Lørdag 28. november: Mens besteforeldre og andre klimaengasjerte marsjerte som aldri før i norske byer og tettsteder, møttes besteforeldregrupper fra flere land i Paris der de ble enige om å gå sammen i en «International Alliance of Grandparents for the Climate». Et felles brev blir sendt til regjeringssjefer og forhandlere ved Le Bourget: «Å sørge for sikkerheten for alle barn i verden, og beskytte deres rett til et bærekraftig livsmiljø, er den høyeste moralske plikt for menneskeheten.» Gruppene er enige om å utvikle en felles plattform med vekt på klimarettferdighet: for våre barnebarn og for de mest klimautsatte befolkningene i verden.
Letter to Heads of Government
from the International Alliance of Grandparents for the Climate
Providing for the safety of all the world’s children and grandchildren, and protecting their right to a sustainable planet is the highest moral duty of humankind. The UN convention on the Rights of the Child states, in Part 1, Article 6 (2) “States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child.” We, as concerned elders and grandparents, call upon you, the world’s political leaders to keep this duty foremost in your mind as you meet throughout COP 21. Substantial progress here is absolutely vital in order to solve the climate change and climate justice challenges facing all life on this, our precious Earth.
Almost daily the urgency of your task is emphasised by the devastating effects on nature by anthro-pogenic global warming, be they droughts, tornadoes, flooding. The present difficulties of western countries to welcome refugees is the beginning of what we all will be coping with soon.
We elders and grandparents are following your progress of negotiations at the COP 21. We welcome the fact that most countries have presented their climate policy ambitions. Regrettably, most of the plans are too weak and the pace of implementation too slow. As documented in the UNEP sixth emissions Gap Report (Nov 2015), the present sum of pledges may increase temperature to 3.5°C, far beyond the 2°C threshold. Considering how little time we all have left to act on climate change, we strongly urge you to be one of those leaders that we will champion. Leaders that our world wants right now, leaders that firmly and rapidly will take the needed further steps and pursue climate actions, such as:
- an agreement for all nations to reach a state of carbon neutrality by 2050
- immediate measures for national emissions to be reduced on short term
- divestment of governmental funds from the fossil industry
- end all subsidising of the production and use of fossil fuels
- taxation of fossil fuels to reflect their actual burden on society and environment
While you work on these critical issues, we elders and grandparents will not stand idly by. We will support courageous climate actions, we will speak and march for intergenerational climate justice, and we will use our long life experience to provide children and youth with opportunities to empower themselves to act for the future of this planet – their future.
Sincerely,
Grandparents Climate Campaign, Norway
For Our Grandchildren, Canada
The Suzuki Elders, Canada
Grand Parents Climate Action, UK
Grandparents for a Safe Earth, UK
Grands-parents pour le climat, Switzerland
Grands-parents pour le climat, Belgique
Grands-Parents pour le climat, France
Møte i Paris mellom besteforeldregrupper fra flere land. Foto: Estelle Le Touzé
Så bra at i hvert fall noe har kommet ut fra møter i Paris. Forhåpentligvis vil COP 21 komme fram til noe enda mer konkret. Stå på!
Hurra for at dere representerer oss besteforeldre ute i den store verden slik at vi kan få en ennå tydeligere stemme til å si klart fra at nok er nok. Hvis vår stemme er tydelig nok, og vi får mange andre med oss er det mulig at våre barnebarn kan ha gode liv ved neste århundreskifte i 2100. Det er mulig hvis de er heldige og vi har klart å stoppe og kanskje redusere klimaendringene. Politikerne trenger å vite at de har oss, befolkningen i ryggen når de skal ta beslutninger om å kanalisere store forskningsmidler inn i fornybare energikilder og redusere og til slutt nesten stoppe forbruk at fossile brennstoffer.
Dette brevet viste Besteforeldreaksjonens engasjement! Veldig bra at det er så konkret! Det er tydelig at politikere trenger det handlingsrom vi kan gi dem som støtte.