to zero. That's a message people understand.”
From the Negotiator Trackers
Risalat Khangives his personal account of being in the Lima climate march.
Santiago Ortega interviewed President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos about his expectations for the coming days.
Diego Arguedas Ortiz looks at how Saudi Arabia’s winning the battle against gender equality, but a few heroes and some more unprecedented action could turn the tide.
Federico Brocchieri examines the EU’s position in the Lima climate talks and how the bloc could be doing more to drive climate ambition.
Lots more great Adopt a Negotiator blogs can be found on our website.
Tools and resources
The GCCA’s latest Tree Alert gives a run-down of today’s climate march and how it relates to the negotiations.
You can find some great pictures from today’s climate march at the TckTckTck and Adopt a Negotiator flickr pages has dozens of creative commons images from todays climate march.
CAN International’s latest ECO newsletter has a focus on human rights, climate finance and pre-2020.
Check out the latest round-up from the ENB, as well as their photo-blog of today’s action.
Track the talks on TckTckTck’s daily liveblog
For the full duration of the talks, we’re liveblogging on the TckTckTck website. Check out our embeddable Storify-powered feed for up-to-the-hour news on negotiation progress, NGO efforts and the COP19 experience. SEE IT HERE>>
We will help drive the conversation on Twitter by pulling together to trending tweets, hashtags and memes for our partners to use in regular social media blasts throughout the talks. SIGN UP HERE
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The Climate Action Hub
Building upon the momentum generated by the People's Climate March, The Climate Action Hub focuses the energy and ideas that converged around the 2014 UN Climate Summit to engage civil participation in local, regional and global climate action. The Hub showcases NGOs, eco writers, scientists, bloggers and YOU in a group mission to amplify messaging and promote action on such issues as climate justice, sustainable development and clean energy. It will also serve as a forum for educating and informing the wider public and expand the civil movement to ensure success at the 2015 UNFCCC Paris Climate Summit. Please add any information on climate actions in comments below.
The Climate Action Hub at Daily Kos seeks volunteer ambassadors of climate activism to work on our 'eco swat team' in local communities and here at Daily Kos to disseminate information about the growing role of civil society in climate solutions. Join us here at Daily Kos to contribute your skills and experience. We need all hands on deck!
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