DURBAN - While the
clock ticks on climate action, COP17 runs into overtime hours. It may turn out
that today is not the last day of COP17 -- but the significance of Human Rights
Day underscores the urgency. "The ties between climate and social
justice are incontrovertible," said Green Leader Elizabeth May who
has been attending the negotiations. "The people most affected by
climate change are those who are already most
vulnerable.
Climate-related drought and flooding will have a severe impact on food
supplies and for those already struggling, rising food costs will be a
major blow."
"Millions of
poor people were depending on world leaders to make progress on the
climate crisis in Durban. Canada has abandoned the rest of the world by refusing
to engage in emission reductions and stalling on providing funding to
assist poor nations. As an industrialized country that has caused our
share of climate
change, we have a moral obligation to ensure that the world's vulnerable
people have at least their basic human rights to clean water, food and
shelter," said Joe Foster, Green Human rights Critic.
Despite having
their funding cut by the federal government, well-respected Canadian
social justice group KAIROS has been active in Durban, calling for "the
COP 17 negotiators to act with compassion and care towards all people in
the world." They point out that already, 300,000 people perish every
year due to climate change.
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Media
Contact:
Rebecca Harrison
media@greenparty.ca
613-614-4916