Another World is Absolutely Essential
By Anne Petermann
Today’s blog post is going to be a short one since I am on a public computer.
Today the tour moved on from The Hague to London. While the chunnel was a
bit intimidating on the train, we arrived to sunny and–for London–warm
weather.
The conversation on the train ride with colleagues Simone Lovera of Global
Forest Coalition, Mary Lou Malik of Focus on the Global South and Fiu
Elisara of Samoa ranged from strategies for dealing with the problem of
NGOs and foundations that have bought into the REDD scam and carbon
markets in general; to our plans for the evening in London–one of the few
unscheduled chunks of time.
Fiu decided to retire, not having quite gotten used to the twelve hour
time difference, while Simone, Mary Lou and I are planning to connect with
another colleague of theirs for some stimulating conversation.
Our next event is tomorrow and it is a forum with other organizations from
around the region to discuss the dangers of wood-based agro-energy and
genetically engineered trees and what we can do about it. There are
likely to be a few organizations that we are going to have to convince,
since so many organizations are so desperate to offer up solutions to the
climate crisis–and unfortunately many of them will only look for
solutions that allow business as usual to continue with as little change
as possible.
We, on the other hand, understand that this is not feasible. Climate
change will mean very dramatic changes that will be most unpleasant unless
we choose as humans to make changes ourselves by choice. This is what we
are working toward at Global Justice Ecology Project. Creating alliances,
developing analysis and educating the public to make these changes
possible.
For another world is not only possible, it is absolutely essential.
From London,
Anne Petermann
