Cop15 Copenhagen United Nations Conference for Climate Change

artwork by Void Network / for all activists and all
Climate Change movements that fight against capitalism

Climate activities towards, during and beyond the Copenhagen Summit:

The coming Climate Summit in Copenhagen in December 2009 have generated a wide interest. Tens of thousands of activists, conference delegates and lobbyists will converge in the city for the 15th Conference of the Parties, COP 15, in the UN negotiations on a climate agreement.

There is a wide range of initiatives calling for everything from direct actions world-wide and in Copenhagen, to demonstrations and alternative conferences during the summit, media events and lobbying. Many of the initiatives have similar names and at the same time a very different character.

To enable a critical overview Association Aktivism.info have made this compilation of commented and politically structured information. Association Aktivism.info is a Nordic organisation to support experience exchange on activism and between popular movements started by a working group in Friends of the Earth Sweden.

Apart from the initiatives below claiming to get people in common involved there are also numerous G8 meetings, business and other initiatives influencing the negotiations.

Popular actions in relation to the Climate Summit:

November

28 Demonstration at WTO Summit in Geneva

30 International protests against trade and climate actions, Seattle +10

December

4 The Trade to Climate Caravan starts from Geneva to Copenhagen

7 Climate Forum and COP starts

11 Protest against business day in Copenhagen, NTAC

12 Flood Action for Climate Justice am, FOE

12 Demonstration pm, in Copenhagen on global climate action day

13 Hit the production direct actions, CJA, NTAC

15 Agriculture day, CJA

16 Push for climate justice demonstration at the Summit, CJA

18 Final COP day

20 Final Climate Forum day

Some other days of interest:

August 2009

14 Zero Carbon Caravan starts in Wales towards Copenhagen

September 2009

21-22 Global premiere of the "Age of Stupid"

21-28 Mobility week, Europe

October

12 International Day in Defense of Mother Earth and Indigenous Peoples

15-18 International preparatory meeting in Copenhagen for COP activities, CJA

24 UN Day and 350 ppm international climate action day

Organizations and networks who have initiated the activities in Copenhagen:

Climate Forum 09
Alternative summit for civil society organisations with the aim to produce a joint statement and provide space for numerous discussions on climate justice with strong participation from the South.
http://www.klimaforum09.org

Climate Justice Action
Network for organizing action demanding climate justice and no to false solutions
http://www.climate-justice-action.org

FOEI Friends of the Earth International
International social movement organisation with one member group in each country
http://www.foei.org,
Copenhagen page

GCC Global Climate Campaign
A political initiative to mobilize a global climate action day each year
http://www.globalclimatecampaign.org

NTAC Never Trust a COP
Anti-capitalist activist network
http://nevertrustacop.org

Other networks and organizations initiating activities towards Copenhagen and beyond, a limited list of initiatives.

Danish:

Peoples Climate Action
Danish main stream NGO project, WWF etc. "Peoples Climate Action will develop a new model for how citizens are involved and engaged in the common global challenge: to create a sustainable world, where politicians, scientists, energy and climate experts and manufacturers give people new products and options, and where people give politicians , researchers, energy and climate experts and producers backing to create a better world". The purpose is to "Create space and good environment for effective and engaging mobilization of civil society in the democratic process before and during COP15." and "To assist in Denmark appearing to be an open, democratic and hospitable country, giving the whole world of positive possibilities for civil society inclusion, expression and participation in democratic decision-making center." translated from the Danish text on the website.
http://www.peoplesclimateaction.dk/uk

International:

350.org
International Day of Climate Action in more than 100 countries October 24 to support reduction of the amount of carbon in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million.
http://www.350.org

CAN Climate Action Network
Climate lobbyist network of over 450 NGOs working "to promote government and individual action to limit human-induced climate change to ecologically sustainable levels. CAN members work to achieve this goal through information exchange and the coordinated development of NGO strategy on international, regional, and national climate issues."
http://www.climatenetwork.org/

CJN! Climate Justice Now!
A network of organisations and movements from across the globe committed to the fight for genuine solutions to the climate crisis Š for social, ecological and gender justice." Built on principles of climate justice, which were elaborated during the UNFCCC climate talks in Bali 2007:
http://www.grassrootsonline.org/news/blog/climate-justice-now
http://climatejustice.blogspot.com/
https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/cjn

Climate Camp movement
Direct climate action camps in Russia, India, Australia, Europe and North America
http://climatecamp.org.uk/node/548
History

GCCA, The Global Campaign for Climate Action
Main stream NGO coalition organizing TckTckTck campaign "a global movement for a unified voice against climate change. The combined efforts of millions of people, including you, and our member organizations will deliver a clear message that we demand meaningful leadership and action against climate change." ­ the same campaign that is also called The Global Alliance for Climate Justice, see below.
http://gc-ca.org

People's Movement on Climate Change
The People’s Protocol on Climate Change is a global campaign that aims to provide venue for grassroots, especially from the South to participate in the COP15 process
http://peoplesclimatemovement.net

