http://www.climatejusticefast.com/index.php/blog/ en paulrobertconnor@gmail.com Copyright 2010 2010-07-07T17:03:55+00:00 http://www.climatejusticefast.com/blog/entry/saras-press-conference-speech-8-december/ http://www.climatejusticefast.com/blog/entry/saras-press-conference-speech-8-december/#When:20:54:37Z My name is Sara Svensson, I'm 25 years old and I'm from Sweden. Today is my 33rd day of Climate Justice Fast. For over a month I've been eating no food at all, drinking only water. It has certainly not been easy. I get colder than usual, my body is physically weaker, and every day requires a lot of self-discipline to keep going.  On the other hand, this fast is also very empowering. My mind is clear, I'm focused and peaceful. I feel that there's nothing more important I could do with my life than to undertake strong personal action to ensure the survival of humanity and all life on earth.   This experience has opened my eyes and given me a better understanding for the daily reality of many less privileged people in our world. I'm now more committed than ever to do everything I can to prevent food shortages and other severe catastrophes that climate change may bring to millions more, if we allow it to continue.   To stop climate change and create a sustainable and just world will require total comittment from every individual on earth. It may seem impossible, but it's not. For me it seemed impossible to go without food for a month, but it was not.   Climate Justice Fast has inspired thousands of people. We're spreading hope and belief in positive change. Thanks to all the feedback and support we get, my sacrifice seems minimal.   A one-planet lifestyle with enough resources for everyone will mean a totally different way of life. It means a whole new way of thinking, planning and doing things. But this new reality is not at all less desirable.   In the sustainable future we will be happier than today, have more time for family, community, personal relationships. Instead of material consumption there will be much more creativitiy and space for healthy activities like dancing, sports, and leisure time in nature. It will bring us joy and fill us with love while connecting us more to mother earth and to each other.   Here, at COP15, we now have the biggest opportunity we've ever had for this necessary positive shift to happen. I'm full of expectations and hope for what political and cultural shifts Copenhagen will bring.   For COP15 to be a success, we need a lot of effort from our world leaders. We need and expect them not to waste this chance. We ask them to be courageous, to look beyond what may be ”politically pragmatic” and instead show real bold leadership. Take scientifically sound decisions with the long-term interests of the world's population and future generations in mind. Provide real outcomes right here and now, without further delay.   We ask our world leaders here to please not disappoint us. Our fast is a demonstration that people are ready for change. Give us the deal we need for survival and give us the political tools to transform our world. We are ready, and we will! 2009-12-08T20:54:37+00:00 http://www.climatejusticefast.com/blog/entry/interfaith-climate-prayer/ http://www.climatejusticefast.com/blog/entry/interfaith-climate-prayer/#When:21:03:34Z Today, the Conference of Youth (COY) started in Copenhagen. COY is a preparation conference for youth from all over the world who have come together to participate in COP15. The energy I got from meeting all of them made day 30 of Climate Justice Fast one of my best days ever! In the opening session of COY, Climate Justice Fast participants gave an interfaith climate prayer on stage to give all youth the strength to do our best during the two coming weeks and believe in real change. Here is the text of the prayer:  We offer this prayer to the spirit that binds us all together as humanity, whatever name this spirit may take in our individual faiths or spiritual system or beliefs.   We offer this prayer to our mother earth, and also to the shared spirit and the very core ethic of this great movement for positive change.   We know and deeply understand that our planet, our mother, is in a state of crisis and emergency. Her boundaries and rules have been pushed far beyond reason, she has not been respected, and for this we offer the deepest penance and apology. We offer our promise that we will work as hard as we can to rectify these past wrongs and to bring justice – climate justice – into being.   Therefore, we pray that all world citizens: may strive to educate themselves and that they are able to be educated.   We pray that they find the wisdom to welcome new knowledge and ideas with opennessm redefine their values, challenge their lifestyles, and continually reassess their goals in life.   We pray that they will broaden their perspectives, gain global consciousness and act in solidarity with brothers and sisters from all background. Feel connected with each other, with nature itself and our planet.   