Contents
- ClimateFast Annual Fast and Vigil Sept 28-Oct 2 – Conversations and Action on Climate
- Dear friends of peace and a living planet…
- The People’s Climate March - a snapshot
- Climate Walk to Ground Zero : Remembering Super Typhoon Haiyan
- Warm welcome to the new Director of Climate Action Network/Réseau action climat Canada
ClimateFast Annual Fast and Vigil Sept 28-Oct 2 – Conversations and Action on Climate
by Frances Deverell
For the third year in a row dedicated ClimateFasters are holding vigil on Parliament Hill, carbon fasting or food fasting, Hungry for Climate Leadership. Canada’s failure to take responsibility for our contributions in destabilizing the climate is a travesty of social and climate justice. We are seen by the world as obstructive and we win dinosaur awards. We are seen as slackers, unwilling to carry our own weight, let alone help others. We don’t play fair. Mr. Harper, I am ashamed to be Canadian today.
Last week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper spoke to the UN on his position regarding ISIS and Maternal Health. He did not refer to climate change. He did not drop in on a UN convention on Climate Change although he did enjoy dinner with select leaders on the subject. Well over 300,000 people thronged the streets of New York to send a message that we want effective climate agreements that will get people moving on real action to reduce our carbon emissions down to levels which are safe and sustain abundant life. Demonstrations across North America and all over the world were held in hope that our leaders will take responsibility to leave a positive legacy for our children and grandchildren. Joseph Boutellier arrived on a unicycle from Victoria to Parliament Hill. For the first time it feels like people, media, governments and corporations are really listening. UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, gave a very optimistic report of pledges made at the climate talks. We have some momentum. Now we must keep up the pressure.
In the past few weeks Great Britain has put out its policy directions for 2015. It proposes that “the most advanced economies including the EU, other Europeans, the US, Japan, Canada, and Australia should take on the most ambitious commitments and we are pressing them to do so in our bilateral contacts. We want to see them commit to ambitious targets to reduce their absolute emissions across their whole economy, to reflect their high level of past emissions, their likely future contribution to climate change, and their capacity to make the cuts.” Our goal must be to reduce our emissions compared to 1990 by between 34 and 74%, by 2030.
Our provinces have been making progress, and together their environment ministers have recently pledged to make climate change their top priority. Now all that is needed is for our Federal Government to play its central role.
We want politicians of all stripes to know that it would be political suicide to have no plan for climate action. They must know this will be perhaps the most important election issue.
Canadians don’t want to be seen as slackers or laggards on climate action. We must take our place on the world stage by committing to the necessary fair, ambitious and binding reductions. We must also provide additional support to developing nations to assist with their achievement of low-carbon economic development.
I encourage you. Join ClimateFast’s monthly fast and letter-writing campaign, Put Climate First on the First of the Month. If you take no other action this year, write to your MP between September 25 and October 2. Ask him or her to support ClimateFast’s three asks, and work to:
- put an end to fossil fuel subsidies top subsidizing fossil fuel companies
- put a price on carbon
- develop and implement a national plan for renewable energy
And please, share this campaign with your friends on Facebook, Google plus, Linkedin or Twitter. Support the ClimateFasters on the Hill by spreading this letter writing campaign. Let’s make sure that every MP in Canada gets 15 letters on October 1.
If you live in Ottawa, visit Our Event Pages on Facebook and share them with your friends.
Let us know what you did. We ClimateFasters love to hear from you. E-mail to: climatefast@climatefast.ca Your messages encourage us as we sit, rain or shine, on Parliament Hill. We appreciate your actions and your prayers.
Dear friends of peace and a living planet…
by Lyn Adamson
I am writing you to let you know about amazing actions taking place over the next couple of weeks that can really contribute to making a difference to our future.
We are in an extremely vulnerable time in human history on this planet. We are headed to disastrous changes to our climate – raising temperatures by as much as 6 degrees, while our stated intentions (collectively, even by governments) is to stay under 2 degree temperature rise.
Why haven’t we been able to turn the corner? We are using MORE fossil fuels each year rather than less when scientists tell us we must cut 80% by 2050. The problem is getting worse – until we make the change.
