Indigenous: Grave Concern over possible Cancun outcome

International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC)

Indigenous Groups Announce Grave Concern on Possible Cancun Outcome
Press statement

Photo copyright Ben Powless, Mohawk
December 10, 2010 (Cancun) – As the 16th UN Climate Change Conference winds down, Indigenous Peoples in attendance from around the world announced their grave concern with the possible outcomes of the negotiations.

“As Indigenous Peoples, we have been engaging in the climate negotiations for many years to express our great concern over the current and future impacts of changes in the climate on our peoples, our cultures and our rights. We are continuously saddened at the lack of political will and good faith to truly and effectively combat climate change with a legally binding agreement of states, which includes a second commitment-period of the Kyoto Protocol,” stated Joan Carling of the Philippines, on behalf of the IIPFCC.

“As members of the IIPFCC, we’ve come here to offer a number of proposals, but we feel as if we have been ignored. Today, on the International Day of Human Rights, we want to reiterate our determination to ensure protection of our rights, as laid out in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, our right to free, prior, and informed, consent, the recognition and protection of our traditional knowledge, and ensure the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in all climate change processes. These proposals are not fully incorporated in the text still being negotiated,” remarked Janeth Cuji of Ecuador.

“We take note and acknowledge some of the achievements in terms of including mentions of Indigenous Peoples and our rights as well as human rights in the negotiating text, but it does not yet guarantee that our rights and traditional knowledge are protected. We welcome the support of many states to our proposals and we urge all parties to incorporate them in any outcomes from Cancun and beyond,” asserted Nanta Mpaayei of Kenya.

“We remain concerned that the carbon market, including the Clean Development Mechanism, carbon offsets, and REDD+, represents a threat to Indigenous Peoples of the world and our rights. We reject the carbon market, which proposes to commercialize nature to the detriment of the world’s Indigenous Peoples and biodiversity. We demand a strong system of monitoring and compliance of states on safeguards related to REDD to ensure the protection of our rights,” noted Ben Powless, of Canada.

“We continue to practice and offer our traditional knowledge and innovations as real solutions to climate change. We want to make clear that the protection of Mother Earth is the obligation of all of humanity. For that reason, we are committed to retain our role as stewards of Mother Earth, and all the ecosystems upon which our collective survival depends,” offered Sheena Watt, of Australia.

The IIPFCC is the representative body of Indigenous Peoples participating in the UNFCCC.

To contact: Joan Carling – English: +52-1-998-108-3505
Janeth Cuji – Spanish: +52-1-998-108-7634
Nanta Mpaayei – English: +52-1-998-108-6876
Ben Powless – English/Spanish: +52-1-998-108-0745
Sheena Watt – English: +52-1-998-108-4560

Bolivia: Countries most affected make appeal for climate agreement

COUNTRIES MOST AFFECTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE MAKE FINAL APPEAL FOR AN AMBITIOUS AGREEMENT IN CANCUN

From Plurinational State of Bolivia

Photo: Via Campesina Peoples March Cancun/Photo copyright Brenda Norrell

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Cancun, Mexico (12/10/10) - As the final hours of the COP16 conference approached, representatives of countries most affected by climate change came together to make an appeal to developed countries “to do what is right” by fulfilling an ambitious second period of commitments under the Kyoto Protocol and providing new and additional aid for climate adaptation and mitigation.

Bruno Sekoli, Chair of the Least Developed Countries Group (LDCs) said: “The situation for us is extremely desperate. Our countries are already fighting for survival. Tuvalu could be swept under the water at any time. It is very worrying to imagine what will happen ten years from now at the current rate of emissions.”

Sekoli stressed the importance of maintaining and extending the Kyoto Protocol: “We have a mechanism, the Kyoto Protocol, which was developed and invested in over a long time and which remains the only document on the table. We can improve it through amendments, but any effort to work against it is not available to the LDCs.”

Tosi Mpanu Mpanu, Chair of the African Group, said that 75 to 100 million people in Africa will face water shortages and that crop yields could fall by a third by 2025.

“I appeal to developed countries to do what’s right. They have shown us political, economic, even military leadership at times. It’s time for them to show climactic leadership by doing what’s right,” Mpanu said.
Mpanu stressed the importance of a binding agreement saying, “A new paradigm based on an accord that was only taken note of does not keep Africa safe. It is nothing more than a pledge club.” Appealing to Japan after its public refusal to make a second period of commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, Mpanu said: “I understand Japan has a strong tradition of honor. They should not dishonor their commitment to Kyoto Protocol if honor is important to them.”

