An attack on capitalism’s debt to global warming and a UN envoy being booed were the opening acts to Bolivian President Evo Morales’ ‘people’s conference’ on climate change last Tuesday.
Those scheduled to take part in the three day summit were environmental activists, indigenous leaders and Hollywood celebrities. The conference was organised to focus on the world’s poorest, which they allege were largely ignored last December at the official United Nations sponsored climate talks in Copenhagen.
“Either capitalism dies, or it will be Mother Earth,” leftist Morales said to a crowd of some 20,000 people. “We’re here because industrialized countries have not honoured their promises.”
Copenhagen was criticised extensively for failing to produce a new treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions and the deal that was struck at Copenhagen is unlikely to avert a climate disaster, according to critics. To make sure this doesn’t happen again the ‘People’s World Conference on Climate Change and Mother Earth Rights’ will draft a set of new proposals for the next UN climate talks in Mexico towards the end of this year.
Despite claims that the world’s poorest were ignored at Copenhagen, in Bolivia it was the representative from the UN who was largely ignored. Except that is when she was booed on Tuesday during the opening of the conference.
“We came with all respect to hear the people you invited us to be here. If you don’t want us to be here we can leave,” said Alicia Barcena, executive secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
According to a message distributed by Barcena the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon sought dialogue, inclusion and transparency in the world climate debate.
The conference met in the small stadium surrounded by mountains in Tiquipaya, in the suburbs of Cochabamba and made for a colourful display with Andean flags and ponchos dotted everywhere.
“We have a choice between two paths: one is a path of life, one is the path of destruction,” said participant Faith Gemmill, an ethnic Gwich’in of the Alaska inter-tribal council.
The lifestyle of the indigenous peoples, including their harmonious relationship with nature was described by Morales, who is himself of Aymara origin as ‘the only true alternative’. The proposals that Morales put forward during the conference were essentially the same ones which he had presented in Copenhagen. These included the creation of a world tribunal for climate issues and a global referendum on environmental choices. As was the case in Copenhagen it is still the contention of the developing nations that climate change is the primary responsibility of wealthy nations.
Roughly 130 countries were represented in Cochambamba, many of them from among the world’s poorest. The gathering gave voice to a left-leaning bloc of Latin American leaders, including presidents Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, Rafael Correa of Ecuador, Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua and Fernando Lugo of Paraguay.
Others on the guest list were anti-globalisation activists Jose Bove of France and Naomi Klein of Canada. Those notable by their absence on Tuesday were US actor Danny Glover and James Cameron, director of the blockbuster hit ‘Avatar’.
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April 26th, 2010 at 12:34 AM
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by George Lessard , Northern Clipper. Northern Clipper said: Morales Demands Developed Nations Live Up to Their Responsibility http://ow.ly/1CTFI “Either capitalism dies, or it will be Mother Earth” [...]