This morning government representatives are scheduled to begin making national statements inside a huge hall at the Moon Palace.
The first speaker was Evo Morales, the president of Bolivia.
He said:
– “We have come here to give hope to the peoples of the world. We are here to call down the temperature of the Earth. The Earth is injured, wounded.”
– “We have a responsibility to nature, to Mother Earth.”
– “We find a repetition of what we heard in Copenhagen. We need to adopt texts that do not allow a further increase in temperatures of the earth.”
– “How are we going to achieve this? Millions of families don’t have air conditioning or ways to control the temperature. Some don’t have water, some don’t have water because of climate change. Without water they don’t have food or employment and their poverty is further compounded.”
– “Without water they watch their livestock die. And so these families cannot provide sustenance to their families. Or the families that have lost or will lose their land, like those living on small islands. Where are these people going to live?”
– “I’m here to express the voices of the millions of victims of climate change. I say to national governments let us take responsibility, let us give hope to the world.”
– “Capitalism is responsible. It is the root cause. There is a financial, climate, food and energy crisis. Here we are discussing just one aspect of the crisis of capitalism, as is our responsibility.”
– “We have to remedy the causes of global warming, as well as the effects.”
– “Governments must pay the environmental debt, but also tackle the causes.”
– “We have to comply with the second commitment of the Kyoto Protocol.”
– “This family that has no water and because of acid rain it loses its tree for shade. We are talking about serious issues.”
– “If no Kyoto Protocol, we are talking ecocide which is a form of genocide.”
– “We must adopt texts that reflect the feelings and thoughts of peoples from the grassroots. We must listen to them.”
– “The best way to eradicate poverty is to reduce the temperature of the Earth.”
– “I share with you the findings of the first peoples conference on climate change and Mother Earth.”
– “Imagine what the world will look like with a 2 or 4 degrees temperature increase. A 0.8 temperature increase is already devastating.”
– “300,000 people have already died, a million more could die.”
– “Mother Earth has rights. The human being cannot live without Mother Earth, but the planet can live without us.”
– “The class struggle discussion is finished, we are now talking about survival.”
– “Human rights, then civil rights, then economic and political rights, then the rights of Indigenous peoples. Now its time to turn to the rights of Mother Earth.”
– “It’s important to respect standards and norms. The people suggest the formation of an international climate tribunal to ensure compliance with the Kyoto Protocol and other standards and measures.”
– “We are here in Cancun to save nature, the forests, in short the earth. We are not here to save capitalism. If we are not clear that capitalism has caused climate change, then we will never find a solution.”
– “If governments fail, the people will take responsibility. We as governments in alliance with peoples must guarantee life.”
Brent Patterson, Director of Campaigns and Communications, Council of Canadians Support rabble today!
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