Climate Caravan to Copenhagen

Strong fighters for social and climate justice travelled through Frankfurt today on a caravan that is driving from Geneva to Copenhagen, December 3-9. Politically aware people from around the world are aiming at mobilizing others to help in the struggle against the negative effects of “(green) capitalism” as well as the annihilation of indigenous peoples through globalization, promoting public awareness of contemporary, hot world discussions.

Time is running out. “When will they begin to realize that we need to fish?” asked Oper a fisherman from the Philippines fighting against development and relocation projects by his government. These projects endeavor to get at the coveted land from farmers and fishermen on the basis of lease agreements for economic development.
Oper explains the climate discussion has to focus mainly on the people affected not technical environmental solutions only. “The Philippines should not get loans from the World Bank to turn the coastal areas which were damaged by private companies into protected zones in which we are not allowed to fish anymore.” Instead of receiving loans billions if not trillions of reparation payments should be made for the destruction of the marine environment, over-fishing, and an increasing number of fish ponds for the construction of which a large proportion of the mangrove forests was cleared, seriously damaging the coastal ecological system.
To raise awareness to their cause the delegation from the Philippines brings with them a traditional banca, or dugout canoe, the favored local form of transport, capable of transporting large loads of produce.

No doubt there is a lot the travelers have in their bags to show and tell the world. Hopefully they get the highly needed exposure and are seen and heard at Copenhagen.