GET READY TO WRITE YOUR MP ON CLIMATE
Can you write a letter anytime between Sept 21 and October 2, to your MP, with your concerns about the climate crisis? ClimateFast is asking you to do that, and we provide a model letter on our website: www.climatefast.ca. There are 3 asks in the campaign: stop fossil fuel subsidies, put a price on carbon, and develop a renewable energy plan for Canada. MPs tell us they do not hear from their constituents on this issue – so make sure they do this time! Especially now as the parties are getting ready for a 2015 election – they need to hear from us! Can you invite others to join you writing letters at your church, or invite people over to your house for letter writing?
HOW URGENT IS IT REALLY?
http://motherboard.vice.com/en_ca/read/the-carbon-age-needs-to-end-in-2…
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/09/09/3564900/wmo-climate-change-…
IS THERE REALLY A SOLUTION?
Yes, there is. This is a problem with solutions. Take a look at this one
And remember, we solved the ozone crisis – with collective action. We can do it again – but we must elect a government committed to action as soon as the election is over in 2015, so we can go to the talks on replacing the Kyoto Proposal in December of 2015 as a responsible international partner for climate action.
THIS IS ABOUT ALL OF US TAKING A SIMPLE ACTION – AND STANDING UP FOR THE FUTURE.
I will be part of the ClimateFast action September 28 – October 2 in Ottawa. For details visit our website and Facebook pages – and get involved! You can support us during our week on the Hill – or join us! The amazing Joseph Boutilier, who unicycled 5000 km across Canada calling for unity for the climate will be fasting with us. Check him out at unityfortheclimate.ca. And check out all our events on: www.climatefast.ca. Pledge to send a letter to your MP.
Thank you all so very much!
“To Change Everything, We Need Everyone.”
The People’s Climate March - a snapshot
When over 125 heads of state “walked into the UN, they had the sounds of the largest climate mobilization in world history still ringing in their ears. A huge number of our allies were still in the streets in New York, laying out a strong vision for a transition away from fossil fuels, bringing the fight to polluters, and identifying solutions that are already in progress. The politicians themselves spoke to our power in the opening statements of the summit.
World leaders gathered in New York City didn’t plan to sign a new agreement this week. The next important UN gatherings will be in Lima in December 2014 and in Paris in December 2015. Our hope is to use people-power to ratchet up the pressure on these talks, to channel the voices of millions around the world to increase the accountability and ambition of world leaders in these negotiations.”
Members of ClimateFast were there at New York City, participating in the People’s Climate March. We joined various contingents in the march, including the international Fast for the Climate.
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Climate Walk to Ground Zero : Remembering Super Typhoon Haiyan
by Rita Bijons
Yeb Saño, the Climate Change Commissioner for the Philippines, is remembering the devastation wreaked upon the Philippines by Super Typhoon Haiyan less than a year ago. On September 25 ‘14 he wrote:
“Dear friends, sisters and brothers in the Fast,
Today we launched The Climate Walk, a special journey that climate advocates will be embarking on for 40 days covering about 1,000 kilometers from the Philippines' Kilometer Zero in Manila to Ground Zero of Typhoon Haiyan. Commencing on October 2, the International Day of Non-Violence, the Walk aims to further raise the clarion call for urgent climate action. The journey reaches Tacloban City on November 8, the anniversary of Haiyan's destructive landfall.
As many of you probably already know, this walk for the climate builds on the success of #FastForTheClimate and is intended to further strengthen the global solidarity that the Fast has inspired. This is in its fullest sense a Pilgrimage for the Planet.
We enjoin you to help us promote the Climate Walk, or perhaps find time to either join us in the Philippines, or organise your own solidarity walk in your city. Together, these combined actions around the world will create a massive impact.
For further details, kindly visit the website: www.climatewalknow.com and the facebook page: facebook.com/ClimateWalkNow
We look forward to your support.
Sincerely,
Yeb
Learn more at: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/640791/crying-climate-change-activist-naderev-sano-to-walk-1000-km or by following Yeb’s Twitter account.
Warm welcome to the new Director of Climate Action Network/Réseau action climat Canada
Dr. Louise Comeau is Executive Director of Climate Action Network Canada – Réseau action climat Canada (CAN-Rac), a coalition of more than 100 organizations from across Canada that is celebrating this year 25 years of working together to advance climate protection and to promote sustainable and equitable development.
Read her recent op-ed here, written before the recent summit called by Ban Ki Moon in New York.
And she draws to our attention the recent U.K. report on the pathway to Paris: