How to join a protest and lose accreditation #Rio+20

Born in an island in the midst of one of the most brutal civil wars in history, with my disciplinarian father serving in the military: partaking at the ritual rip-up of the Rio+20 Summit negotiation text, followed by the sit-in before the main plenary hall, and the symbolic walk out of the Rio Centro was not within the self-imposed boundaries of my comfort zone. Even though there is a kind of stigma existing in Sri Lanka, especially as of late (following the UNHRC vote on alleged human rights violations during the final stages of the armed conflict) against the UN: of its partiality and alleged double standards etc… I grew up wanting a job in the UN, because I thought that’s the closest the world got to utopia. Tracking Rio+20 negotiations this June was an eye-opener to the stark reality of the international bureaucracy that is the United Nations.

What we saw yesterday, was an explosion of the frustrations that have been gathering momentum for the past few days. Seated at the occupy-style sit-in, as I looked at the others around me, I saw the passion in their eyes (something you never see in the eyes of negotiators); I realized that they were not representing a country, or some organization. They were representing themselves. They didn’t have hidden agendas and political motivations, they weren’t getting paid for doing this, and it would definitely not look good in the CVs that they protested outside a high level UN meeting. They were there, only because they genuinely cared.

                As highlighted by Wael Hmaidan during the opening statement at the plenary on behalf of NGOs; even though the negotiation text says the text was drafted ‘in full participation of the civil society’ the actions of the members of the civil society in the past few days have clearly suggested otherwise. ‘We as civil society reject this text’, they said, as it ‘barely moves us inches’.

What followed was phenomenal: What began as a small gathering started to get the attention of passersby who joined in. Soon, the media personnel at the Rio Centro were reporting the event to networks around the world, Twitter was flooded with on-site updates and riot police presence at the Rio Centro was heightened. Those present ranged from the major group of children and youth, the major group for women, indigenous people, NGO personnel among many others: including several ‘D Badges’ (members of national delegations).

The protesters ripped off a giant mock text as the ‘future they bought’ denouncing the influence of multinational corporations and business conglomerates over governments’ action at Rio+20. 10 year old, Ta’Kaiya Blaney of the Sliammon Nation, an indigenous group from British Columbia, then sang to the gathering: “what are we going to leave for future generations. There’ll be no environment left without change. It needs to come not tomorrow, but today.” While the ripping off of the text and the gathering were sanctioned by the conference secretariat and UN security, the sit-in and the walk out were not. The participants of the youth action, outside the main plenary hall where world leaders were supposedly negotiating; convened a ‘People’s Plenary’. They all shared the disappointment by the lack of commitment and ambition in the negotiation text. Despite demands by the security, the activists were determined to continue. When the police warned them of being at the risk of losing their accreditation: they did exactly that. They took off their badges and handed them over to security officials and marched out chanting ‘the future we want is not found here’, ‘walkout not sellout’.

After all politicians are politicians, they have narrow political interests and they will do everything within their power to cling on their power. Politicians are followers. They will follow whatever and whoever that will get them more votes. Treaties and legalisms are never solutions, they never have been. Even though the Earth Summit in 1992 had impressive landmark outcomes (including the Convention on Climate Change, Convention on Biological Diversity and Agenda 21) most proposals in these treaties have still never yet been implemented.

But what has come out of Rio this June is a mobilized Civil Society that will not wait for ‘leaders to lead’: NGOs that have initiated various action oriented projects, youth groups that are taking action and mobilizing fellow youth, a business community that has pledged commitments, local government bodies that have committed to far more than their central governments, an academia that is committed to their research and media that will raise awareness: a ‘civil society that leads itself’; and that is priceless. Yesterday’s protest was not a mere expression of disappointment or an attempt to ‘create a scene’ it was a move to show that the civil society is not willing to wait for the leaders that are dragging their feet.

The future we want is not found here. It is elsewhere.

some of the photos: PowerShiftCanada2012/Promo image

And Jesus Wept

Rio+20, Sri Lanka and the future we want.

