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Climate justice and equity


To be effective, our responses to the climate crisis must address root causes. This will require profound systems change through people-centered solutions at all levels, scaling up resistance to powerful polluters and elites, and mobilizing people everywhere to stabilise the climate and defend life on Earth.


The Earth’s climate is destabilizing and the planet is in crisis

  • Climate change already multiplies the sufferings of people already burdened by the global injustices of hunger, dispossession, and human rights violations.

  • Even with the so-called ‘climate action’ pledged by governments we risk catastrophic warming. 

  • This could radically change the surface of the planet, collapsing the systems we rely on for life. 

  • It threatens to wipe out vast populations and profoundly change life on Earth.

  • The urgency of the crisis requires a response centered on human rights, equity, and justice.


The response to climate change must address root causes

  • Most communities and peoples bear little responsibility for the crisis, yet suffer its worst effects, while deprived of the means to respond. 

  • They bear the additional impacts of false solutions promoted by those who avoid meaningful action, but instead seek to profit from the crisis.

  • At the root of the problem is a systemic crisis that arises principally from:

    • Profit- and growth-oriented systems of extraction, production, distribution and consumption that sacrifice the needs of the many, and the well being of the planet, to the interests of a few.

    • Unequal and exploitative economic and social structures that abuse nature and extend inequality across countries, classes, gender, race and communities.

    • Policies and practices promoted by global corporations, rich industrialized countries, international institutions, and economic and political elites that perpetuate and foster these systems and structures.


Addressing these challenges calls for profound transformation

  • Addressing these root causes requires profound social transformation in all countries and at all levels – local, national, and global.

  • The transformation includes a rapid, just transition to energy systems, modes of production, and consumption practices compatible with the limits of the planet, and aimed at meeting people’s needs, not relentless pursuit of profit.

  • To achieve these changes we need to overcome the refusal by wealthy elites, corporations and governments to meet their responsibilities, and their opposition to social change. 


Climate justice requires massive mobilization of peoples everywhere

  • Building this new world will require building and exercising the power of collective action, in different forms, at various fronts and arenas, on different levels, and at a scale never seen before.

  • Let us build our capacity for coordinated mobilizations during critical political moments — progressively increasing the number of people mobilized, expanding the numbers of communities, cities and countries participating, raising the scale, intensity and boldness of our actions, developing our strength and power to prevent planetary catastrophe. 

  • It means fighting for:

    • Transformation of energy systems

    • Food sovereignty and rights

    • Rights to water​

    • Just transition for workers

    • Security of homes and livelihoods from climate disaster

    • Protecting the rights of all people and communities

    • Reparations for climate debt

    • Delivery of climate finance

    • Ending deception and false solutions

    • Ending harmful policies that increase vulnerability 

    • Stopping commodification and financialization of nature

    • A fair and science-based international agreement

  • Let us act with clarity, cohesion and courage to stabilize the Earth’s climate system and secure a just and sustainable world. Systems change not climate change!
     

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For more information see: 
Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice
The People’s Demands for Climate Justice

 

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