For real alternatives to preserve environmental balances and recognise climate justice, For a fair and sustainable future for all peoples

(Marrakech, November 17, 2016) We, the democratic and progressive social movements and organisations who struggle against the continuous destruction of the environment, closely followed the progress of the 22nd session of the conference of the parties (cop 22) held in Marrakech from 7 to 18 November whose organisers consider to be a ‘working conference’ or even ‘a conference for agriculture’. Having closely monitored the preparatory process of this summit and taking into consideration the context in which it is taking place, therefore, we have issued the following declaration:

1. This conference is held in an international context dominated by imperialism and capitalism which impose their modes of production and distribution as well as their consumption values. Consequently, the earth is currently suffering from a dangerous environmental situation, and the planet is heading towards an unavoidable catastrophe as the temperature on earth continues to rise to the extent that the necessary elements to ensure the survival of humanity may be destroyed forever.
2. The decision making process in this summit, as well as its antecedents, is still dominated by both the corporations responsible for pollution, and their supporting super-states. Accordingly, this summit will be another occasion to adopt insufficient and non-binding decisions and recommendations. It’s more about establishing fake mechanisms whose aim is to turn around and ignore our demands for the implementation of a real climate justice.
3. We consider that the approach employed at Marrakech summit in terms of climate justice is inadequate and unable to prevent this catastrophe for the reason that it favours the interests of the lobbies aiming at protecting the interests and profits of the multinationals and the polluting countries.
4. We consider that the UN’s incapability to make decisions to reduce the increasing rate of the temperature of the earth is a clear evidence of the international community’s incapacity. Hence, the necessity to change its mechanisms becomes crucial need in order to liberate it from the hands of the superpowers and lobbies who control its decisions and constitute an impediment to the establishment climate justice.
5. We consider that the aggravation of the Palestinian people suffering through overexploitation of their natural resources , the occupation of their lands, the theft of their water , and control of their food by the Israeli state and it’s institutions, is a flagrant evidence on the role of colonialism in destroying peoples’ environment and resources. Thus we strongly support the Palestinian people’s struggle to take back their  occupied lands and resources. We support the Palestinian people’s right to auto determinacy and call for the compensation of all peoples who have been subjected to colonialism, which destroyed their environment and stole their wealth, being an economic and ecological debt that the colonizers have to pay back.
6. Therefore, we consider that the real alternatives are those aiming at maintaining the environmental balances and achieving the prosperity of human beings regardless of capitalist profit and growth values. To achieve this goals, we call to:

• Link up climate justice with social justice as well as the respect of human rights and equality between women and men.
• Adopt progressive, political, economic, social and cultural alternatives based on the principle of unity of human being and nature. Alternatives which put an end to the existing capitalist and patriarchal system and protect the peoples’ right to self-determination.
• Implement a democratic and extensive agrarian reform which allows the peoples to have sovereignty over their natural resources and over their food on both the production and the distribution processes. An agrarian reform which guarantees the right of small farmers and landless workers to access to land and water resources.
• Adopt national and international regulations that deter polluting countries and companies at as well as guarantee the rights of all persons and regions affected by the devastating effects of global warming.
• Stop the extraction and exploitation of all forms of fossil fuel for their major role in increasing the temperature of the earth. Besides, stop carbon trade which is a cover to continue undermining the rights of the peoples in the countries of the south, particularly the working class, small farmers, women, migrants and indigenous peoples.

Therefore, we, the democratic and social movements and organisations signing this declaration, consider that the implementation of those alternatives as well as other solutions aiming at putting an end to the greedy dominating capitalist logic, can become true only by united international and national struggles which make the power balance in favour of the peoples.

Therefore, we call upon all forces struggling against the destruction of the environment and against all forms of imperialist domination to build and international united front against this dominance and its implications on all levels as well as its mechanisms of financial, political and economic control over the international decision making as well as the fate of the peoples. A front that fights for the implementation of real solutions and alternatives which will establish a world free from carbon trade, free from poverty and exploitation, a world of fair and sustainable development.

Long live the peoples united, in solidarity and in struggle for human emancipation

Marrakech November 17^th 2016 

Signatories

• Federation Nationale du Secteur Agricole: MAROC
• La via Campesina (LVC): International Peasant Movement
• REDACOP22: Democratic network for accompanying cop22
• ATTA Morocco
• Association of Million Rural Women: TUNISIE
• Union of Agricultural Work Committees. PALESTINE
• La Confederation Paysanne: FRANCE
• Indonesia Traditional Fisher folk Union:  INDONESIA
• People’s health movement: MOROCCO
• The World Social forum for Health and social Security
• Collective for the Right to Health in Morocco
• Moroccan Association for Human Rights
• National Education Federation – Democratic tendency: FNE Morocco

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