Butterfly Protests and Insurrectionary Imagination in Praha, #ExtinctionRebellion propels climate emergency declaration in New York City #ClimateCRISIS #ClimateACTION

Word from the street in  Praha.

butterfly protests praha

lennon wall praha

 system change not climate change

On my way back to the USA after attending the largest protest in Prague since 1989, it's great to see the world is hearing us. NYC declares a#climateemergency! The people of Hong Kong are defending their autonomy.

#ExtinctionRebellion writes:

. “’Mayor DeBlasio! Declare a climate emergency!’ This climate rebel formed part of a group of 62 brave and beautiful souls who were arrested in NYC on Wednesday morning after blocking one of the busiest roadways in the USA in a mass die-in to call attention to the crisis that is climate change and demand action.”

#ExtinctionRebellion # #InternationalRebellionWeek #XRNYC #XRUS#rebelspring

On my way to Prague, I got an email from my friend Peter stating:

“23 will be a great day for the country. There will be perhaps the biggest anti-government demonstration in Prague since 1989. For more details about its context see eg. this post in The Guardian. You can also check the website of the organizing movement. We thought that it is a great coincidence with respect to the topic of our conference! The demonstration starts at 4:30pm and takes place in the Letna Park….” Will accompanied me to the big rally Sunday in Letna Park Letná, 170 00 Praha 7, Czechia. The former Communist apparatchik from  Slovakia, Anjre Babiš was on  everyone’s mind. Background:

“SUMMER!

IT'S ON US
Andre Babis's multiple conflict of interests is totally unacceptable.

THAT WE REQUEST: 

1 / Adoption of Independence Insurance Policy + Demisi Marie Beneš! 

2 / Agrofert will return any unduly received subsidies. 

3 / End of subsidies, tax reliefs, investment incentives and government contracts for Agrofert. 

4 / Andrej Babiš gets rid of the media. 

5 / Demise of Andrej Babiš.

That is why we will fill 11/6 squares all over the country on Tuesday (except Prague). Therefore, on Sunday 23/6 at 16:30 we will meet at Letná Plain.

MOMENT FOR RESIGNATION

We, the undersigned,

consider it unacceptable that 70 years after the Communist coup and 29 years after the Velvet Revolution, the country's prime minister, a StB agent, was the prime minister of our country. We won't do that it's normal. We want Andrej Babiš to resign!”

“Biggest Czech protest since 1989 calls for PM's resignation” reported the Guardian.

“About 120,000 in Prague call on Andrej Babiš to quit over alleged conflicts of interest.”

Robert Tait in Prague

On the way to the demo, we saw families, kids, people with blankets, signs, beer.

At the park, some guys had set up a rave.

Others were playing hockey.

And something like 250,000 were there to condemn Babiš.

“Is he  worse than Trump?” I asked one women.

“Well Trump has more influence.  But they are the same kinds of people.  He lies.  He was a communist.  He steals. And he lies about his stealing.”

Creative signs were  everywhere.

Kids and parents with pictures of butterflies, referring to a gaf by  the prime minister.

“Babiska Kriminal,” noted another.

Home made signs  everywhere.

The  level of corruption seems very familiar for the USA.

But this has warranted repeated mass rallies.

The picture looks very very different here.

People are paying attention.

Others hanging with their families, drinking beer.

“It’s a very Prague style protest,” notes another man.

A young man is selling t shirts for a school project.

We talk about the Velvet Revolution.

“I  was twenty when it went down.  All I was worried about was getting a girlfriend and people here were starting a revolution in the streets.”

“We celebrate every November 17^th,” he told me.

He wasn’t sure they’d get rid of the prime minister but he hoped they could.”

“He only cares about himself,” he told me.

“Like our president.”

So the people are out here to remind them, he works for them.

The spirit of play was everywhere.

Follow the kids to the rally. DJ's playing. Beer pouring. Discussions everywhere. We've got to learn about how to run a good demo from the people of Praha. Follow the kids to the rally.

The day before New Yorkers had been out trying to get the world to pay attention.

Todd Fernandez todd350nyc@gmail.com wrote:

EXTINCTION REBELLION.

I am proud to be a part of this remarkable group of organizer-activists. I was also arrested yesterday, which is the easy part, but then 3 painful hours in handcuffs as they took FOREVER to process us, one at a time, with only ONE person doing in-take, on paper. The officers were really nice, and the time in jail was a bonding blessing with incredible men (the ladies were in another cell). The message to the media is that this unbelievable emergency requires MUCH MORE emphatic truth telling, suitable to saving Earth from ecological disaster, which is happening so fast, it may be too late very soon. It's time to outlaw pollution - it's that simple - or suffer the unimaginable. The NY Times is doing good coverage, but nothing compared to what the emergency warrants, or everyone would be in panic action mode. It's time to panic! (The banner says "Climate Emergency = Mass Murder").

#OutlawPOLLUTION #ClimateEMERGENCY #ClimateCrimesAgainstHumanity

Let's get these everywhere!

