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Do climate protests make a difference? |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
 
Here's a future essay topic in the making. ‘Compare and contrast the impact of internet activism and mass demonstrations on the 2007 Bali climate talks'. We'll soon have a chance to do just that, as the innovative global campaigning organisation Avaaz has launched an ‘emergency global petition' which aims to collect 100,000 signatures before Friday. They state:
"We call urgently for the US, Canada
and Japan
to stop blocking serious 2020 targets for emissions reductions, and for the
rest of the world to refuse to accept anything less." This new petition follows the protests around the world last Saturday under the banner of the ‘Global Day of Action'. Avaaz were again heavily involved, providing an interactive map of demonstrations, presenting a 545,000 person petition to the UN conference, and helping organise an artistic action on a Bali beach. The Global Climate Coalition information hub provides a brief report on the success of protests around the world:
Actions were held on every continent except
for Antarctica, showing a global will for
action on climate change. Some nations emerged for the first time as centres of
climate activism. In Nepal,
3,000 demonstrated. In Africa, 2,000 Ugandans took to the streets of Kampala and 500 Senegalese marched in Dakar. Over 1,000 mobilized in Delhi and 400 in Bhopal
while hundreds participated in smaller events across India.
Established nations mobilized in force once again, with over 7,000 in London, 10,000 in Germany, 10,000 in Taiwan and 4,000 in Belgium. 3,000 attended a demonstration in Toronto and 600 in Vancouver while there were 30 actions throughout Canada. 6,000 people marched in Athens in response to this year's catastrophic forest fires. Now, when it comes to an impact on government negotiating positions, will these marches have made a difference? In terms of the numbers of participants, these efforts come nowhere close to the turnout for the ‘Stop the War' demonstrations of 2003. London alone saw over 1 million people on its streets back then, but even that couldn't provoke a change in heart from the UK's political leaders. What hope now for the global climate demonstrators? | | | | | | | |
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