GJEP Summer (Northern Hemisphere) Newsletter 2009
Information compiled by Ian Thomas Jansen-Lonnquist, Media and Campaigns Organizer, Global Justice Ecology Project
This e-newsletter provides a brief update both on GJEP's accomplishments since March and on our future plans. We appreciate any feedback. Let us know what you think by emailing us at contact@globaljusticeecology.org.
Newsletter Table of Contents
Global Justice Ecology Project Expands!
Take action!
Spotlight on GJEP Supporter
GJEP Photo of the Month
Climate-Connections Campaign Accomplishments
Stop GE Trees/Agrofuels Campaign Accomplishments
Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
New Voices on Climate Change Upcoming Events
Staff Changes
GJEP Press Releases
We appreciate your support,
we couldn't do this critical work without you!
Thanks especially to those of you who have replied to our most recent appeal,and to everyone who has given in the past year.
Look for our upcoming appeal in the mail, or if you are not on our mailing list, you can Donate Securely Now through our website. Thank you for your support!
Thanks to the following foundations for their ongoing support: Firedoll Foundation, Puffin Foundation and Patagonia. Thanks, too, to our Board of Directors.
Global Justice Ecology Project Expands!
West Coast Desk: In July, Global Justice Ecology Project opened a new west coast desk in The Ecology Center in Berkeley, CA. Our new New Voices on Climate Change Coordinator Hallie Boas is personing this new west coast desk, which is in the office of our Board member Karen Pickett.
Brazil Desk: Next month we are set to open a new desk in Porto Alegre, Brazil, which will be staffed by Camila Moreno, our Brazilian GE trees/ Agrofuels Advisor.
Join the Climate Change Pledge of Resistance (Climate CPR):
Global Justice Ecology Project is an initiating organization of the Climate CPR.
If so, then we are asking you to take a stand.
Join the Climate Pledge of Resistance (CPR for the Planet)
Sign Our Letter to the USDA Against GE Eucalyptus Trees
As Jim Hightower pointed out recently in his national commentary, the USDA's preliminary approval of ArborGen's petition to plant over a quarter of a million GE eucalyptus trees across seven Southern U.S. states is "irresponsible, dangerous and stupid." Sign our letter to the USDA demanding they reject ArborGen's dangerous plans.
Spotlight on Global Justice Ecology Project Supporter: Marion Leonard
To see all of our photos of the month visit our website
At the World Social Forum in Belem, Brazil. Photo:Langelle/GJEP-GFC
Climate-Connections Program Accomplishments:
The declaration which emerged from the summit called for a rejection of all GMOs from indigenous lands.
Indigenous Environmental Network's Jihan Gearon being interviewed by an ABC affiliate during the Indigenous Peoples Global Summit on Climate Change in Anchorage, Alaska. Gearon is also one of the New Vocies on Climate Change speakers. Photo:Langelle/GJEP-GFC
In preparation for this event, we helped edit the Indigenous Peoples' Guide to False Solutions to Climate Change, produced by IEN, Earth Peoples, and the Society for Threatened Peoples.
Mobilization for Climate Justice: GJEP was among the founding members of the Mobilization for Climate Justice and we also act as the group's fiscal sponsor. We are continuing our involvement in MCJ, helping with the fundraising and developing a plan of action for protests against the G-20 in Pittsburgh, September 24 and 25. For more information on the MCJ and the Pittsburgh protests, go to: www.actforclimatejustice.org
IFG meeting: Developing strategies going into Copenhagen, Washington, D.C. April 28-29 : Executive Director Anne Petermann was sponsored by the Global Forest Coalition to participate in this meeting, which was called by the International Forum on Globalization. It focused on developing strategies around the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen this December. Anne ensured that indigenous rights were included in the outcomes and strategies of the meeting.
Climate Justice Now! Meeting: Following the IFG meeting, Anne met with other Climate Justice Now! participants to discuss the advancement of CJN!, including developing a website and a timeline of events leading toward the UN Climate Convention in Copenhagen in December.
"The Global Fight for Climate Justice" Book Released June 2009: Anne and Orin Contributed a chapter to the "Building a Climate Emergency Movement" section, titled "Crisis, Challenge and Mass Action."
UN Climate Talks, Bonn, Germany, June 3-9: Co-Director/Strategist Orin Langelle participated in an intercessional meeting of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Bonn, Germany in early June, where he worked on media outreach for our allies at Global Forest Coalition. While there he took part in and did media for a protest which issued an "urgent call to end deforestation and conserve the world's forests"
Photo: Justin Francese Group shot at the SmartMeme's "The Pause" strategy and messaging retreat on climate justice.
SmartMeme Climate Justice Strategy & Messaging Retreat, Andover, NH June 29-July 2: Anne and Orin participated in this important climate justice retreat with key climate justice and environmental justice organizers from across the country. This event turned out to be critically important in advancing the goals of the Mobilization for Climate Justice.
