Canadians and Australians protest climate wrecking policies and pipelines
22 Nov 2013 02:01 GMT
30,000 people rallied for climate action in Melbourne, Australia
The weekend of 16th and 17th November saw tens of thousands of people in Canada and Australia out in the streets in over 260 protests against the climate policies of these countries. Australia and Canada are seen as the major wreckers in Warsaw at COP19.
The Saturday protests in Canada occurred from coast to coast to Repulse Bay, Nunavut on the Arctic circle, more than 10,000 people gathered in over 180 events co-ordinated by Defend our Climate. Many protests focussed on stopping further expansion of the Alberta tar sands and pipelines to move the bitumenous oil south to Texas, east through Ontario and Quebec, and west through British Columbia. On Sunday, more than 60,000 people attended climate protests across Australia, protesting the attempt to repeal carbon pricing and clean energy programs by the conservative Government lead by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, elected on 7 September this year, who denied any link between climate change and bushfires as unusually early and intense bushfires raged around Sydney.
Civil Society NGO and local Polish activists also staged a Climate Justice march in Warsaw in association with the COP19 climate change negotiations taking place. Super Typhoon Haiyan set the initial mood at the negotiations with Philippines negotiator Naderev Saño (Yeb Saño) saying "time to take action. We need an emergency climate pathway". There is widespread dismay at the coal powered negotiations in Warsaw with Japan and Australia being particularly singled out.
Related: Australia Indymedia - Tens of Thousands rally for Climate Action across Australia
Such an inspiring day!
GMO-free Vancouver 18.Dec.2013 21:46
Such inspiring action!
I joined in the Victoria protest for the climate and against oil tankers on Vancouver island. So many First nations speakers, it was truly an inspirational day. Caitlyn was a wonderful organizer and the Dogwood coalition brought out hordes of people. Zoe Blunt, a local divisive anarchist type, soured the mood by claiming she was excluded from the speakers list because she advocates civil disobedience when the speakers list was full of First Nations advocating civil disobedience, when in fact its because she had nothing to do with organizing the event and last year claimed false credit for the giant enbridge protest at the parliament buildings when in fact it was a collaboration of many organizations, and the large turn outs were the result of the larger organization and First Nations - yet she had the audacity to attack the organizers in the Common Ground and claim false credit. Blunt spends her time piggybacking onto the campaigns of others, taking credit and then attacking them (including Indymedia). She was asked to leave by the Wet'su-we'ten First Nations from the protest camp against the Pacific Trails Pipeline after taking credit as if it were her camp. Settlers must work in solidary not supplant the indigenous owners of the land.