Following the Copenhagen talks, the former President of Asia’s smallest country- the Maldives emerged as a spokesman for small island states affected by rising sea levels. What followed next was phenomenal. From underwater publicity stunts to his documentary film ‘the Island President’ President Nasheed saw a sudden rise to a pop star-like status within the global environmental movement.  However, since Nasheed was ousted from Presidency recently in an alleged ‘coup’ these efforts have lost momentum. As a Sri Lankan climate activist I’d like to see Sri Lanka as a prospective global advocate of Climate Change and Sustainable Development. After all, President Rajapaksha is as much an ‘Island President’ as much as President Nasheed was.

Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Environment is reportedly pursuing active preparations for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, commonly known as Rio+20. It is learnt that President Rajapaksha will be visiting Brazil himself joining some 130 world leaders to attend the High Level Segments of the summit which many term is the most important global conference of this decade. Post-war Sri Lanka should seize Rio+20 as an opportunity (and not a threat) for the ongoing development agenda of the government.

Green Jobs vs. Youth Unemployment

Youth unemployment in Sri Lanka is soaring: standing, nearly at a whopping 20%.  More still, are underemployed. Central to the discussions in Rio is the idea of a Green Economy. Is the concept of Green jobs compatible with the Sri Lankan status quo? Would introducing Green Jobs cost the Sri Lankan economy more and more jobs? Many argue that greening the job market will only adding extra pressure on young school-leavers and undergraduates that are already under enough pressure by growing demands for soft-skills.

Green Jobs advocates, however, point out that, the hard work of decarbonizing economy will actually create hundreds of new jobs, in addition to sprouting up jobs in new technological fields such as alternative energy. They stress that low-carbon, climate resilient, environmentally friendly jobs, like all things Green, is not a mere doable, but rather a need of the day.

Fossil Fuel Subsides

Sri Lanka’s submission to the United Nations as its expected outcome from Rio+20 says“promotion of renewable energy sources as opposed to fossil fuel based energy is the better solution for the increasing energy demand and as a climate change mitigation measure. Potential for wind, biomass and solar energy development is significant in Sri Lanka. …It is necessary to develop the innovative investment plans to effectively develop potential renewable energy sources in the country.” Fossil fuels still amount to almost half of the countries’ fuel consumption. In the status quo, while fuel prices have sky rocketed; this was resulted by fluctuations in global prices. This hasn’t resulted in a considerable drop in consumers of fossil energy.

The impacts of fuel hikes aren’t necessarily negative when coupled with alternative ventures such as improvements in the system of public transport and the redistribution of funds collected through price hikes among the vulnerable of populations.

Climate equity

“As an emerging economy, the challenge for Sri Lanka is to achieve sustainable high economic growth with greater equity, whilst integrating into the process of globalization, achieving permanent peace and rehabilitating and reconstructing the war affected areas. A sustainable high level of economic growth must be ensured without causing irreversible damage to the environment… Sri Lanka needs to accelerate economic growth in order to meet the rising expectations of a growing population, about a quarter of which is still below the poverty line” The document goes on to suggest that the government will make a large push for what it terms ‘climate equity at the upcoming summit.

Whilst not downplaying the crucial aspects of international climate justice that need to be addressed, Climate Justice also refers to what happens within nations.

Even though our achievements in improving social conditions, health and education and the Millennium Development Goals are encouraging, we should focus inequalities that exist in our society.  With its favela slum areas and large departmental stores, where better could one discuss inequality; than Rio de Janeiro?

As “a tropical island is prone to natural disasters and climate induced risks such as sea level rise, extended droughts, increased floods and landslides and changes in the biodiversity” these conspicuous disparities are apparent during natural disasters.  When disasters strike, it’s the poor that is predominantly affected: at least in most cases. This is partly because the poor reside in areas which are more vulnerable and prone to disasters, such as the coastal belt.

There is very little reference in the ongoing discussions for the outcome document of Rio+20 on financing, technology transfers or funding. With the rest of the G77, we should push for more subsidies   “external assistance for technical, financial and skilled human capital for country driven priorities to integrate the various development scenarios, social and environment related concerns together in the country.”

If our actions at Rio+20 are too little, it will surely be too late.

Sri Lankan Youth at Rio+20