November 30th marked a worldwide day of demonstrations for climate justice. Nine cities across the US saw various actions ranging from protests to street theaters to non violent civil disobedience acts, coordinated by the Mobilization for Climate Justice. See exciting footages of actions from Chicago Climate Exchange, to multiple actions in San Francisco/Bay Area targetting the worst polluters . The actions sought to highlight the fact that many of the so-called climate “solutions” on the verge of being passed into law are false solutions designed to profit special interests, at the expense of people and the planet. We demand that these false solutions be rejected, real solutions be implemented, and corporate money out of climate policies. Our slogan? Our Climate is Not Their Business!
Videos of the Boston N30 events will be posted here soon. Please check back.
Below is the press release from the Boston actions. Thanks to all those who participated despite the rain and cold wind! We will be continuing this campaign, following up with the letter to Senators Kerry and Kirk, and demanding an answer. Please sign up to the right to stay involved, if you have not yet done so.
For immediate release
Open Letter to Kerry, Planet DIE-OUT in Boston
Protesters Demand Climate Justice, Reject False Climate Solutions
(Boston, Nov 30) Amid rain and cold wind, climate activists stood solemnly around a tree near Senator John Kerry’s Boston office, each holding a picture of a life on the planet that is endangered or dying-off from the impacts of climate change. One by one they told the story of why they were here, protesting the government’s inaction on climate change, and the false and unjust “solutions” that dominate domestic and international climate policies.
They then lied down on the soaking wet sidewalk, holding pictures of climate victims from indigenous peoples to polar bears to lodgepole pines to pristine nature. “For me it’s a moment of reflection on our ultimate connectedness to all life on earth, our responsibility as their guardian, and our dependence on all of the rest of the universe”, explained long-time activist Beth Adams, an organizer of the day’s events. “I’m willing to risk arrest to bring attention to the massive die-out of species that is already underway, and is on the verge of becoming unstoppable. We have to make our politicians rise up to the challenge. Lip service saves no one.”
No arrests were made at the die-out, which was the culmination of the day’s events, starting with a rally at the City Hall Plaza, and delivery to Senators Kirk and Kerry’s offices a choice between a “green goodie bag” filled with images of clean air, water, and soil, healthy people and healthy ecosystems, vs. a “dirty bag” of “false solutions”: coal, biomass, nuclear power, and a 2 trillion dollar bill representing the estimated size of the carbon derivatives market the Senate climate bill is expected to soon create.
The group also delivered to the Senators’ offices an open letter calling for real solutions to replace false solutions such as cap and trade, biomass incineration, coal and nuclear, and calling for systemic reform to get money out of politics and climate policies – “We need system change, not climate change”. The letter cites the latest warnings from 26 key authors of the 2007 report of the Nobel winning IPCC, that the planet could warm by as much as 10.8 degrees F this century, an amount that could obliterate most life as we know it. The letter exposes the self-fulfilling argument of the lack of “political feasibility” as a reason for weak actions, and as an excuse to create corporate enriching, climate damaging policies. It also emphasizes the importance of equity and justice as the foundation for reaching any solid agreement, domestic or international, and for its successful implementation.
The campaign calls itself Massachusetts Mobilization for Climate Justice. It is organized as part of the Global Day of Action on Climate Justice. Nine cities across the US saw climate justice actions today, on the 10th anniversary of the Mass shutdown of the World Trade Organization in Seattle, Washington in 1999. The Boston events of the day are broadly supported by a diverse group of state and national environmental, peace and social justice organizations.
Details of the Boston events and the open letter to the Senators and all other political leaders can be found at www.massclimatejustice.org, more US cities actions are here: www.actforclimatejustice.org
Partial list of co-sponsors: American Friends Service Committee – New England, Climate SOS Coalition, Concerned Citizens of Franklin County, Global Justice Ecology Project, Greater Boston Stop the Wars Coalition, Dr. James Hansen, Massachusetts Coalition for Clean Air – South Coast, Massachusetts Coalition for Healthy Communities, Massachusetts Forest Watch, Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party, Massachusetts Peace Action, Safe and Green Campaign, Students for a Just and Stable Future, VegWorcester, and all members of the national Mobilization for Climate Justice network.
For more information, to endorse, or otherwise get involved please contact:
Beth Adams, eadams333@gmail.com 413-549-1072 413-522-7505
Maggie Zhou, maggie@securegreenfuture.org 781-316-8283
