Related Posts
Thoughts on Bolivia’s alternative climate conferenceIn terms of development and environment, global capitalism can be compared to a dinner where a rich few...
Climate talks in Bolivia: Capitalism vs. justice
Bolivia has been hosting an international summit, named the World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights...
Mexico Embraces the Challenges of 2010 Climate Change Summit
A shadow has recently covered the world as the disappointing failure of Copenhagen still looms overhead. Many will...
Breaking news stories from Copenhagen summitHi folks! With one day left at the climate summit and over 100 world leaders arriving tomorrow, we've...
Seeds for the future: Bolivia’s revolutionary food security laws
I recently read Paolo Bacigalupi’s award winning “biopunk” science fiction novel The Windup Girl, set in a future...
Tip of the Day
To save energy, remember to turn off the light when leaving a room
Alternative climate summit starts Monday in Bolivia
Bolivian president Evo Morales; photo by Alain Bachellier (source: Flickr Creative Commons)
The World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth begins on Monday, April 19th in Cochabamba, Bolivia. The summit, which is not under the auspices of the UN, is seen as the alternative to Copenhagen, with more of a focus on poor peoples, social justice and environmental activism.
In addition to scientists, representatives of indigenous peoples, NGOs and government officials, the conference will welcome prominent authors, academic luminaries and Hollywood celebrities. The final group an obvious and understandable strategy to garner valuable publicity for issues that were buried during Copenhagen.
Big names expected at the Bolivia climate change conference include heavyweights James Hansen and Noam Chomsky; author Naomi Klein, actors Danny Glover, Robert Redford and Susan Sarandon; and director James Cameron.
From an article in the Guardian:
In what is becoming the hippest environment meeting of the year, presidents, politicians, intellectuals, scientists and Hollywood stars will join more than 15,000 indigenous people and thousands of grass roots groups from more than 100 countries to debate climate change in one of the world’s poorest nations.
The voices of poor, developing nations were largely drown or shut out from the Copenhagen talks, where a schism between US and China took center stage. While much of the talk at COP15 was about money, there are other resources to consider such as forests and people. Perhaps the summit in Bolivia can highlight alternative environmental policy ideas that utilize principles of democracy and the value of preserving nature, rather than just permutations of trade between economic superpowers.
Additional resources:
World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth
Tags: alternative, Bolivia, climate, Climate change, conference, copenhagen, Earth, environmental, Evo, Hollywood, Morales, mother, poor, President, summit
Other Greenfudge.org posts
Melting Siberian permafrost and climate change
Carbon and methane stored in Siberia’s permafrost are being released as Russia’s Arctic experiences warmer temperatures, which cause the permafrost to recede. So far there is insufficient data to gauge just what percentage of methane in the atmosphere is a result of particular natural sources such as swamps and melting permafrost. Manmade sources of methane include power generation, rice farming, livestock agriculture and landfills. From a report by Russia’s BCM News: The fact is that the permafrost covers millions of kilometers of swamps....
India’s coal furnaces present economic and environmental dilemma
In India, many factory workers heavily depend on coal power - which can be very environmentally harmful - to make ends meet. – Al Jazeera English Glass factories in Northern India provide the South Asian country's poor with important jobs, yet the furnaces used in glass production are coal powered. Al Jazeera English reports on India's carbon conundrum as what was to be the deadline for countries to submit their greenhouse gas emissions targets – according to the tenuous Copenhagen accord –'ends'...
Environmental Islam
There has been a lot of controversy about a much-publicized anti-Islam protest by a certain nutty preacher in the US, which was scheduled to take place today, on the anniversary of 9/11. But has anyone stopped to think about the CO2 that would be released if Terry Jones were to burn the Koran? What? It’s no dumber than everything else surrounding the planned burning of the Muslim holy book. And since everyone else has already said their piece, isn’t it time for...
Breaking: Leaked UN report shows climate agreements will lead to 3 degrees rise
A leaked document (a confidential UN analysis) obtained by the Guardian shows that the proposed emission cuts currently on the table at the Copenhagen Climate Conference would lead the earth to an average and global temperature rise of 3 degrees Celsius. According to the Guardian this document undermines the statements made by the governments of developed nations that they are looking to limit carbon emissions in such way that the world temperature would not increase more than 2 degrees Celsius...
18,000 Gallons of Crude Oil Spilled into Louisiana Wildlife Refuge
Sometimes, even wildlife refuges aren’t safe from disaster. A pipeline spilled 18,000 gallons of crude oil into a canal that passes through the Delta National Wildlife Refuge, located approximately 60 miles southeast of New Orleans. This refuge spans across almost 49,000 acres of marsh and is an important home for local and migratory birds. It’s also home to several endangered species, including the American Alligator, Brown Pelican, and Arctic Peregrine Falcon. The pipeline belongs to Chevron Pipe Line Co. and thus far...
US Climate Bill: Yellow Cabs to Turn Green
New York’s iconic yellow taxis are about turn over a new leaf. Part of the 800-page Climate Bill (now being debated in the US Senate) includes a provision that stipulates that all public taxis should be replaced with all hybrid fleets. This would take effect not only in the Big Apple, but in other major cities such as Boston, Seattle and San Francisco. According to the bill’s proponents, such a major change could result in saving over $4,500 per year in...
Disaster in the Gulf: How You Can Help Celebrity Charity Auction!
“Millions of gallons of oil have oozed into the water since the April 20th rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. Some estimates calculate the oil flow to be over 70,000 barrels of oil a day —- And we still don't know when it will stop.” That’s the opening statement of the latest online celebrity charity auction issued to save the Gulf Coast. Larry King Live has partnered with CharityBuzz.com to bring you this series of awesome auction items. In case...
The biofuels controversy continues: should we get off the bandwagon?
“One groundbreaking new study in Science concluded that when this deforestation effect is taken into account, corn ethanol and soy biodiesel produce about twice the emissions of gasoline.” - Michael Grunwald, Time I recently wrote an article about Indonesia’s bad biofuel industry, which is based on palm oil, resulting in mass deforestation via intense CO₂ producing slash and burn methods. One of the main problems was not Indonesia’s environmental policy per se, but that the laws are nowhere near being sufficiently...
Breaking News: Pakistan Faces Worst Flood in Decades; Over 800 Dead
The worst flooding in decades hit northwestern Pakistan recently, killing over 800 people and forcing the evacuation of thousands. The total number of people affected by the flooding so far has surpassed 1 million, including those missing or infected with waterborne diseases. All it took was a few days of heavy, torrential rains and it was only a matter of time before the rivers unleashed their wrath on the villages. Earlier this week, Information Minister, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, stated: “According to...
Fort Stanton Cave is still growing
New Mexico – Researchers recently found that the stunning tunnel-like Fort Stanton Cave, touted as one of the state’s longest cave formation is growing even longer. Scientists discovered increasing deposits of calcite around the cave; the crystal of calcium carbonite, calcite is considered as a major rock forming mineral that contour different cave formations. Estimated to be 850 years old, the undeveloped cave is considered a baby in geological terms. Without lights, elevators or pavement, it is one of the most...
View all articles
You can also log in to post a comment.