Written after sipping champagne under the eiffel tower with Bill McKibben

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 preset

This weekend we strayed away from the official UN site at Le Bourget and attended the People’s Climate Summit in the suburb of Montreuil. The festival was a gathering of activists, protestors, artists, farmers, artisans, scholars, and dancing hippies. Most of the booths, signs, and chants were in french, but the symbolism was universal. Vegan meals and desserts were being served left and right, anti-capitalism literature plastered the walls, and even a giant statue of liberty stood tall, emitting grey smoke from her torch.The summit offered a necessary change of pace from the highly organized and somewhat censored Le Bourget site – rather than power points and panels we were surrounded by a genuine energy we had not yet witnessed yet in Paris.

DSC_0090

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 preset

 

While the presence felt overwhelmingly french, at one panel we attended we were joined with scholars and experts from Nigeria, Kenya, Nepal, Vietnam, the UK, and the Czech Republic. For Gabby at least, that has been the most impressive and encouraging part of this conference; sitting in a room with people from literally all over the world discussing issues like soil erosion and agro-ecology.

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 preset

The “trial” of Exxon, hosted by Bill McKibben and Naomi Klein, was an alternative action to call attention to Exxon’s crimes against humanity. Within the past few weeks a pleather of information has surfaced, catalyzed by recent investigative articles surrounding the oil giant’s science-backed knowledge of their contribution to global climate change dating back to the late 1970’s. The trial called on witnesses from frontline communities around the globe. Representatives from the Marshall islands, Delhi, Nigeria, Texas along with a host of scientists and journalists testified. Frontline community members have already felt the disproportionate and direct effects of the  warming temperatures, extreme weather events and rising sea levels. The takeaway is simple: Exxon funded cutting edge scientific research which concluded their business model directly contributed to climate change. Instead of utilizing this information which would have undoubtedly shifted the focus of the energy industry from coal, oil and gas to solar, wind and renewables, they turned around and funded a campaign of doubt and deceit to ensure business as usual would continue. The hope is that in the near future real trials around globe will hold Exxon accountable for their actions. As a citizen and activist and you have a voice. Reach out to your state’s Attorney General and put the pressure on to hold Exxon accountable.

Exxon Mobil vs. The People (you may recognize a few people up there!)

Bike blockade demonstration (the police were close behind)
Bike blockade demonstration (the police were close behind)
Zach hopping into a quick demonstration
Zach hopping into a quick demonstration

Thanks to some CC connections,  we were able to get onto the guest list of some more exclusive gatherings. Sunday night we joined the Natural Resources Defense Council for a lighting ceremony of the eiffel tower, and discussed the negotiations with leaders from the Center for International Environmental Law. Many of the experts we spoke with were pessimistic about the outcomes of the negotiations this week.  However, they seemed to believe that emission reduction targets would send a message to international markets to start shifting away from a carbon-intensive future.

Negotiations Update:

  • negotiators handed in a rough draft copy of their climate change accord, but Laurent Fabius, acting president of the COP, has indicated there is still a lot of work to be done

  • whether much is happening behind the closed doors of the negotiations or not, major business leaders from around the world have formed their own coalition, urging politicians to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by 2050

  • Two of the biggest questions we are waiting for negotiators to sift through here in Paris are how often do we ratchet, and by how much?

  • Paris is also the biggest stage for climate related street artists from around the world, and they are taking full advantage of the spotlight. On sunday night over 1,000 “wanted” posters illuminating seven faces of climate-skeptics or lobbyists opposing climate change were posted outside luxury hotels around the city

  • a newly scheduled briefing to the climate talks: “Russia Proposes a New Approach to Climate Change.” Russia is continuing to make hedgeway trying to improve their greenhouse gas emissions, particularly now through the use of new nanotechnology

  • “One point five to stay alive!” Small island nations are making themselves heard, and don’t seem to be afraid of anyone. Knowing that their lives are at stake, they will stop at nothing to try and save their homes, and the rest of the world is beginning to feel the pressure to act