GLOBAL WARNING: COP7 IN MARRAKECH SEEKS TO PRIVATISE THE ATMOSPHERE

In Morocco between October 29th and November 9th, world leaders, big business and NGOS will create a new commodity - air. Instead of making real changes to the root causes of climate change such as dependency on fossil fuels and an unsustainable economic model, they plan to buy and sell pollution on the open market. Good business sense, but not good common sense.
After the last climate talks in Bonn, the beaten and exhausted Kyoto protocol trembled, a shadow of its former self. Business lobbyists finally got to smoke their celebratory cigars, anticipating the opportunities given to them by the vast potential of carbon trading, an estimated turnover of 13 trillion US dollars a year. After ten years the stage has finally been set for the money to start rolling in, with the actual nature of the catastrophe and its impact on humanity and all life reduced to a mere bit part, a sideline, a symbolic theme.
The privatisation of the atmosphere and the trade in greenhouse gases will not only do nothing to address the problems of climate change; it will also reinforce the structural economic inequalities between the North and the South. Attention on some of the lesser-known bad-guys, like the international accountancy firms that are planning to facilitate the trade in emissions (PricewaterhouseCoopers, Arthur Andersons etc.) is vital.
By concentrating our energies on local actions rather than mobilising to go to Marrakech communities can get more involved in the struggle for climate justice. This is a crucial moment. The terrorist attacks against the US on September 11th have created a vacuum where there were valid criticisms of the corporate-led climate talks. If we let the actions of terrorists take away our critical voice then we too lost something precious that horrific day. The fact remains that the issue of climate change fundamentally connects some the main concerns today ? the environment and our planet and the social and economic inequalities of the people who inhabit it.
And thus the next scene looms in Morocco; the spotlight finally shining on what was the secret star of the show all along - enough depressing predictions - let the games begin! Carbon trading is on the table - what are the rules, and how do we make people comply? Come on, there?s money to be made!
We must take action to show that trading in pollution is not a solution.
Contact info@risingtide.nl for more information and/or to order COP7 local mobilisation posters or see www.risingtide.nl for more information about climate change and download your own poster and funky stickers to use in your actions.
Some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
*Thin blue line - find out the sea-level rise or flood level predictions for your area (Met office, Environment agency) and paint/chalk this level in blue around town, on council buildings, petrol stations, etc. Accompany this with posters/leaflets explaining the line and forecasted impacts of extreme weather
*Street Theatre: a marriage between the atmosphere and big business, future news and weather report, a carbon auction or carbon casino
*Declare Anytown a car-free zone, have street parties reclaiming space normally consumed by cars, make ?wanted? posters in car parks for ?crimes against the biosphere? with pictures of cars, take over streets with masses of people on bikes
*Target the local branches of international accountancy firms like PricewaterhouseCoopers and Arthur Andersons
*Do a 90% for 90% action - see www.risingtide.org.uk
*Fix up some bikes (universities and stations are good places to ask for leftovers) and set up a local free bike scheme
*Paint cycle lanes or ?think bike? signs on the road
*Office occupations of companies not reducing emissions or part of increasing emissions (airlines largest culprit)
*Plough up a motorway and create a park!
*Campaign for not-for profit public transport
*Floods on the news? Set hosepipes on offices of oil and airline companies
*Create virtual reality images of climate chaos future in your region/town
*Flyer cars with ?violation? tickets explaining their environmental costs, or with fish containing messages/website addresses
*"Climate chaos ahead" road signs on all rush-hour approaches to town