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Global Day of Action

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Oxfam protestors in Bali

Global Day of Action is a direct action protest format. Environmentalism initiatives begun to use it in 2005 in connection with Global Climate Campaign. They aimed to focus world attention on the anthropogenic effect that humans are having on global warming. Its main objective is to spearhead demands that elected representatives of their respective governments honor commitments set forth by the Kyoto Protocol, by conducting in unison peaceful demonstrations around the world. The demonstration, or rallies, are intended to coincide with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), a meeting of world leaders from 189 nations, that meet annually to discuss climate change.

History

2005

In response to entering into force of the Kyoto Protocol, following ratification by Russia, on February 16, 2005, Global Day of Action rallies were first conducted on December 3, 2005 to coincide with the UNFCCC's First Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, or MOP 1, in Montreal, Canada. The following year on November 3 and 11, 2006, rallies were conducted again when the UNFCCC convened for the Second Meeting of Parties, or MOP 2, in Nairobi, Kenya.

Locations of demonstrations in 2005

  1. Sydney (Australia)
  2. Bangladesh
  3. Brazil
  4. Sofia (Bulgaria)
  5. Halifax (Canada) - organized by Zoë Caron, Co-author of Climate Change for Dummies, and Aliza Weller, Ecology Action Centre
  6. Montreal (Canada)
  7. Chile
  8. Congo (Democratic Republic of)
  9. Zagreb (Croatia)
  10. Helsinki (Finland)
  11. Paris (France)
  12. Berlin (Germany)
  13. Athens (Greece)
  14. Dublin (Ireland)
  15. Indonesia
  16. Italy
  17. Japan
  18. Mexico
  19. Wellington (New Zealand)
  20. Nicaragua
  21. Oslo (Norway)
  22. Peru
  23. Manila (Philippines)
  24. Lisbon (Portugal)
  25. Romania
  26. Moscow (Russia)
  27. South Africa
  28. Barcelona (Spain)
  29. Istanbul (Turkey)
  30. Uganda See more
  31. London (England)
  32. Edinburgh (Scotland)
  33. Belfast (Northern Ireland)
  34. United States
  35. Venezuela

2007

Protesters in Toronto, Canada
David Suzuki speaks at the 2007 event in Vancouver. The protester's sign denounces the Gateway Program.

The most recent Global Day of Action event, entitled Kyoto Now!, occurred on December 8, 2007 to coincide with the UNFCCC's conference, otherwise known as COP 13/MOP 3, convening Dec 3-14, 2007 in Bali, Indonesia. Numerous groups and coalitions, as well as independent grassroots efforts, were organized in over eighty countries worldwide to march in open rallies in support of this initiative. Chief among them was Campaign against Climate Change, Stop Climate Chaos and Greenpeace.

There were citizens in 84[1] countries - fifty more than the first year - participating in simultaneous rallies and marches around the world. Industrialized, G8 nations like Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, UK, and USA had multiple rallies - 36 in Canada alone - being planned in cities nationwide.

In Athens, a Saturday demonstration featured music, juggling and stilt-walking acts, with traffic being interrupted around Syntagma Square by the 102 organizations taking part[2] . In Taiwan, about 1,500 people marched through the streets holding banners and placards saying "No to carbon dioxide[3] ." Toronto activists also congested its main thoroughfare of Yonge Street, with an estimated 2000-3000 marchers,[4] although another report estimated 500.[5] Speaking at that event under a sunny sky, which began at Dundas Square, was NDP federal party leader Jack Layton, and an impassioned and well received speech, in both French and English, by 12-year-old Misha Hamu.[6] Elsewhere in Canada, a mock funeral was conducted in Edmonton,[7] where black-clad protesters sang songs and gave eulogies over a long black coffin, and David Suzuki spoke at a rally in Vancouver.

In Bangalore,[8] more than 1000 volunteers of Greenpeace descended on M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, dressed head to toe in yellow, holding up a large number of placards with climate messages, making human art formations and wearing fun masks. Greenpeace Southeast Asia,[9] Thailand celebrated their event by releasing their new edition of Save the Climate Handbook at Chatuchak weekend market, which also featured a demonstration clinic on solar energy. In Istanbul there was over 7000[10] participants rallying under a clear blue sky.

In Berlin, German ice sculpture artist Christian Funk, carved a polar bear out of 15 tons of ice in front of the Brandenburg Gate on December 7, 2007, in honor of the protest. Measuring 4m x 4m x 1.5m, it was on display all the following day as it slowly melted.[11] In London over 10,000[12] supporters turned out in the rain carrying placards denouncing a planned expansion at Heathrow Airport of a third runway.[13]

Locations of demonstrations in 2007

  1. Albania
  2. Andorra
  3. Argentina
  4. Australia
  5. Austria
  6. Bangladesh
  7. Belarus
  8. Belgium
  9. Benin
  10. Bermuda
  11. Bolivia
  12. Brazil
  13. Bulgaria
  14. Burundi
  15. Cameroon
  16. Canada
  17. Colombia
  18. Congo (DR)
  19. Costa Rica
  20. Croatia
  21. Czech Republic
  22. Denmark
  23. Egypt
  24. Finland
  25. France
  26. Germany
  27. Ghana
  28. Greece
  29. Guinea
  30. Iceland
  31. India
  32. Indonesia
  33. Ireland
  34. Italy
  35. Japan
  36. Jordan
  37. Kenya
  38. Lebanon
  39. Liberia
  40. Macedonia
  41. Malta
  42. Mexico
  43. Morocco
  44. Nepal
  45. Netherlands
  46. New Caledonia
  47. New Zealand
  48. Nicaragua
  49. Nigeria
  50. Northern Ireland
  51. Norway
  52. Pakistan
  53. Palestine
  54. Panama
  55. Paraguay
  56. Philippines
  57. Poland
  58. Portugal
  59. Puerto Rico
  60. Romania
  61. Russia
  62. Scotland
  63. Senegal
  64. Serbia
  65. Sierra Leone
  66. Singapore
  67. Slovenia
  68. South Africa
  69. South Korea
  70. Spain
  71. Sri Lanka
  72. Sweden
  73. Switzerland
  74. Taiwan
  75. Tanzania
  76. Thailand
  77. Togo
  78. Turkey
  79. Uganda
  80. Ukraine
  81. United Arab Emirates
  82. United Kingdom
  83. United States
  84. Uruguay

See also

References

  1. ^ "Global Climate Campaign". International Demonstrations on Climate Change. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  2. ^ "ANA-MPA © (2004-2005)". Action Against Climate Change rally in Athens. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  3. ^ "Brian Gray, Sun Media, 2007-12-02 © (2007), Canoe Inc". TO joins world for climate rally. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  4. ^ Estimate according to Toronto Police and Security Services measuring the percentage of Dundas Square being occupied at the time of the demonstration
  5. ^ TO joins world for climate rally: Protesters urge stronger action, By Brian Gray - Sun Media, Dec. 9, 2007
  6. ^ Activists gather in T.O. for climate change rally - toronto.ctv.ca
  7. ^ Mock funeral for Mother Earth - Edmonton Sun, Dec. 8, 2007
  8. ^ Greenpeace volunteers paint Chinnaswamy stadium yellow, December 8, 2007
  9. ^ Global Day of Action on climate change - Greenpeace
  10. ^ Global Action Group (KEG)
  11. ^ CBS News
  12. ^ Campaign against Climate Change
  13. ^ BBC News
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