groundWork/Friends of the Earth South Africa are holding a People’s Climate Camp in Durban from 14th to 17th November, parallel to the UN climate negotiations in Warsaw, Poland. Community groups from pollution hotspots across the country, faith-based organisations and people’s movements and organisations will be camping in sustainable-settlement style in an area that is set to be transformed by a proposed multi-billion dollar port expansion of the south Durban harbour.
One of the main aims of the camp is to stand in solidarity with communities from the south Durban basin – a notorious pollution hotspot – who are facing this serious government and corporate lead land-grab. Some will be removed, those that remain will be polluted further by expanding industry, and the cultural and environmental heritage of the area destroyed.
The central point of resistance upon which the camp is based, is a dug-out port which is part of the expansion that will literally remove the land under the feet of 16 local, small-scale farmers and their 100 farm workers. A 70 strong march, ending on the farmer’s land, will highlight the people’s disapproval of this project. A day assembly will be held for the various communities to exchange experiences and to develop a People’s Declaration highlighting these struggles and what the people’s vision for an alternative future looks like. An Alternatives Fair open to the public will visually illustrate what this clean energy future encapsulates.
Our friends in South Africa are asking us to support their camp with solidarity messages and actions.
Globally, the 19th Conference of the Parties (CoP 19) will be underway in Warsaw, Poland at the time of the camp. This climate camp will highlight the failure of this international UN climate negotiations and protest the expansion of dirty energy in South Africa. It will provide a platform for people to articulate views on climate and energy justice on the way to the ‘people’s pre-CoP’ in Venezuela in September 2015.
Can you send a message of solidarity to the camp?
You can connect with Durban’s climate camp on Twitter, by following @climate_camp and sending us Tweets using the handle together with the possible messages:
- We stand in solidarity with a real people’s #climatechange negotiation in #Durban
- Down with the landgrab in #Durban!
- Down with the port expansion!No to more dirty energy + pollution intensive industry in #SA
- Viva people-owned, clean, accessible energy in #SA
- We unite in the fight against #climatechange with People’s Camp #Durban
You can send through photographs or videos of yourself with your message of solidarity to the same handle.
Please also contact Megan from groundwork directly with more messages and photos. We really appreciate and value your solidarity.
