A gathering of civil society and social movements in Venezuela concluded last week with a strong demand for climate justice, writes Maruška Mileta. Rich countries must stop passing off their ‘false solutions’ – from nuclear power to geoengineering – and pay the costs of a rapid transition to low-carbon world that brings renewable energy to all.
A fairer and more just world is not just a precondition for sustainable development, but also a necessity for preventing catastrophic climate change.
The four day ‘Social Pre-COP‘ on Venezuela’s Margarita Island brought together a diverse group of people from all over of the world – indigenous peoples, women and gender groups, youth, farmers, NGOs, grassroots groups – and gave them a voice in December’s UN climate negotiations in Lima, COP 20.
The event empowered climate-affected communities from around the world to speak about their struggles, connect in solidarity and send a strong message of climate justice to world leaders – though sadly it lacked voices from Africa and Asia due to logistical challenges….more