Pablo Solon, Ambassador to Bolivia and member of the Latin American ALBA group concluded: “Here we have the countries that will suffer most if there are no strong commitments to reduce emissions and global temperatures. Finance must be based on new and additional funds that can really go to the people that are suffering and the governments that have to respond on the ground to the serious impacts of climate change.”
“What's decided in this conference today will impact especially those countries that are represented here. We call on developed countries to seriously consider the impact of their decisions,” Solon said.

President Evo Morales: Voice of Climate Change and Protection of Mother Earth

President Evo Morales at the UNFCC Meeting in Cancun, December 9, 2010
Bolivian President Evo Morales' statement from the UN Conference on Climate Change, COP 16, in Cancun. Statement and photos from Embassy of Bolivia. Photos: President Morales speaking at La Via Campesina on Thursday evening.
On what the goal of the summit should be:
“Our aim here is to look at how to cool down planet Earth. Our planet has a high temperature, it is wounded, and we are witnessing the convulsions of planet Earth. We have an enormous responsibility toward life and humanity. … I call on leaders to take responsibility, and make history by responding to the demands of the people.”
On the experience of Bolivians of climate change:
“It causes me a lot of a pain as President to listen to my brothers and sisters talking about permanent droughts... Without water, there is no production, and without production we lack food. It may be easy for us here in an air-conditioned room to continue with the policies of destruction of Mother Earth. We need instead to put ourselves in the shoes of families in Bolivia and worldwide that lack water and food and suffer misery and hunger. I feel that many delegates here have no idea what it is like to be a victim of climate change.”
On the need to tackle the causes of climate change:
“We talk about the effects and not the causes of the multiple crises we face: the climate crisis, the food crisis, the energy crisis. The climate crisis is one of the crises of capitalism. If we discuss and address these crises, we are are being responsible to our children, grandchildren and future generations.”
On the Kyoto Protocol:
“If, from here, we send the Kyoto Protocol to the rubbish bin we are responsible for ecocide and genocide because we will be sending many people to their deaths.”
On the consequences of an approach based on the Copenhagen Accord:
“According to the proposals from some powers, they are happy to put forward measures that would lead to an increase of 2 degrees Celsius and some think even of increases to 4 degrees. Imagine what our planet would look like with an increase in temperature of 2 degrees or 4 degrees, given that at 0.8 degrees we already have serious problems in the world.”
On the need to discuss the rights of nature;
“In past decades, the United Nations approved human rights, then civil rights, economic and political rights, and finally a few years ago indigenous rights. In this new century, it is time to debate and discuss rights of Mother Earth. These include the right to regenerate biocapacity, the right to life without contamination.”
On the need for new enforcement mechanisms to hold those responsible for climate change accountable:
“Laws must be complied with, which is why with much wisdom, the people have proposed creating an International Climate Justice Tribunal. We all know how important it is to create one to ensure compliance with the Kyoto Protocol.”
Against the use of carbon markets to prevent deforestation:
“We came to Cancun to save nature, forests, planet Earth. We are not here to convert nature into a commodity. We have not come here to revitalize capitalism with carbon markets.”
On the need for governments to respond to peoples' demands:
“I am convinced that if presidents take on their responsibility, not to certain powers such as multinational companies, but instead to peoples and social movements, we can advance. Why don't states here go to the Peoples' Summit in Cancun, and listen to the concrete proposals of social movements who come here in representation of the victims of global warming? Why don't we agree to a global referendum; take the historic decision of practicing global democracy, submitting ourselves to the demands of the people struggling against climate change and for life? If governments don't act, it will be the people who will force their governments to act.
On Bolivia's 'radical' position:
We are familiar with the slogan “Country or Death,” but it is better now to talk about “Planet or Death.” To try and look for an intermediary solution is to trick people. It is the major powers here that need to abandon their arrogance in the face of the peoples of the world. My experience as a social movement leader has been one of frequent attempts to isolate me by the major powers – something I am proud to do - but I will never isolate myself from the peoples.”

Watch President Evo Morales live at Via Campesina!

