by Anjali Appadurai
This tiny intervention (only 30 seconds permitted – an outrage in itself) was delivered by Anjali in the opening plenary of the COP. Nathan and Anjali collaborated on their interventions so as to have consistent, strong messaging between the two. This statement was delivered on behalf of Climate Justice Now!, a network of justice-focused organisations and movements across the globe. The message is essentially that of (a) urgency, (b) shame for failure, and (c) a call to ambitious action.
COP18 CJN! Intervention from [Earth in Brackets] on Vimeo.
I speak as a member of Climate Justice Now.
We come to this table knowing one thing: a 4-degree warmer world is a terrifying prospect.
Doha is the last year to secure strong targets for the 2012-2020 period, and indeed for the future at all. This is decade zero.
On finance, mitigation and the original Mandate of this Convention, the developed countries have cheated on their commitments. This is a travesty and a human rights issue.
Commit to meaningful targets and follow through, this year, before it's too late.
It has been said earlier in this meeting that if you want to walk fast, you walk alone, but if we want to walk far we must walk together.
Mr. Chair, we must walk fast and far. And the world is pinning hope on this multilateral forum to get that done.