Hungering for Climate Justice
“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.” Albert Schweitzer
Six months ago I went through a period of depression that was probably the lowest I’ve felt, for a sustained period of time, in forty years. The reason? It was what was happening back in April, May and June in the House of Representatives as they worked to put together comprehensive legislation to address the climate crisis. For two months or more, as it became clear that the legislation was going to be nowhere near what was needed, perhaps even worse than no legislation at all, each day became a struggle to find the energy to keep going.
Why I’m Fasting for Climate Justice
My name is Sara Svensson, and I'm from Sweden. Today is my 25th birthday, but I'm not eating birthday cake this year.
I’ve been involved in different kinds of climate activism for most of my life. I studied International Project Management for Social Movements and NGOs, combined with environmental science.
I have committed to participate in Climate Justice Fast, an international hunger strike for climate justice. From today and until we meet again in Copenhagen, I will be eating nothing and drinking only water.
Canberra, Day 2
Today was a nice day in the warm Australia Sun outside Parliament House in Canberra. Kamrul Khan, the director of the Bangladesh Environment Network Australian chapter, came down and fasted for the day in solidarity with us, and kept us amazed with stories of fighting for independence and being a political prisoner as a youth in Bangladesh. We are all inspired, and full of hope.
(Below is the statement the Canberra CJF participants prepared together for the media)
Bangladeshi CJF Solidarity: Kamrul Khan
Kamrul Khan, the director of the Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN) Australian chapter, discusses his reasons for fasting in solidarity with CJF.
Banladesh is one of the nations worst affected by climate change.
You can see the video of this interview with Kamrul Khan by clicking 'read more'.
Do extreme actions ‘alienate the mainstream’?
As one of the organizers of what many consider to be quite an extreme action, I have often been confronted with the opinion that extreme actions ‘alienate the mainstream’, and by so doing harm the formation of a broad-based social movement. In fact, the truth may be quite the opposite.