Via Campesina: A hero's welcome for a grassroots president


Article by Brenda Norrell
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com
Photos Philippe Revelli/La Via Campesina.
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CANCUN -- It was a hero's welcome, with all flags flying for Bolivian President Evo Morales. With jubilant music -- farmers, laborers, workers, Indigenous Peoples, mothers and migrants -- welcomed their hero, a hero of the people.
Flanked by rows of television cameras, musicians and climate marchers, President Morales was honored by thousands -- thousands of people at La Via Campesina! who were barred from attending the official UN Conference on Climate Change.
President Morales is the only Indian leader in the world to press for protection of Mother Earth, reduction in greenhouse gases and the establishment of a climate court of justice.
When Morales arrived at La Via Campesina on Thursday afternoon, a double rainbow appeared in the sky.
"We were continuing our solidarity with President Morales to continue on, to continue for our survival and the future of Mother Earth," said Ofelia Rivas, O'odham, who served as cochair of the Working Group on Indigenous Peoples at the Cochabamba Climate Summit.
"We needed to hear his strength. As grassroots people, we needed to hear that strength in his voice. The strength of the people was confirmed by the double full rainbow when President Morales arrived."
Sarah James, one spokesperson for the Gwich'in Nation, from Arctic Village, Alaska, appreciated President Morales' focus on sovereign rights to protect Mother Earth.
"As a sovereign nation, we have sovereign rights with our Earth. President Morales spoke on sovereign rights. Sovereign rights are our very own given to us by the Creator," James said in an interview.
"Climate change and global warming are very real and rapid in the Arctic. We have a right to speak, to stop climate change, because of our human rights, birthrights and sovereign rights," she said.
Surrounded by a delegation of dignitaries, President Morales spoke of the challenges of bringing about change in the official negotiations. Morales said the official negotiators are unwilling to address the real causes of the climate crisis: Capitalism.
"They don't want to change the causes of climate change," Morales said.
"They want to privatize nature," Morales said, describing the carbon market schemes that offer dollars to small countries. "They are bringing more problems with their solutions."
Morales said capitalism is the cause of the climate crisis and the other crisis: The financial, food and energy crisis. Without water, he said, there is no solution to the food crisis. Water, he said, can not be produced from the World Bank's dollars and neither can the food which depends on water.
Morales also described the United States' efforts to spy on, and destabilize the governments of Bolivia, Ecuador and Honduras.
Ultimately, Morales called for a new movement for the protection of Mother Earth and a new form of socialism.
Speaking to waving flags, cheers and applause, Morales spoke to the heart of the people, as some Indigenous Peoples sat silently or tears fell from their faces.
"The leaders of the world do not suffer what we suffer, they do not feel the pain we feel," Morales told the people.
Before Morales spoke, the Declaration of Via Campesina was read, denouncing the predatory system of capitalist countries. Calling for a halt to the destruction of Mother Earth, Bolivia was recognized for the courage of its resistance.
With chants of "No REDD and Si! Cochabamba!" one speaker from Nigeria's Friends of the Earth pointed out that the official negotiators have been meeting "on the moon, and do not know what is going on, on Planet Earth." Referring to the two-week official negotiations at the Moon Palace, he pointed out that it took only three days in Cochabamba, Bolivia, for the people to create the Peoples Agreement for the Protection of Mother Earth.
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Note: The Red Road Cancun video of President Morales' talk will be reposted after Govinda/Earthcycles breaks the 3-hour broadcast into smaller videos. Check back for the link.

In the news:

Photo: Indigenous prepare for Climate Hero President Evo Morales

At La Via Campesina, Indigenous from Bolivia, help prepare the welcome for President Evo Morales, who will speak here at 3 pm. Photo and video copyrights Brenda Norrell.
Bolivian says climate talks may commit 'ecocide'
(AP) – 10 am Central time, Thursday
CANCUN, Mexico (AP) — Bolivia's President Evo Morales says the Cancun climate conference will be committing "ecocide" if it fails to take decisive action to halt global warming.
The Bolivian leader spoke Thursday on the next-to-last day of an annual two-week U.N. negotiating session that will fail once again to achieve a sweeping, mandatory pact to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In a passionate, 20-minute speech, Morales cited families deprived of water because of warming and drought, and islanders facing the loss of homes from seas rising from global warming. He said if governments move away from strong emissions reductions, "then we will be responsible for 'ecocide,' which is equivalent to genocide because this would be an affront to mankind as a whole." http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h1DwzHImwkv_R7-YfAsPz6srGomg?docId=
Video at La Via Campesina, preparing for President Evo Morales' arrival:

Democracy Now! Tom Goldtooth blocked from UN Climate Talks

http://www.democracynow.org/

Prominent Indigenous Environmental Activist Blocked from U.N. Climate Talks
One of the most prominent North American indigenous activists attending the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Cancún was blocked from entering the summit on Wednesday, one day after he publicly criticized the U.N. process. Tom Goldtooth, the executive director of the Indigenous Environmental Network, who had received credentials from the United Nations, was denied entry and then removed from the summit grounds.