Shared Planet: Reading Uni Campaigns Forum report
With hundreds of other P&P students, Reading Uni Campaigns Forum made the trip to London for the Carnival of Climate Chaos and Shared Planet. This article records their experiences.
George Monbiot speaks at Shared Planet 2006
Tom Allen
Julia, Becky & Fiona from Reading Uni Campaigns Forum report:
London, 3-5 November: What a weekend! Bursting with inspirational speakers, engaging workshops and an empowering carnival-style march to Trafalgar Square joining 30,000 other passionate climate chaos campaigners. 25 of us from Reading Uni Campaigns Forum, part of the People & Planet network, descended upon the capital with our props and musical instruments in hand to be part of the UK´s largest ever event on Climate Change, part of Shared Planet 2006.
The March
P&Pers made their own weather symbols to bring to the carnival
Tom Allen
In order to stop climate chaos, the UK government has to commit and act to:
Make large reductions in carbon emissions in the UK and Internationally.
Help provide access to clean energy for the world´s poorest countries.
The date marked the last Saturday before the next round of international talks on climate change started in Kenya on Monday 6 November. Kenya´s poor, like the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa, will be hit hardest by climate change. It also coincided with pushing for a climate change bill to be put into the Queens speech. We want this Bill to require that the Government commit to a 3% year-on-year reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the UK.
The carnival was an immense opportunity for us to tell the Government that we want them to go into negotiations committed to doing everything they can to stop climate chaos. The name “Carnival of Climate Chaos” aptly describes the overall atmosphere of the march from Euston to Trafalgar Square. Marching to the sounds of the samba band who accompanied us, there was a tangible feeling of optimism and solidarity; the two most important factors needed to combat the issue of climate change.
More than ever we need positive actions to be taken against the effects of the man-made climate change humans have created. The only effective way we are going to achieve this is through a unified political voice.
Shouting chants through London, I realised the strength our message can have when thousands of people are voicing it together. It is easy for individual action to be ignored or negated; 20,000 people cannot be so easily ignored. We MUST make cutting carbon emissions a national (and international) goal and the only way we can do this is to put pressure on the government. Join a unified voice and be heard!!
Workshops & Talks
Across the weekend there were several excellent speakers, all of whom engaged and inspired us. These included George Monbiot, acclaimed author and columnist, who gave an impassioned speech on Saturday about how the only way to prevent global warming reaching catastrophic levels is for governments to make dramatic changes to the way we live.
Dr Masias Cowper speaking on AIDS at SP06
Irene Pearce
Dr Masias Cowper, who knows first-hand the devastation that the AIDS crisis has caused in developing countries, having been diagnosed as HIV positive in 1993 and dedicated her life to fighting for the rights of individuals living with HIV/AIDS, gave an incredibly moving speech, accusing drug companies and governments of letting millions die through their complacent attitude towards the crisis.
There were also plenty of workshops to attend, from introductions to campaigns to debates on whether gap year students are the `new colonialists´; they were a great way of discovering different perspectives towards global issues and learning new skills (such as “The Art of Rebel Clowning”!) There were even sessions debating controversial issues, such as asylum in the UK and the current occupation of Iraq.
Of course the Shared Planet party featuring comedians, poets and bands cannot be forgotten, nor two nights of sleeping in `crash-pad´ accommodation´! A weekend to remember!