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Digging around in the digital archives has inspired me to share some resources for anyone who only recently woke up to the #climatecrisis and/or anyone who needs a primer on what exactly #climatejustice is... here goes a wee THREAD
First of all the absolute basics. What is #climatejustice? Try this for starters: http://climate-debt.org/climate-justice/
If you like pictures better than words then try this: https://issuu.com/earthinbrackets/docs/climatejustice
(By the way a lot of what I'm sharing is *at least* 7 years old. To put in context of whatever "X years to save the world" donation appeal an NGO emailed you recently)
(By the way a lot of what I'm sharing is *at least* 7 years old. To put in context of whatever "X years to save the world" donation appeal an NGO emailed you recently)
Anyway as you can see a central idea of #climatejustice is CLIMATE DEBT, which is a concept that flips on its head the imperialistic idea of debt that was common during neoliberalism's global surge in the 80s.
So, what's climate debt? Well...
http://climate-debt.org/climate-debt/
So, what's climate debt? Well...
http://climate-debt.org/climate-debt/
It's a decades-old concept, part of a much larger "ecological debt" the North owes the South. N.B. Though they're often lumped together, this debt is distinct from reparations. Reparations are the compensation for harm. The debt is for resource theft.
Climate debt is something that can be quantified. There'll always be differing figures, depending on what assumptions your methodology is based on, but it's not a subjective question - it's an empirical one.
http://climate-debt.org/climate-debt/quantifying-emissions-debt/
http://climate-debt.org/climate-debt/quantifying-emissions-debt/
(this is probably the best tool out there... it's not the easiest thing to use and understand but that's because what we're calculating is complex. Anyway, play around with it if you're curious to know what your country's climate "fair share" is - https://calculator.climateequityreference.org )
Climate debt has long been discussed at the international level by anyone serious about #climatejustice. Originally advanced by Southern movements such as Jubilee South, and solidarity groups in the North, it was soon given a platform by ppl like Avi Lewis https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/faultlines/2010/05/2010518121127315453.html
and @NaomiAKlein, who did what she does best, speaking and writing with great moral clarity to a much wider audience in the North. Here's a lecture she gave on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=849A0FE9DF7DD884
and an excellent article she wrote for @RollingStone http://www.naomiklein.org/articles/2009/11/climate-rage
and an excellent article she wrote for @RollingStone http://www.naomiklein.org/articles/2009/11/climate-rage
The #climatejustice demand that rich countries repay their climate debt is one movements (and sometimes, as a result of pressure from below, governments) from Asia, Africa, and Latin America have been making loudly and clearly for decades.
From 2009: http://climate-debt.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/091208PACJARelease1.pdf
From 2009: http://climate-debt.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/091208PACJARelease1.pdf
The scale, when converted to dollar amounts, is much greater than what any Northern government is talking about. It's more than what most Northern NGOs or even "movements" like XR are willing to discuss https://www.news.com.au/world/breaking-news/nations-to-seek-billions-in-climate-debt/news-story/a1a4ac16b2858c53df311b86cc301d3c
But as Pablo Solon, when he negotiated for Bolivia, said, and as many others in civil society and government alike have said: this is not aid. The North owes a debt. It must be repaid. https://www.democracynow.org/2009/12/9/we_are_not_begging_for_aid
The debt continues to accrue because Northern governments have refused to do proper emissions reductions (just see the joke that is the UK in the news for its targets this week).
They've been refusing for DECADES.
They've been refusing for DECADES.
Back in 2010 countries pledged quantifiable climate action. Developing countries offered more than developed countries. But even these offers from developed countries were overstated - they planned to achieve it by offsets! Anyway, they reneged. http://climate-debt.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/BOL-KP2.pdf
You can see an analysis of the so-called "pre-2020" emissions reductions here. This is the most critical period in which to cut pollution. But as NGO analysis has shown, the 2010s are turning into a lost decade... http://civilsocietyreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Setting-the-Path-Toward-1.5C.pdf
The inaction of this decade, like that of previous decade, doesn't go away. The debt accumulates. But the rich are not going to pay this debt back. They've stolen from the South and borrowed from the future and the result is a massive gap b/w what we need to do & what's on offer
If we just look at that gap, without looking at why it exists, we essentially double down on injustice. Which, of course, is exactly what we're doing. http://civilsocietyreview.org/files/COP24_CSO_Equity_Review_Report.pdf
For those who say "but we just need to act, justice be damned"... well, I have news for you.
