International Caravans for Environmental Justice Marching to Cancun

The international peasant movement La Via Campesina isn't so happy with "the indolence of the dominant countries and capitalists of the world" who will be meeting in Cancun, Mexico in a few weeks to yet again attempt an international climate agreement. (Other than big fossil fuel companies and their supporters, who is happy with these countries and economic leaders?)

But rather than sit around in despair, La Via Campesina, in coordination with the National Assembly of People Affected by the Environment and a range of diverse social movements from the United States, Canada and Mexico, is organizing a five caravan march to Cancun that will include thousands of farmers, indigenous people, rural villagers, urbanites, and more.

Three caravans will start out in San Luis Potosi, Guadalajara, and Acapulco. These caravans will join other rural, urban and student movements in Mexico City on November 30, and together hold a mass protest for environmental and social justice. On December 3, in Cancun, they will be joined by more protesters from caravans starting in Oaxaca and Chiapas.

The protesters have a number of "socio-environmental scandals" they want addressed. Their biggest issue concerns false climate solutions that benefit mega-corporations but harm local communities.

"[T]he solutions being discussed in the climate talks are very scary. We are being told that some projects will help solve the current climate chaos, but it is an illusion," Via Campesina farmer and social movement leader Josie Riffaud of France said. "We are seeing an increase of monoculture plantations, genetic engineering, agrofuels plantations, land-grabbing, all of this will further increase devastation and exclusion."

After they arrive in Cancun, the organizers are planning an “Alternative Global Forum for Life and Environmental and Social Justice" for the final days of the negotiations, which they say will be a mass mobilisation of peasants, indigenous and social movements. The action extends far beyond Cancun, though. Actually, they are organizing thousands of Cancuns around the world on this day to denounce what they see as false climate solutions.

I wasn't expecting much from the climate conference in Cancun given how last year's conference in Copenhagen went and lack of progress since then, but this campaign has lifted me up a bit. It looks like grassroots activism around real systemic change to address climate change continues to grow. A major movement like this brings necessary moral pressure to bear upon the state leaders and negotiators sitting in a big air-conditioned conference center.

Look into finding or creating an alternative Cancun group near you by contacting Alberto Gomez (+52 5555843471) or Carlos Marentes (+1 9158738933).

Photo Credit: La Via Campesina organizing meeting in Cochabamba, Bolovia by kk+ via flickr (CC license)

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