The Age of Stupid
Film on climate change and the need for action which will have its global premiere with more than 700 screenings in more than 40 countries on September 21/22. The film describes the climate conflicts all over the world and claim consumerism and capitalism as root causes to global warming.
http://www.ageofstupid.net

The Global Alliance for Climate Justice
"an open, democratic club of climate heroes founded by Mr. Kofi Annan. Become a Fan and join us in the fight for Climate Justice!!" Global social media campaign
http://www.timeforclimatejustice.org

Zero Carbon Caravan
14th August The caravan started from Climate Camp Cymru, protesting against the Ffos y Fran Open Cast Coal Mine, and also demonstrating sustainable solutions, with workshops on sustainable living, all organised according to consensus based decision making. It will continue towards Copenhagen aiming a showing that "it is perfectly possible to have a zero carbon lifestyle, and that it's fun, by getting to the talks without fossil fuels, visiting inspiring places like the Centre for Alternative Technology and holding zero carbon conferences, festivals and concerts on the way."
http://www.zerocarboncaravan.net

What Does it mean When We Say "Freedom" ? by Panos Papadimitropoulos / Void Network

It is common knowledge in the areas of social sciences, especially social anthropology, that reality constituted symbolically, that the meaning that people give to the world does not reflect a deeper essence of things but is the product of the relationship between what we are talking about and the importance we attribute to it. In this sense, two people can understand the same situation, relationship or event in different ways without necessarily mean that one of them understands the 'thing' "correctly" while the other "wrong."
"Logos" are the words and the meaning we attach to them. As a body of knowledge or opinions about something, "Logos" follows a specific reasoning, but is also a symbolic figure, a way to talk about things in a particular categorization of the world. The various misconceptions or misunderstandings that we see every day especially in the public political discourse stemming in part by it: that different people use the same words or terms to speak about different "things". What does the word "State" means for someone who runs to avoid the police attack on a demonstration and what means for a minister lying to an expensive limousine? What does "security" means for a 15 years old and what for a police officer? What does it mean when we say «Freedom»? Or «Equality»? Who determines what «Freedom» is and how this becomes Free Action? Especially on historical experience and interpretation, usually a set of meanings is what determines the one or the other understanding of a specific event. Thus, the neo-conservative reflexes of some may be led them to understand the recent uprising of last December as a symptom of a society in decline and a state unable to respond to the will of those who run on 'absurd' wrath against property. On the other hand, the libertarian way of approaching the same events observe in them a much-needed break with forces that oppress the individual and the society. The dominant logos of the government and the corporate media-"consequential and moralistic from above" - conflicts with the heterogeneity of those who still dare to speak for the revolution, a process that in Western political culture is equivalent to a different society. The collision of these two "worlds" illustrates the ways in which the meanings are subject to constant renegotiation according to the motives, purposes and ideas of the people. At the same time we observe that culture is a set of meanings which stem from multiple reasons and experiences that create multiple ways to exist in the world.Culture is itself an area of conflict, change and devising of existing meanings. "There are so many ways to live!" ... Are they? Although we can not act or think outside the cultural-historical context in which we live, we can gradually transform the content of the «words» of this world through our actions and decisions. In this way we can walk towards the reclaiming of our lives.
'Community', 'comradeship', 'mutual aid', ‘solidarity’, 'play', 'dissent' are some of the "words" to which we have to give new content because they can probably give rise to actions, thoughts and feelings that will warm our hearts again and bring us closer to the people we love, closer to the social conditions that we want to live. In the age of solitude, of apathy and isolation of human beings our culture may be transformed more fertile through the words and acts of the lovers, the insurgents, the furious for life and freedom, the utopians and the daring dreamers.

text by

Panos Papadimitropoulos / Void Network

[Laboratory for Kosmo-Political Consciousness]

