WDM marches for climate justice

Catherine Negus, used to be WDM intern

WDM members and supporters from Dorset, Brighton, St Albans and London turned out in the freezing cold on Saturday to join the National Climate March and send the message to the UK government that the action being taken on climate change is appallingly insufficient.

The march coincided with the COP16 (Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) meetings in Cancún, Mexico, where world leaders have congregated (in theory) to thrash out a deal to tackle climate change. Activists worldwide are calling for decisive action. ‘We’ve come here in solidarity with the poor and vulnerable of the world’ declared Phil Thornhill from the Campaign Against Climate Change.

Despite the disruption caused by snow, the turnout was strong enough for one thousand marchers to arrange themselves into a massive ‘2030’ in Hyde Park, to highlight the march’s key demand of a ‘Zero-carbon Britain’ by the year 2030. The atmosphere was convivial yet resolute as we left Speakers’ Corner to upbeat music from blaring sound systems. The march closed off roads down Park Lane, up Piccadilly and Lower Regent Street to Trafalgar Square, then down Whitehall to Westminster, gaining plenty of attention from Londoners and curious tourists alike.

WDM’s pink ‘Justice for the world’s poor’ flags were clearly visible amidst a sea of placards demanding a zero-carbon Britain and ‘a million climate jobs’. We spotted banners from a medley of organisations from the Socialist Workers Party to the Christian Ecology Link, and some creative individual efforts: ‘Let’s put the Can in Cancun’, and a contribution from Spanish-speakers, ‘Nuestro mundo, nuestras vidas’ (Our world, our lives). Vintage posters were popular, including ‘Daddy, what did you do to stop climate change?’ and Climate Rush’s homage to the suffragette movement: ‘Deeds not Words.’ Some activists called for specific actions, such as an end to agrofuel use and a ban on domestic flights.

When we reached the shadow of the Houses of Parliament, marchers were addressed by inspiring figures in the movement against climate change. Speakers were scathing about existing political efforts. Caroline Lucas, leader of the Green Party, condemned the prime minister for ‘finding the time to go to Zurich to shore up a failing football bid, yet failing to find time to go to Cancun to shore up a failing climate bid’, adding ‘If the planet were a bank it’d have been saved years ago.’ Tony Keans from the Communication Workers Union argued that Chris Huhne’s claim of being ‘realistic’ about low expectations for what can be achieved at Cancun ignores the true reality of starvation and homelessness for millions around the world. The march demonstrated that many of us have higher expectations and plan to hold our politicians to account.

Several speakers called for more vigorous action by campaigners – even peaceful direct action and civil disobedience. Sophie Allain spoke in solidarity with the ‘Ratcliffe 20’, currently on trial in Nottingham for planning to shut down a power station. The feeling of frustration felt by marchers, including some who were present at the first National Climate March five years ago, was palpable. Michael Meacher (Labour MP) stressed that change is possible, highlighting the successful campaigns to prevent a new coal power station at Kingsnorth and a third runway at Heathrow, in which WDM played a key part. Paul Allen of the Centre for Alternative Technology highlighted the technological advances that could revolutionise energy production and use, calling on marchers to get hold of the Centre’s report, Zero Carbon Britain, and pass it on to their MPs. As he so snappily put it, ‘Science says we must, technology says we can, it’s time for us to say we will’.

The message that climate change is causing greater injustice and poverty around the world was loud and clear. Maria Souviron, the Bolivian ambassador, called on northern governments to recognise their climate debt – the fact that as industrialised nations we have benefitted most from carbon-emitting activities, and owe compensation to those suffering as a result. WDM’s supporters were proud to have taken part in an enjoyable yet serious day of action, in tune with our message that climate change needs to be tackled through fair and substantial assistance to the global south. This means climate finance given as grants, not loans, via the UN Adaptation Fund rather than the undemocratic World Bank. As Caroline Lucas put it, if we fail to tackle this issue now, a hellish scenario will result.