NEW YORK CITY

CLIMATE EMERGENCY RESOLUTION

Res. No. 864-A

Resolution declaring a climate emergency and calling for an immediate emergency mobilization to restore a safe climate.

By Council Members Kallos, Constantinides, Lander, Reynoso, Levin, Espinal, Koslowitz, Powers, Chin, Rosenthal, Barron and Rivera

Whereas, On April 22, 2016, world leaders from 174 countries and the European Union recognized the threat of climate change and the urgent need to combat it by signing the Paris Agreement, agreeing to keep global warming well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C; and

Whereas, On October 8, 2018, the United Nations International Panel on Climate Change (“IPCC”) released a special report, which projected that limiting warming to the 1.5°C target this century will require an unprecedented transformation of every sector of the global economy over the next 12 years; and

Whereas, On November 23, 2018, the United States Fourth National Climate Assessment (“NCA4”) was released and details the massive threat that climate change poses to the American economy, our environment and climate stability, and underscores the need for immediate action to address a climate emergency at all levels of government; and

Whereas, According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), global temperatures in 2018 were .83°C (1.5°F) warmer than the 1951 to 1980 mean, and the past five years are collectively the warmest in modern history; and

Whereas, The increased and intensifying wildfires, floods, rising seas, diseases, droughts and extreme weather brought on by global warming demonstrates that the Earth is too hot to be a safe environment; and

Whereas, World Wildlife Fund’s 2018 Living Planet report finds that there has been a 60% decline in global wildlife populations between 1970 and 2014, with causes including overfishing, pollution and climate change;

Whereas,  According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, human activity has already severely altered 40% of the marine environment, 50% of inland waterways, and 75%  of the planet’s land, and it is projected that half-to-one million species are threatened with extinction, many within the next few decades; and

Whereas, The United States of America has disproportionately contributed to the climate emergency and has repeatedly obstructed global efforts to transition toward a green economy, and thus bears an extraordinary responsibility to rapidly address these existential threats; and

Whereas, Restoring a safe and stable climate requires accelerated actions to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors to end the 6th mass extinction of species, and to protect all people and species from the increasingly severe consequences of climate change; and

Whereas, A sweeping transition to clean energy systems that centers on equity and justice in their solutions is vital to our future and must include the following goals: dramatically expand existing renewable power sources and deploy new production capacity with the goal of meeting 100% of national power demand through renewable sources; build a national, energy-efficient, “smart” grid; upgrade every residential and industrial building for state-of-the-art energy efficiency, comfort and safety; eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from  manufacturing, agricultural and other industries, including by investing in local-scale agriculture in communities across the country; repair and improve transportation and other infrastructure, and upgrade water infrastructure to ensure universal access to clean water; fund massive investment in the decrease of greenhouse gases; make “green” technology, industry, expertise, products and services a major export of the United States, with the aim of becoming the international leader in helping other countries become greenhouse gas neutral economies and bringing about a global transition from fossil fuels; and

Whereas, Marginalized populations in New York City and worldwide, including people of color, immigrants, indigenous communities, low-income individuals, people with disabilities, and the unhoused are already disproportionately affected by climate change, and will continue to bear an excess burden as temperatures increase, oceans rise, and disasters worsen; and

Whereas, Addressing climate change fairly requires transitioning from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy that is ecologically sustainable and equitable for all people, especially those most impacted by climate change already and those who will be most impacted in the future; and

Whereas, People around the world have a fundamental human right to clean, healthy and adequate air, water, land, food, education, healthcare, and shelter; and                  

Whereas, The economy must shift from dirty energy that benefits fossil fuel companies to energy democracy that benefits our people, environment and a clean, renewable energy economy, from funding new highways to expanding public transit, from incinerators and landfills to zero waste products, from industrial food systems to food sovereignty, from car-dependent sprawl and destructive unbridled growth to smart urban development without displacement, and from destructive over-development to habitat and ecosystem restoration; and

Whereas, Building a society that is resilient to the current, expected, and potential effects of climate change will protect health, lives, ecosystems, and economies, and such resilience efforts will have the greatest positive impact if the most dramatic potential consequences of climate change are taken into account; and

Whereas, Climate justice calls for climate resilience planning that addresses the specific experiences, vulnerabilities, and needs of marginalized communities within New York  City, who must be included and supported in actively engaging in climate resilience planning, policy, and actions; and

Whereas, Actions to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and/or decrease greenhouse gases may be taken in ways that also improve resilience to the effects of climate change, and vice versa; and

Whereas, Climate justice requires that frontline communities that have historically borne the brunt of the extractive fossil-fuel economy, participate actively in the planning and implementation of this mobilization effort to address climate change at all levels of government and that they benefit first from the transition to a renewable energy economy; and

Whereas, Nearly 400 cities, districts and counties across the world representing over 34 million people collectively have recently declared or officially acknowledged the existence of a global climate emergency, including Hoboken, San Francisco, Berkeley, Los Angeles, Montgomery County, Oakland, Richmond, and Santa Cruz in the United States, Bristol and London in the United Kingdom and many cities in Australia, Canada, and Switzerland; and

Whereas, New York City, as the largest city in the   United States, can act as a global leader by both converting to an ecologically, socially, and economically regenerative economy at emergency speed, and by organizing a transition to renewable energy and climate emergency mobilization effort;now, therefore, be it

Resolved, The City Council declares a climate emergency and calls for an immediate emergency mobilization to restore a safe climate.

