Global Exchange and fellow climate justice campaigners, environmentalists and social justice advocates from around the world are in Cancún, Mexico for the COP16 climate summit.

We came to Cancún to advocate for climate solutions that put the rights of people and planet in front of corporate profits and political posturing.

Upon arriving in Mexico, Global Exchange joined two caravans organized by the international peasant movement, La Via Campesina.¹ We visited communities in struggle and resistance, learned about climate solutions being proposed at the grassroots level and arrived in Cancún, Mexico even more fired up about fighting for community-based not corporate-driven solutions for climate justice.

In Cancún we've participated in alternative forums, including the Diálogo Climático-Espacio Mexicano forum² where we released the report, Does Nature Have Rights: Transforming Grassroots Organizing to Protect the People and the Planet, with the Council of Canadians and Fundacion Pachamama. The report sheds light on “the Rights of Nature”, a paradigm-shifting approach to legislating resource use. Illuminating essays by Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano, social and environmental activists Maude Barlow, Shannon Biggs, and others demonstrate the need to broaden legal frameworks to recognize ecological limits, natural laws, and the interdependency of all life.

Yesterday, we joined with hundreds of thousands of activists around the world in the '1000 Cancúns Global Day of Action for Climate Justice'.³ Recognizing the Rights of Nature/Rights of Mother Earth was a central theme of the day as thousands of us marched⁴ towards the official site of the UN negotiations. Our demands were clear: we want climate justice, NO REDD⁵ and for the Rights of Nature to be recognized as a central tenant of any climate agreement.

As we follow what is happening inside the official UN negotiations, we know that if an Agreement is reached this week, it will most likely not satisfy climate justice activists. So, as we look to return home to our communities, we will take with us the strength of the global social movements, the solidarity that has been built on the caravans and in the forums, and the struggle that we still have ahead to build on our work towards a better community that protects the people and the planet.

Stay updated with Global Exchange for on-the-ground stories and in-depth analysis of what is going on in Cancún. www.globalexchange.org/blogs/climatejustice.

Copies of the report “Does Nature Have Rights: Transforming Grassroots Organizing to Protect the People and the Planet” can be downloaded in English and a summarized version in Spanish at: 
www.globalexchange.org/doesnaturehaverights.

In solidarity,

Global Exchange

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References:

1. La Via Campesina caravan blog series Global Exchange Climate Justice blogs.
http://www.globalexchange.org/blogs/climatejustice/tag/caravans

2. Diálogo Climático-Espacio Mexicano
http://www.dialogoclimatico.org

3."December 7th...Global Day of Action-1000 Cancuns," Global Exchange Climate Justice blog.
http://www.globalexchange.org/blogs/climatejustice/2010/11/27/december-7-global-day-of-action-1000-cancuns

4. "Globalizamos La Lucha, Globalizamos La Esperanza," Global Exchange Climate Justice blog.
http://www.globalexchange.org/blogs/climatejustice/2010/12/07/globalizamos-la-lucha-globalizamos-la-esperanza

5. Resources on REDD
http://redroadcancun.com/?p=1507
http://www.ggjalliance.org/node/567