As the COP29 climate meeting is reaching its end, it should not come as a surprise that yet another COP is failing. The current draft is a complete disaster. But even if our expectations are close to non-existent, we must never ever find ourselves reacting to these continuous betrayals with anything but rage.
The people in power are yet again about to agree to a death sentence to the countless people whose lives have been or will be ruined by the climate crisis. The current text is full of false solutions and empty promises. The money from the Global North countries needed to pay back their climate debt is still nowhere to be seen. The host country - Azerbaijan - is a repressive and authoritarian petro-state that has committed ethnic cleansing and genocidal acts towards Armenians. Civil society present at COP29 are being silenced, yet continue fighting and pushing negotiators towards the bare minimum.
All this while oppression, inequalities, wars and genocides all over the world continue to intensify. Those in power are worsening the destabilisation and destruction of our life supporting ecosystems. We are on track to experience the hottest year ever recorded, with the global greenhouse gases reaching an all time high just last year.
It is clear that our current systems are not working in our favour. The COP processes aren’t just failing us, they are part of a larger system built on injustice and designed to sacrifice current and future generations for the opportunity of a few to keep making unimaginable profits and continue to exploit planet and people.
With every negotiation, with every speech made by a world leader and with every agreement they sign, it becomes clear that it is up to us as a global collective to take the action we so desperately need and show where the leadership truly lies. They are not going to do it for us, as this COP29 yet again proves.
#COP29 #PayUp #ClimateJusticeNow
Recently I have been travelling through northern Kurdistan, and have met with Kurdish people from all different kinds of backgrounds. They told countless stories of the current systematic oppression and repression they face – especially from the Turkish state –, as well as a history full of massacres.
Destruction and exploitation of the nature – such as unlawful forest cutdowns, sacrificing zones for mining companies and fires – is one of the many tools used as part of the continuous attacks against the Kurds. This often leads to devastation of local communities and biodiversity as well as forced displacement. Erasure of culture and identity, state violence, political prisoners, forced displacement, ecocides and disappearances are just some examples of the discrimination people face on an everyday basis, as well as being denied the right to self determination and freedom.
To build genuine bridges of solidarity in Turkey, autonomy and self-governance for Kurdish regions are essential. The Kurdish people deserve the right to shape their own lives, culture, and communities.
Turkey must clarify its stance on the Kurds and other minority groups by enshrining their rights in the constitution. The government continues to use “terrorism” as a pretext to silence its political opponents. Tens of thousands of politically active individuals remain imprisoned without fair trials. International organizations such as the ECHR, UN, and Amnesty have condemned this and call for their release.
For a sustainable peace and a just future, the Kurds’ right to freedom and autonomy must be respected and the violent attacks against Kurdistan must end.
No one is free until everyone is free. Bijî Kurdistan!
#bijikurdistan #freekurdistan #climatejusticenow
🌱Protecting forests is protecting life
Forests sustain 5+ billion people with food, medicine & livelihoods. They support water cycles, clean air, biodiversity & #ClimateAction.
Integrating forests in climate plans is key for people&planet. #ForestDay
🔗https://t.co/XAlkjqKcPQ