People's Movement on Climate Change: Orin Langelle was invited to join the international Facilitation Group of the People's Movement on Climate Change (PMCC) and accepted in June.
University Lectures: Anne Petermann lectured at classes at the University of Vermont and the Community College of Vermont on the Growing climate justice movement and the Copenhagen mobilization.
Stop GE Trees and Agrofuels Campaign Accomplishments:
GE Trees on NPR's Living On Earth Program: Executive Director Anne Petermann was featured on NPR's Living on Earth Program in an interview devoted to the potential social and ecological impacts of genetically engineered trees. Listen to the interview.
Mobilization Against GE Eucalyptus Trees in the United States: This past spring, the STOP GE Trees Campaign learned that ArborGen, an international GE tree R&D company headquartered in the U.S., had submitted a request to the U.S. government to allow the planting of 260,000 GE cold-tolerant eucalyptus trees on 330 acres across seven states in the U.S. south. In May, The U.S. government issued its draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for this request, which recommended approval of the ArborGen's GE eucalyptus. During the 30 day comment period on the draft EA, which began on June 6, we mobilized people to submit comments to the USDA in opposition to these GE eucalyptus. By the end of the comment period, nearly 17,500 people had submitted comments against ArborGen's request. Only 39 comments in favor were received.
On August 6, Jim Hightower issued a commentary slamming the idea of GE eucalyptus plantations. This has greatly helped us raise awareness of this disastrous proposal across the country.
GE Trees Call to Action- Capitalizing off publicity generated from the Hightower commentary on GE Eucalyptus, GJEP issued an Action Alert encouraging people to call ArborGen's President and CEO Barbra Wells to tell her to get ArborGen GE eucalyptus trees out of the U.S. South and off the planet.
GE Strategy Meeting: Developing campaign to stop GE trees and agrofuels, Washington, DC April 30- May 1: Executive Director Anne Petermann attended this meeting, which was extremely useful to build the effort to stop the deregulation of GE eucalyptus trees for deployment in vast plantations across the U.S. southeast for cellulosic agrofuels and other uses. It was an excellent networking opportunity and built ties to the Center for Food Safety, which is coordinating the legal fight to keep GE eucalyptus from being commercialized.
UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, NY, NY May 18-29:
National Public Radio Interviews: Advance media work by Co-Director/Strategist Orin Langelle with reporters from National Public Radio's Living On Earth program resulted in a feature on the Permanent Forum and the concerns of Indigenous Peoples about the UN and World Bank schemes to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation (REDD). Listen to the Interview.
Mapuche woman protests genetically engineered trees in front of the Belgium Permanent Mission in New York, NY during the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Belgium had just legalized field trials of GE trees. Photo: Langelle/GJEP-GFC
GE Trees Protest, May 22:Anne and Orin organized a spontaneous protest at the Belgian Permanent Mission against the decision of the Belgian government to allow the development of a test plot of GE poplars for the future production of agrofuels. Indigenous Peoples from North and South America participated.
Indigenous Environmental Network REDD event, May 21: Petermann took part in an event discussing the forest-related impacts of REDD. She focused on the links between REDD and monoculture timber plantations including genetically engineered trees (GE trees or GMO trees). She also showed the film "A Silent Forest" about the social and ecological dangers of GE trees.
Participants at the REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) Capacity Building Training after the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York City. This training was sponsored by the International Alliance of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Tropical Forest, Indigenous Environmental Network and Global Forest Coalition. Photo: Langelle/GJEP-GFC
REDD Capacity Building Training for Indigenous Peoples, May 30: Petermann presented a detailed powerpoint about the threats of GE tree plantations to indigenous communities and the link to REDD during this capacity building training on REDD organized by Global Forest Coalition and the Indigenous Environmental Network.
GE Trees and Agrofuels: Presentations, Outreach & Writings:Anne Petermann wrote articles on the U.S. attempt to legalize the release of GE trees for World Rainforest Movement's Bulletin (May 2009), and Global Forest Coalition's Forest Cover (July 2009).
New Voices on Climate Change Upcoming Events:
On the Road to Copenhagen: New Voices on Climate Change Must be Heard: As fall approaches New Voices on Climate Change is moving forward in its attempt to reach a larger audience with the goal of broadening the climate debate by amplifying the voices of peoples around the world who are already being impacted by climate change. Some of the upcoming activities include:
- Speaking tours across North America throughout the fall and early winter in collaboration with Global Exchange, SpeakOut and the Mobilization for Climate Justice.
- Presentations at the G-20 meetings this September in Pittsburgh, PA; and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen, Denmark in December.
- A continual aggressive media campaign to ensure that new voices that promote climate justice are heard and not drowned out by corporate or governmental interests.
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