On Monday, more than 140 world Heads of State will launch two weeks of climate talks in Paris. Young Friends of the Earth Europe (YFoEE), together with Friends of the Earth International, expect they will deliver an unprecedented, but weak global agreement. We do not have high expectations for the outcome, but the YFoEE team will be present in Paris to call for a transformation of our energy system and to show what real people power means.
“People are building a strong and radical climate justice movement which recognizes that climate change is not a single-issue struggle, and that different injustices, ranging from racism and sexism to xenophobia and Islamophobia are a result of a system that is also fueling climate change. Youth are leading the resistance, and this is what the world’s politicians will see in Paris and beyond.” – Maruška Mileta of Young Friends of the Earth Europe
Climate change disproportionately affects poorer nations and the poorest people, who are least responsible for causing it. The world’s richest, developed countries are most responsible for climate change, having polluted their way to progress. These nations must urgently make the deepest emission cuts and completely transform their economies and societies to deliver climate and social justice.
The climate action pledged by countries so far, however, falls well short of what is necessary to avert climate catastrophe. Major developed countries are most responsible for causing climate change, but all of them – including the European Union – are taking much less than their fair share of action to combat it.
“We must not believe European political leaders’ claims that they are pushing for ambitious and fair climate action in Paris. The European Union as a whole has committed to only one fifth of the emissions reductions which constitute its fair share based on science, and its responsibility and ability to act. The EU must do much more to protect the most vulnerable people on the frontline of climate impacts. Beyond these climate talks European governments must put all their weight behind a democratic, efficient renewable-based energy system and get us off fossil fuels once and for all.” – Susann Scherbarth, climate campaigner for Friends of the Earth Europe
On Sunday, the eve of the summit, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to take to the streets in some 150 countries across the world. Activists and experts from Friends of the Earth International and its member groups will organise a number of events during the summit and will follow the talks closely.
“Based on the proposed text, we can see the Paris agreement will fail to ensure a safe climate or justice for impacted people. This is in stark contrast with the actions of people mobilising around the globe, increasing the resistance to fossil fuel extraction and leading the way towards climate-safe societies.” – Jagoda Munic, chairperson of Friends of the Earth International
On the weekend of December 11-12, a few hundred young people from the Young Friends of the Earth Europe network will gather in Paris to show resistance, to bring youth demands and express their determination to lead the way in the fight for climate and social justice. Together, people will have the last word on the climate talks.