The unjust attempts to enact climate policy have failed miserably. From human-rights violating market approaches to regressive taxes, they have NOT REDUCED EMISSIONS (kind of the point)
The unjust attempts to enact climate policy have failed miserably. From human-rights violating market approaches to regressive taxes, they have NOT REDUCED EMISSIONS (kind of the point)
(And not to be "we told you so" but... we did tell you so)
http://climate-debt.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/PR_Finance1.pdf
http://climate-justice.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/CarbonMarketBriefGeneva-1.pdf
http://climate-debt.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/PR_Finance1.pdf
http://climate-justice.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/CarbonMarketBriefGeneva-1.pdf
Pledges of "net zero by 2050" do as much to bridge the huge "emissions gap" as throwing a twig in the Amazon would do to bridge that river...
http://climate-justice.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/NET-Zero-brief-Indesign1.pdf
http://climate-justice.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/NET-Zero-brief-Indesign1.pdf
2050 pledges are also a bit hard to believe if the 2020 pledges haven't been fulfilled... http://twn.my/title2/climate/pdf/paris01.justicebrief/06-pre2020.pdf
All these broken promises add up to broken lives, communities. What those of us fighting in the policy space call "loss & damage" - http://twn.my/title2/climate/pdf/paris01.justicebrief/06-pre2020.pdf
All these broken promises add up to broken lives, communities. What those of us fighting in the policy space call "loss & damage" - http://twn.my/title2/climate/pdf/paris01.justicebrief/06-pre2020.pdf
There are severe implications for human rights
http://twn.my/title2/climate/pdf/paris01.justicebrief/02-humanrights.pdf
for agriculture
http://twn.my/title2/climate/pdf/paris01.justicebrief/03-ag&climate.pdf
and of course for existing inequalities... as climate change is experienced in gendered and racialised ways http://twn.my/title2/climate/pdf/paris01.justicebrief/05-gender.pdf
http://twn.my/title2/climate/pdf/paris01.justicebrief/02-humanrights.pdf
for agriculture
http://twn.my/title2/climate/pdf/paris01.justicebrief/03-ag&climate.pdf
and of course for existing inequalities... as climate change is experienced in gendered and racialised ways http://twn.my/title2/climate/pdf/paris01.justicebrief/05-gender.pdf
And, as usual, Southern movements have been at the forefront of raising the cross-cutting, inter-sectional nature of climate (in)justice http://climate-debt.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Women_CJPR_PRINT3.pdf
I wish you could all get to know and learn from the amazing Lidy Nacpil (of @AsianPeoplesMvt, @gcdcj, @350 + many more affiliations!)
Here's a video clip from 2015 of her explaining to youth groups what Southern movements were thinking ahead of COP21
Here's a video clip from 2015 of her explaining to youth groups what Southern movements were thinking ahead of COP21
Her and mentors too many to name have put in years and years of work to define #climatejustice, shape its demands, pull together vast coalitions.
They've done this with little to no help, and often with actual opposition from Big Green, and extremely limited resources.
They've done this with little to no help, and often with actual opposition from Big Green, and extremely limited resources.
Anyway, that's veering off into a bit of a rant.
Back to learning! Because a lot of my followers are UK-based, I assume that the UK hosting next year's annual climate summit ( #COP26) is of interest.
I've written about what opportunities that throws up https://www.redpepper.org.uk/the-un-climate-talks-are-coming-to-britain-the-climate-justice-movement-will-be-ready/
Back to learning! Because a lot of my followers are UK-based, I assume that the UK hosting next year's annual climate summit ( #COP26) is of interest.
I've written about what opportunities that throws up https://www.redpepper.org.uk/the-un-climate-talks-are-coming-to-britain-the-climate-justice-movement-will-be-ready/
If #COP26 and global politics of #climatechange *is* of interest to you, you'll probably need to know the history. Luckily another mentor, the amazing Yoke Ling from @3rdworldnetwork crunched 25 years into 25 minutes!
and the legendary @chilledasad100 (who I just assume everyone in the UK left and many in the international left know already) donned a suit to share some thoughts on what the role of civil society is in the talks:
For anyone miraculously still reading, this will have to do for now.
The point is that #climatejustice is a concept with decades of intellectual work behind it, into which vast Southern-led organising and movement-building efforts have been placed.
So, idk maybe thank them?
The point is that #climatejustice is a concept with decades of intellectual work behind it, into which vast Southern-led organising and movement-building efforts have been placed.
So, idk maybe thank them?
am sure some of them would appreciate your $
https://worldat1c.org/so-you-want-to-donate-to-the-global-movements-for-climate-justice-a442be08c1eb
as for myself I would appreciate your help to collect and curate the best #climatejustice resources - DM if you're interested in adding to what's already been started
(for example:) https://worldat1c.org/resources-for-educators-e9c288756bff
https://worldat1c.org/so-you-want-to-donate-to-the-global-movements-for-climate-justice-a442be08c1eb
as for myself I would appreciate your help to collect and curate the best #climatejustice resources - DM if you're interested in adding to what's already been started
(for example:) https://worldat1c.org/resources-for-educators-e9c288756bff
