Global Day of Action for Climate Justice

Friends of the Earth is focusing not only on what is going on inside the talks in Bali, but is also working closely with social movements and others outside the negotiations to build a movement to demand climate justice. WALHI/Friends of the Earth Indonesia, which is a network of 400 local organizations in Indonesia, is one of Friends of the Earth’s largest member groups. They have been fantastic in supporting our international Friends of the Earth team here in Bali (which is about 30 strong), and they have also done substantial work to raise awareness in Indonesia around climate change — an issue that is relatively new to many people in the country.

Friends of the Earth International and WALHI/Friends of the Earth Indonesia joined a delegation from Via Campesina, a global network of farmers, small producers and landless peasants, and other organizations in a rally of over 1300 people in Bali to demand action on climate change. The colorful march called on industrial countries to adopt strong emissions targets, and also to step up to their obligations to help developing countries adapt to climate change. They also called for an end to false solutions, like biofuels and carbon trading.

In an interview with Real World Radio, Henry Saraghi, the international coordinator of Via Campesina and the leader of Peasant Organizations of Indonesia said, “For us is very important to say to the governments that are meeting in the hotel that if they continue to solve the problems of the global warming based on the market, the global warming problem can’t be solved. The same thing happens with the hunger in the world”.

As part of this Global Day of Action on climate change, WALHI/Friends of the Earth Indonesia organized rallies all over the country to call for climate justice.