The scientific consensus is clear about the cause of this rapidly changing climate, – and the solution. – The world needs immediate action from the world’s wealthiest countries to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and put an end to the exploitation of Mother Earth. The Trudeau Liberal government is not acting on this critical call. Despite the obvious signs of urgency, the government of Canada has continued business-as-usual policies of climate destruction that put the interests of oil and gas corporations above the urgent needs of poor, working and oppressed people. People in Canada need money for healthcare, education, housing, and social justice, not more oil pipelines, frackedgas operations, offshore oil drilling and mega-dams that destroy the planet and trample on Indigenous rights. In British Columbia, the BC NDP Government of David Eby has also continued with climate destructive policies, especially in their cutting down of vital old-growth forests and the expansion of the frackedgas (so-called “natural gas”) industry.
In the face of this destruction and the ongoing repression and brutality against Indigenous land defenders and climate activists, the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion (TMX) and the Coastal GasLink pipeline are facing growing opposition. Throughout the spring, Climate Convergence Metro Vancouver continued organizing and mobilizing to build a more united and stronger climate justice movement locally and internationally, with actions such as:
April 19 – Climate Convergence central organizer Alison Bodine moderated a dynamic and engaging panel discussion following a successful showing of the film “Coextinction” organized by Reel Causes, Protect the Planet Stop TMX, Ecojustice, and Story Money Impact in Vancouver.
May 5 – No TMX & CGL Pipelines! RCMP Out Of Wet’suwet’en Land! Intersection protest action at the intersection of Lougheed Highway & Willingdon Avenue in Burnaby.
May 7 - May Day FreeSkool. Climate Convergence Workshop “Building the Struggle for Mother Earth with an Anti-Capitalist Perspective” with Alison Bodine, who is a central organizer of Climate Convergence Metro Vancouver, a board member of the West Coast Climate Action Network (WE-CAN) and has written extensively on the climate crisis and organizing for climate justice.
May 23 – Stop the TMX & CGL Pipelines! People and Planet Before Pipelines and Profit! Banner Drop over Highway 1 in New Westminster/Coquitlam.
June 7 – Stop the TMX Pipeline! Climate Justice Tabling & Outreach for Hug Burnaby Mountain at the intersection of Broadway and Commercial Drive in Vancouver.
June 18 – Hug Burnaby Mountain! A dynamic afternoon on Burnaby Mountain demonstrating our unity against the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion(TMX). Organized with Protect the Planet Stop TMX, 350 Vancouver, BC Greens, BROKE, Decolonial Solidarity, Doctors for Planetary Health, Force of Nature Alliance, Georgia Straight Alliance, On2Ottawa, Sierra Club, Sue Big Oil, URXR Vancouver.
Ongoing – Climate Convergence also supports the ongoing Decolonial Solidarity “Adopt-a-Branch” actions against the CGL pipeline and in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en land defenders. These actions are held at RBC bank branches across the Lower Mainland. On the first and third Tuesday of each month, there is an action supported by Climate Convergence at the RBC branch at 6th Avenue and 7th Street in New Westminster. Building a consistent, creative, and effective climate justice movement that is ready to fight for “System Change, Not Climate Change!” is more necessary than ever before. Climate Convergence holds an organizing meeting twice a month, and all people interested in joining the fight for climate justice are encouraged to attend. For information and to get involved in Climate Convergence, visit climateconvergence.ca, on Twitter and Facebook: @climate604 and on Instagram: @climateconvergence.
Follow Alison on Twitter: @Alisoncolette
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