Bali: Call For People's Protocol On Climate Change

BALI: Thousands rally to support global call for a People's Protocol on Climate Change

Almost five thousand people are expected to march across Indonesia today on International Human Rights Day, to join a growing coalition of individuals and people's organisations from around the world that are calling for a People's Protocol on Climate Change.

Grassroots groups and civil society organisations are expected to march simultaneously in 19 cities in Jakarta, Yogyakarta, East Java, West Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, North Sumatra, South Sumatra and Lampung and sign the draft People's Protocol on Climate Change.

The call for a People's Protocol Climate Change on this symbolic International Human Rights Day is very fitting, said Mr. Flint Duxfield of the Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN), a regional research network involved in drafting the protocol.

"Unless the concerns of those people who will be worst affected by climate change are given immediate recognition, both the impacts of climate change, as well as the many of the solutions currently being offered will fundamentally threaten the social, cultural and development rights of people across the planet", said Mr. Duxfield.

Over a thousand individuals, NGOs and people's organisations, representing thousands of people from around the globe have already signed the statement calling for a People's Protocol and endorsing the draft People's Protocol on Climate Change.

Mr. Don Marut, Executive Director of the International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID), said that the draft People's Protocol on Climate Change will reflect the people's concerns with current climate change negotiations and their views on key issues which should be addressed.

"In the face of increasing calls for urgent measures to address climate change and its impacts, the lack of sufficient commitment by global leaders to equitably address the climate crisis makes it clear that a People's Protocol on Climate Change is vitally necessary", said Mr. Marut.

Mr. Syamsul Ardiansyah of the Institute for National and Democratic Studies, criticized the Kyoto process as being overly influenced by corporate agendas which seek to use the climate crisis as a vehicle to extract more profits at the expense of the planet and its people.

"So far Kyoto has failed to provide the far reaching emissions reductions commitments necessary to prevent runaway global warming. The market-based mechanisms being promoted in negotiations at Bali are not the solution and in fact are likely to exacerbate the problem, with further impacts on people from the global south", said Mr. Ardiansyah.

Inputs into the draft People's Protocol will be sought from people throughout the world, leading up to the finalisation and ratification of the protocol at a People's Assembly in Poznan, Poland in 2008 to coincide with the 4th meeting of parties of the Kyoto Protocol. Workshops to develop the draft protocol have already been held in Jakarta and Denpasar earlier this week.

NOTES:

* A press conference on the People's Protocol will be held on the 10th of December at 9am in front of the Bali International Convention Centre (near the bike depot).

* The Bali People's march in support of the People's Protocol on Climate Change will start at the Bali Governor's Office, Denpasar at 10am on the 10th of December.

ENDS

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