Occupy Movements During COP17 in Durban

Six young Canadians were thrown out of the United Nations climate change negotiations in Durban, South Africa. Matthew, Sonia, Brigette, Meghan, James and Karen explain why: “As Canada’s environment minister delivered his opening address to the plenary of assembled countries, we stood up in silence and turned our backs on him. We wore T-shirts that read “People before Polluters,” and “Turn Your Back On Canada.” UN security ushered us out, stripped us of our badges and ejected us from the building. One person can take a stand. Six people can take a stand. But it is when hundreds of us, thousands, millions of us choose to stand up to our government and advocate for an alternative to the current path, that a safe home for us all becomes possible again.”

Felix (14) and Carolin (13) travelled all the way from Germany to Durban, but as minors from the civil society they were not longer allowed in 2011 to join the COP17 negotiations during the high level end although Felix and friends got access to the high level end negotiations the year before in Cancun.

How can we children trust in the adults….

• …that they will not break their promises in future again?
• …that no other governments will follow Canada’s exemple and withdraw from binding agreements in future?

In our global board we decided that we will concentrate during the next COPs, starting from Quatar in 2012 to demonstrate in front of the government seats in our capitals and in front of the ambassies as we did already during COP15 in Berlin. We will demonstrate for global binding agreements earlier then 2020 and we will fight for climate justice. Without climate justice every day our future will become bleaker and bleaker. During COP17 we already participated in the Occupy movements and demonstrated for a better future. Here you can watch a video of our Occupy: