Coal is Killing the Climate and the Warsaw Talks

By VIOLET MENGO

Pan- African Climate Justice (PACJA) Zambian Chapter Robert Chimambo says Africans are now choosing a better, cleaner, safer and more democratic future by rejecting coal.

Mr Chimambo said the ministers must do the same here at the Warsaw climate summit to refuse lobbyist get in the way of urgent, immediate, emission controls by developed countries and a ban on fossil fuels.

“Our call is for a just transition to renewable energy controlled by people, which is why we have come up with a declaration on coal, we refuse the use of coal because coal hurts our health, destroys our rivers and mountains that contribute to the climate change driving extreme weather ,” Mr Chimambo said.

Mr Chimambo who is coordinator for Climate Change Network in Zambia was part of other civil society groups from across the world who introduced a “People’s Communique on Coal” into the UN climate summit that concludes this Friday.

The declaration comes out of Reclaim Power - a global month of action on energy, which occurred throughout October and highlighted resistance against dirty energy that is driving climate change and proposed clean, people-controlled solutions.

The groups, from local community organisations, to regional networks and large international NGOs, released the statement today (Monday) to highlight the need for an immediate and absolute just transition from coal, in order to confront the climate crisis.

The civil society alleged that the climate talks have been overshadowed by the controversy of the Polish Government supporting a "coal and climate" conference on the sidelines.

And Jubilee South, Asia Pacific Movement on Debt and Development from the Philippiines Lidy Nacpil said Australia has sent its coal corporation's representatives to Warsaw, instead of the humanity and compassion of its citizens.

“Given that emissions from burning coal are the single biggest human source of climate changing greenhouse gases, the communique says that, the push for Coal is a betrayal of the commitment and obligation of governments under the United Nations to address climate change and shift to sustainable pathways,”Ms Nacpil said.

Friends of Earth International chairperson Jagoda Munic said the Polish government should act in the interests of Polish people, not corporations.

“We are calling on them to act as a leader in Central and Eastern Europe and transition to a just, clean renewable energy future, not one dominated by dirty coal." He said.

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