Page 20 - FMR64_Trafficking and smuggling & Climate crisis and local communities_2020_web

FMR 64
20 Climate crisis and local communities
www.fmreview.org/issue64 June 2020

Kalikasan

Manila Conference participants protest with local activists and the community of Taliptip, Philippines.
that damage the environment, are against the power of their networks to fight climate
local people’s interests and undermine injustice and to promote the rights of those
the country’s sustainable development. displaced by the impacts of climate change.
This broad alliance of political parties and Participants shared their personal
organisations of – among others – students, stories, scientific findings, and what their
peasants, workers, women, indigenous organisations have learned (each with their
people, artists, teachers, writers, experts and own examples of localised solutions), plus
journalists has campaigned on these issues responses from their governments. Bringing
for over 22 years. They are also fighting together those people who are currently
to protect the vulnerable Sundarbans leading the climate, development and
region (including its UNESCO-protected migration conversations in their countries
mangrove forest) from the introduction helped to unite them and demonstrate
of a coal-fired power station as the area is that this is one struggle with many fronts.
very important for protecting coastal areas Three NGOs co-organised the conference:
from the impacts of climate change. Kalikasan, the International Migrants
Alliance, and the Asian Peoples’ Movement
The power of networking, and the Manila on Debt and Development (APMDD);
Initiative APMDD is also a member of the Demand
There is much to learn from NGOs and Climate Justice Network – one of the leading
movements to support those affected international networks in the Global South
by, and displaced by, climate change. working on the topic of climate justice.
In September 2019 the Rosa Luxemburg Climate justice can, of course, be
Stiftung/Foundation (RLS) organised an understood and approached in multiple ways,
International Solidarity Conference on the with many different nuances, but there is
Rights of Climate Migrants in Manila, in a common understanding that addressing
the Philippines. The conference welcomed the social, economic, environmental and
over 70 guests from more than 20 countries, political aspects of the climate crisis
bringing together academia and civil requires more than a few adaptation and
society actors to learn from each other, show mitigation measures. Climate action does
solidarity, and build alliances to strengthen not lead necessarily to climate justice.