Αποτελεί κοινή γνώση στους χώρους των κοινωνικών επιστημών, και ιδιαίτερα της κοινωνικής ανθρωπολογίας, ότι η πραγματικότητα συγκροτείται συμβολικά, ότι δηλαδή το νόημα που οι άνθρωποι δίνουν στον κόσμο δεν αντικατοπτρίζει μια βαθύτερη ουσία των πραγμάτων αλλά είναι προϊόν σχέσης ανάμεσα σε αυτό για το οποίο μιλάμε και τη σημασία που εμείς του αποδίδουμε. Υπό αυτήν την έννοια, δύο άνθρωποι μπορούν να κατανοούν την ίδια κατάσταση, σχέση ή γεγονός με διαφορετικούς τρόπους χωρίς αναγκαστικά να σημαίνει ότι ο ένας από τους δύο αντιλαμβάνεται το ‘πράγμα’ «ορθά» ενώ ο άλλος «λανθασμένα». «Λόγος» είναι οι λέξεις και το νόημα που δίνουμε σε αυτές. Ως ένα σώμα γνώσεων ή απόψεων για κάτι, ο «Λόγος» ακολουθεί μια συγκεκριμένη συλλογιστική αλλά αποτελεί ταυτόχρονα ένα συμβολικό σχήμα, έναν τρόπο να μιλήσουμε για τα πράγματα σύμφωνα με μια ορισμένη κατηγοριοποίηση του κόσμου. Οι διάφορες παρανοήσεις ή η ασυνεννοησία που καθημερινά παρατηρούμε ιδίως στο δημόσιο πολιτικό λόγο πηγάζουν εν μέρει και απ’αυτό: ότι διαφορετικοί άνθρωποι χρησιμοποιούν τις ίδιες λέξεις ή όρους για να εννοήσουν διαφορετικά «πράγματα». Τι σημαίνει η λέξη «Κράτος» για κάποιον που τρέχει να αποφύγει την επίθεση της αστυνομίας σε μια διαδήλωση και τί για έναν υπουργό ξαπλωμένο σε μια ακριβή λιμουζίνα; Τι σημαίνει «ασφάλεια» για έναν 15χρονο και τι για έναν αστυνομικό; Τι σημαίνει όταν λέμε «Ελευθερία»; Ή «Ισότητα»; Ποιος καθορίζει τι σημαίνει «Ελευθερία» και με ποιο τρόπο αυτό γίνεται Ελεύθερη Πράξη;
Ιδιαίτερα όσον αφορά την ιστορική εμπειρία και ερμηνεία, συνήθως ένα σύνολο νοημάτων και εννοιολογήσεων είναι εκείνο που καθορίζει τη μία ή την άλλη πρόσληψη ενός γεγονότος. Έτσι, τα νέο-συντηρητικά αντανακλαστικά ορισμένων μπορεί να τους οδήγησαν στο να αντιληφθούν την πρόσφατη εξέγερση του περασμένου Δεκέμβρη ως σύμπτωμα μιας κοινωνίας που παρακμάζει και ενός κράτους που αδυνατεί να αντιδράσει στη βούληση εκείνων που κινούνται με ‘παράλογη’ καταστροφική μανία εναντίον περιουσιών. Από την άλλη μεριά, η ελευθεριακή οπτική προσεγγίζει τα ίδια γεγονότα από τη σκοπιά μιας πολυπόθητης ρήξης με δυνάμεις που καταπιέζουν το άτομο και την κοινωνία.
Ο κυρίαρχος λόγος του κράτους και των μέσων μαζικής ενημέρωσης- «σοβαροφανής και από τα πάνω ηθικοπλαστικός» - συγκρούεται με την ετερογένεια όσων ακόμη τολμούν να μιλήσουν για την επανάσταση, για μια διαδικασία που στη δυτική πολιτική κουλτούρα ισοδυναμεί με μια διαφορετική κοινωνία. Η σύγκρουση των δύο αυτών «κόσμων» καταδεικνύει τους τρόπους με τους οποίους τα νοήματα υπόκεινται σε συνεχή επαναδιαπραγμάτευση ανάλογα με τα κίνητρα, τους σκοπούς και τις ιδέες των ανθρώπων. Την ίδια στιγμή καταδεικνύεται ότι ο πολιτισμός, ως σύνολο νοημάτων τα οποία πηγάζουν από πολλαπλούς λόγους και εμπειρίες που συγκροτούν πολλαπλούς τρόπους να υπάρχει κανείς μέσα στον κόσμο, αποτελεί ο ίδιος ένα πεδίο σύγκρουσης, μεταβολής αλλά και επινόησης ήδη υπαρχόντων νοημάτων. «Υπάρχουν τόσοι πολλοί τρόποι να ζήσει κανείς!»…Υπάρχουν ?
Αν και δεν μπορούμε να δράσουμε ή να σκεφτούμε έξω από το πολιτισμικο-ιστορικό πλαίσιο στο οποίο ζούμε, μπορούμε σταδιακά να μεταμορφώνουμε μέσω της πράξης το περιεχόμενο των λέξεων προς την κατεύθυνση της επανοικειοποίησης της ζωής μας. «Κοινότητα», «συντροφικότητα», «αλληλοβοήθεια», «παιχνίδι», «αμφισβήτηση» είναι μερικές από τις «λέξεις» στις οποίες οφείλουμε να δώσουμε νέο περιεχόμενο διότι πιθανότατα αυτές μπορούν να γεννήσουν πράξεις, σκέψεις, συναισθήματα που θα ζεστάνουν ξανά τις καρδιές μας και θα μας φέρουν πιο κοντά με τους ανθρώπους που αγαπάμε, πιο κοντά στις κοινωνικές συνθήκες που θέλουμε να ζήσουμε. Στην εποχή της μοναξιάς,της απάθειας και της απομόνωσης των ανθρώπων ίσως ο πολιτισμός να μετασχηματίζεται πιο γόνιμα μέσα από το λόγο και τις πράξεις των ερωτευμένων, των εξεγερμένων, των λυσσασμένων για ζωή και ελευθερία, των ουτοπιστών και των τολμηρών ονειροπόλων.

κείμενο :

Πάνος Παπαδημητρόπουλος / Κενό Δίκτυο

[Εργαστήριο Κοσμο-Πολιτικής Συνείδησης]