Today, on November 30, one week before the UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen open, and on the 10th anniversary of the World Trade Organization (WTO) protest in Seattle in 1999, major demonstrations, teach-ins and civil disobedience are taking actions place in cities around the U.S

Reports are now starting to come in from:

• Chicago, Illinois: Activists target Carbon Trading @ Chicago Climate Exchange – 12 arrested
• Denver, Colorado: Citizens ‘Die-in’ at Department of Public Health and Environment in Coal Protest
• Greensville, SC: Blockade of shipment of generator to Cliffside Coal Plant, 4 arrested
• New York City, NY: Occupation of the Natural Resource Defense Council Office with James Hansen exposing their ties to industry
• San Francisco, CA: San Francisco Climate Justice Action at Bank of America; 200 Rally with at least 23 Arrested
• Whitby, Ontatio: Sit-in for Climate Justice at Finance Minister’s Office
• Washington, DC: Downtown march targets major polluters and lobbyists

Many more updates are coming in from Boston, Palm Beach, Bangor, Burlington, Seattle and other locales – you can read all the details at the Mobilization for Climate Justice (MCJ) website - www.actforclimatejustice.org.

Donations are needed for arrestees! Your support is needed:

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Donate to which action group?

Any! (where most needed) Chicago New York Maine Ontario San Francisco Denver Greenville, SC

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Also, check out an interview interview with MCJ’s Ananda Tan and David Solnit on today’s broadcast on Democracy Now!

With the corporate media unlikely to give major coverage to such actions, we need you to spread the word! You can see the combined and growing photo gallery here and follow updates on facebook or twitter.

The Mobilization for Climate Justice is a broad and diverse coalition of organizations working for social, environmental, economic and racial justice is calling for urgent action on the global climate crisis, based on equitable, democratic and science-based solutions.

As world leaders gather in Copenhagen, the people hit hardest by this crisis and the least responsible for its cause—working class, Indigenous and people of color communities around the world—have been systematically excluded and are demanding a voice at the table.

Meanwhile, the world’s major corporations have been dominating international and domestic climate policy – as they did in the international trade policy arena. Carbon-trading and carbon offset projects have already allowed these polluters to avoid cutting emissions and expand their markets into poor countries, accelerating corporate take-over of the world’s resources at the expense of local and Indigenous communities.

“We cannot allow the world’s largest corporate polluters to continue robbing our children’s future,” stated Carla Perez of Movement Generation Justice and Ecology Project, who will be marching with her daughter in a parade of children and the Raging Grannies. “US corporations have been holding real climate solutions hostage, while burdening our communities with ongoing attacks on our health and livelihoods.”

Rising Tide North America, with Carbon Trade Watch and the Camp for Climate Action would like you to join us on the October 24th day of global climate action to spread the word about the biggest financial scam in history – Carbon Trading.

In order to stabilize the climate before billions of people around the world suffer the consequences, it is imperative that carbon-trading schemes are stopped and real, democratically determined solutions are implemented.

http://www.350reasons.org/

Climate Activists Expose Carbon Trading Scam for “350” Global Day of Action

Tens of thousands of people gathered at 300 simultaneous events in more than 170 countries around the world today, for the 350 international day pf climate action. One of the leading concerns raised this day was that corporate-driven “Carbon Trading” schemes have been blocking efforts to solve the climate crisis and prevent the devastating impacts of climate chaos on the poor.

www.350Reasons.org

“In order to stabilize the climate before billions of people around the world suffer the consequences, it is imperative that carbon-trading schemes are stopped and real, democratically determined solutions are implemented,” said Hilary Moore of the Mobilization for Climate Justice, “that’s why we have compiled an international list of well-documented reasons showing how carbon trading is failing to deliver.”

Led by Rising Tide North America, Carbon Trade Watch, the Camp for Climate Action and the Mobilization for Climate Justice, activists from around the world helped compile hundreds of reasons exposing the fallacies and failures of carbon-derivatives markets and offsetting programs – such as the displacement of food crops, the burning of valuable resources and massive subsidies given to oil, coal and other major climate polluters.

“We cannot afford to waste any more time and resources on such trading scams when so many lives and livelihoods are at stake,” said David Nishizaki of Rising Tide North America, “ We are hopeful this information will serve to dispel the many myths of carbon marketeering, encourage an outright rejection of such false corporate solutions, and move us towards democratic, scientific and affordable strategies that show tangible, local benefits.”