We pray that they will look for the truth and join the growing global movement for change, that will bring us all into a sustainable future. We pray that world leaders: will find the strength to fulfill their responsibility to lead, to reflect what science tells us is necessary, and at all times act with the long-term interests of their populations and future generations in mind.   We pray that they may find the strength to be courageous, stepping outside of what may be ”politically pragmatic” or ”politically possible”, to instead take action and show real leadership that is bold and necessary. Finally, we pray that in order to bring these changes into being, all of us, the people in this room and all of the people who are part of this beautiful movement all around the world, may find the courage to always speak the truth and to do so loudly,   that we may act without fear,   and that we may have the confidence of knowing that our vital work is the truth, and that it is in the best interests of all people and all peoples, all nations, in the best interest of all species of mother earth, and of nature itself, and in the best interests of all future generations. Amen. (Latin for ´I agree´) 2009-12-05T21:03:34+00:00 http://www.climatejusticefast.com/blog/entry/why-im-fasting-for-climate-justice/ http://www.climatejusticefast.com/blog/entry/why-im-fasting-for-climate-justice/#When:21:31:47Z 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.   The end date of the fast is still open. When I break the fast depends on what happens in the climate negotiations and in the world. The only thing I can guarantee is that I will end the fast if our demands are met. Climate change is the defining issue for my generation. Previous generations did not understand the problem, and for future generations it will be too late to do something about it. It is up to us. I'm undertaking this fast out of love. Love for life, for our beautiful planet with all its species and future generations. There's nothing more important I can do in my life than to contribute in the strongest possible way, with full devotion, to set an end to climate change and injustice and be part of the movement that will lead us to a sustainable future. I'm showing how much I care. How much I'm willing to risk, how much I'm prepared to offer. How deeply devoted I am to this cause. I hope that it will inspire others and help the necessary shift to happen. I love life and health, but I'm willing to risk it to secure the survival of others. Food is good, chewing is fun and I will miss jumping around full of energy. It will not be easy to abstain from something as essential as food. Still, my personal sacrifice is nothing compared to the suffering of the hundreds of thousands of people who already die from climate change each year, and the many millions of people who would be suffering in the years to come if we would fail to solve climate change. Voluntarily abstaining from food is not easy, but it's possible. Solving climate change is also not an easy task, but it's possible, and we will. This is the right thing to do at the right time. Turn to essentials, turn to emotions. The pure, the true, the real. Touch hearts. Push the limits, move on to the next level. I will enjoy this peaceful time to reflect while others are busy. We will focus on the big picture while COP15 gets lost and stuck in a thousand details. Now is the time to mobilise the movement for change. We call on all people to get involved in the climate movement. We know the science. Educate yourself. Think about what's most important? Change your mindset. Your goal in life can't be a comfortable life where you consume everything you want. Widen your perspective. Think of the invisible consequences behind your actions. Challenge yourself. No specific person is to blame. There's no single enemy responsible for causing the problem. Yet climate change is happening, and it’s deeply unjust and immoral. With knowledge comes responsibility. We ask every single person on this planet to seek for solutions within themselves, and find the courage to act with global consciousness. Hunger striking is a positive act of humble nonviolence that we are undertaking as extremely concerned citizens. Judging from the support we are getting, a lot of people feel the same way. We're not only in a climate crisis, but also a democracy crisis. We must highlight the failure of our democracies to reflect the best interests and opinions of their population. Many species throughout history have polluted, consumed or overpopulated themselves into extinction. But if we as humanity fail to solve the climate crisis, we may well become the first species who has done so in full knowledge and awareness of its own actions. I believe in humanity, we can't be that stupid. Climate change is an opportunity to redefine our common values, and to create the just and sustainable world that most people everywhere want. The world is ready for change. This is the start of the sustainability era. To move into that era, we have to do all what we can, right now, when there's still the smallest amount of time left. We must be able to look back and know that we did all what we could do. Maybe I’ll have children one day, and I must be able to look them in the eye. 2009-11-07T21:31:47+00:00