#ClimateCRISIS #ClimateACTION

Guardian:  Arrests at protest over New York Times' 'unacceptable' climate coverage

HuffPost: Police Arrest 70 Climate Change Protesters Outside New York Times

 CBS: 70 climate change protesters arrested outside of New York Times building

CNN: 70 people were arrested at a climate protest outside The New York Times offices

New York City, Will Be Largest City to Declare a Climate Emergency, 

New York City made history as the largest city in the world to declare a climate emergency. On Wednesday, June 26th at 1pm, New York City Council will hold a full council vote on Resolution 0864-2019 (“Resolution declaring a climate emergency and calling for immediate emergency mobilization to restore a safe climate.”) The resolution was introduced by Council Member Ben Kallos and Environmental Protection Committee Chair Costa Constantinides and passed the Committee on Environmental Protection Monday, June 24th. This declaration is a critical first step toward acknowledging the Climate and Ecological Crisis and moving toward a just transition for New York City to become carbon neutral. October 2018’s IPCC Special Report on Global Warming shows that implementation must begin immediately - only rapid, drastic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and systemic changes will prevent global climate catastrophe. “This declaration of a climate emergency by the New York City Council is an urgently needed move toward speaking truthfully in public about the undeniable empirical reality of global climate breakdown,” said Rory Varrato, spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion.“In the face of this grim reality, major world cities can and must show how this dire planetary crisis can be addressed through local action. By doing so, these cities will become catalysts for the kinds of just, transformational changes we must enact if organized human life on Earth is to persist beyond the short term.” The impacts of further planetary heating include droughts, food and water shortage, crop failures, mass displacement, and increasingly powerful storms, wildfires and floods, both in the US and abroad. Further, a May 6th United Nations report predicts the extinction of over one million plant and animal species due to human-caused climate change and habitat loss. This will impact every species on this planet, including human beings, in ways we cannot yet predict. "We are in the midst of a climate crisis," says Councilmember Ben Kallos, who introduced the resolution authored by partner organizations. "New York must take bold steps in protecting its citizens, or we will suffer more sea level rise, more climate injustices and more Hurricane Sandy's. We must face the climate crisis head on and look at the overall systemic issues that have put us here, as that is the only way to fully confront the issues.” “New York City knows too well that we are in a climate crisis,” said Constantinides. “Declaring a climate emergency solidifies that New York City stands ready to fight the effects of this phenomenon. Such a move only reinforces the importance of the City Council’s Climate Mobilization Act, and will drive us to pass more meaningful legislation that gets real justice for communities shouldering environmental burdens for too long.” The lack of any serious climate crisis response in Washington makes it essential that the nation’s major cities take the lead. Here in New York City, already devastated by Hurricane Sandy, we must recognize the magnitude of the climate and ecological crisis. We must focus on reducing emissions; shifting to clean, safe renewables; protecting frontline communities; lowering all around consumption; and protecting biodiversity of all species of animals and plants. But first we must clearly name the problem. New York can and should go further and educate its citizens about the climate crisis. By passing the historic Climate Mobilization Act, the Council has already taken an important step toward reducing the city’s carbon emissions. Now the Council must invest in climate resiliency, educate the public on the ecological breakdown, and decarbonize all industries in NYC through safe, clean energy that does not disrupt existing ecosystems. “If we want to stop climate catastrophe, we have to tell the truth," says Ash Sanders, a member of Extinction Rebellion's Legislative Working Group, "and the truth is that we have ten years to transform our consumer behavior, our economy, and our culture to preserve life on earth. By declaring a climate emergency, the city is taking a major step in that process, marshalling its considerable resources to ensure a just, livable future for all.” New York’s stated goal of zero emissions by 2050 is far too late and would take us to the last fraction of the last second. We need to get to net zero greenhouse gas emissions in 10 years or less, establish a Climate Resiliency Department, and establish mechanisms for participatory democracy in deciding a path forward. A problem the size of the climate crisis calls for bold solutions that are led by the people on the ground dealing with the issues. Both Ireland and the United Kingdom have jump-started their climate mobilization through a climate emergency declaration. New York should follow suit: by declaring a climate emergency and making a public commitment to mobilize all sectors and industries toward a just, resilient, safe, clean, carbon-free economy, this resolution will acknowledge the future we face and build on the growing momentum in New York City (and within the State Government) for climate justice.