Many Domestic and international climate policy arenas, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, are prioritizing protection for corporate profits and carbon-intensive industrial growth – through the marketing and offsetting of greenhouse gas emissions. This is not only restricting resources for popular, climate justice solutions, but actually serving to increase current levels of climate pollution.

An online video report showing 350 such reasons why “carbon trading” is failing to work, as well as printed materials are available for download at: www.350reasons.org.

Press Release, 24 October 2009
Contact: Brian Frank: tel 971.533.7483
falsesolutions@RisingTideNorthAmerica.org

Tomorrow MPs return from their summer break for the first parliamentary session since the expenses scandal dragged the reputation of British politics to new depths. With the Committee on Climate Change calling for a “step change” in UK action to cut emissions, and the vital Copenhagen climate summit in less than two months, the climbers say climate change should be right at the top of the political agenda.

The activists are vowing to stay on the roof overnight so they can welcome politicians back to Westminster in the morning. They unfurling a huge banner on the roof of the Palace of Westminster’s Great Hall that says: “CHANGE THE POLITICS, SAVE THE CLIMATE.” They have also issued a manifesto listing twelve simple steps British politicians could agree to today to rapidly get the UK onto a low carbon path, and provide the help poorer countries need to develop clean energy, adapt to the impacts of climate change and protect their rainforests.

One of the activists, 28 year-old Anna Jones, said: “We’ve climbed onto the roof of the Houses of Parliament because too many of the politicians and parties who work in this building are failing us all on climate change. The clock’s ticking down to the big climate summit in Copenhagen, but politicians are still treating the most important issue of our time as a political plaything. We need a green economy that will create jobs and bring prosperity while helping us beat climate change. We need politicians to be fighting for the next generation, not just the next election.”

The forty volunteers gained access to the roof by passing modified ladders through the railings. Before breaching security they told police officers exactly who they were and made it clear that they were about to embark on a peaceful protest. Five of the volunteers – all of them experienced rope access experts – then climbed up the building’s 15m lightning conductor and are now out of reach of security guards on the roof’s apex, where they plan to stay for the next 24 hours. The other 50 protesters are on a lower roof equipped with tents and enough food and water to maintain an overnight occupation

In less than 60 days the world gathers for the key climate change conference in Copenhagen, but as things stand there is a very real risk of failure. At last week’s preliminary UN climate meeting in Bangkok, China and 130 other developing nations accused the richer countries, including the UK, of trying to sabotage the negotiations. There is widespread concern that the developed nations are not making the necessary commitments to seal the vital deal.

26 year-old Christian Hunt, another of the people on the roof, said: “We’ve heard a lot of talk from politicians, lots of speeches and soaring rhetoric and new targets, but little real action. That needs to change. As MPs return from their summer break we need to see them come together, put their differences behind them and agree to simple steps that will slash emissions here in Britain, grow new green industries and set the kind of example that could build trust and break the deadlock before the Copenhagen conference.”

The activists are asking all the party leaders, MPs and Lords to sign up to the new climate manifesto. Anna Jones said: “Our manifesto includes ruling out all emissions from new coal-fired power stations, ending airport expansion and delivering on the clean energy revolution that would see Britain harness the huge natural resources of our wind-swept island to build employment, develop new green industries and cut pollution. People say they get into politics to make a real difference. Well here’s their chance.”

Greenpeace volunteers will be fanning out across Westminster tomorrow morning, asking newly-returning politicians to sign up to the manifesto commitments which could move the UK onto a safe, low carbon path, whilst helping poorer countries to develop clean energy and protect the forests we all depend on.

None of the parties has a perfect record on climate change. The Government gave the green light to Heathrow expansion and has failed to rule out emissions from new coal plants. The Conservatives have ruled out a third runway at Heathrow, but are yet to agree to a commitment ensuring 15% of all Britain’s energy comes from renewables by 2020, while Tory local authorities consistently block wind power developments. George Osbourne did not even mention climate change in his conference speech. Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats have some far-sighted policies on a national level, but regionally and locally they have blocked wind farms, supported new road schemes and promoted regional airport expansion.

Next week sees a meeting in London of environment ministers from the Major Economies Forum, where the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters will continue to discuss approaches to the Copenhagen meeting. After the failure of developed countries at the UN meeting in Bangkok last week to make the stronger commitments needed to break the deadlock and reassure poor countries of their resolve, renewed leadership is desperately needed within the EU, which Britain could provide.

Tomorrow the Committee on Climate Change will publish their progress report on emissions reductions for the UK. They will call for a “step change” in emissions cuts and make clear that the UK is not doing enough to meet its commitments. They will also call for a strengthening of coal policy and for a cap on aviation emissions.