Global Justice Ecology Project at the World Social Forum
Nairobi, Kenya January 20-25, 2007
Global Justice Ecology Project Co-director Orin Langelle traveled to the World Social Forum in Nairobi as part of a Global Forest Coalition delegation tasked with raising awareness about global warming and proposed false solutions to global warming (including GE trees) by highlighting their impacts on forests and indigenous peoples. Presentations with which GJEP was involved included:
“Environmental Justice or Environmental Markets 2: Biofuels, a disaster in the making”, organized by the Global Forest Coalition, the Indigenous Information Network and the Pacific Indigenous Peoples Environmental Coalition. This workshop focused on the potential impacts of international trade in biofuels, and developed strategies to address these impacts. Langelle presented on the risks of using genetically engineered trees for biofuel production, and the role of industry in promoting GE trees. Attendance was approximately 100 people.
“Carbon Trading: What Next for Climate Change, Privatization and Power”, co-organized by the Durban Group for Climate Justice (Global Justice Ecology Project is a co-founder of the Durban Group) and Sweden’s Dag Hammarskjold Foundation. This workshop exposed problems arising from the new, huge global carbon market including impacts on the environment, social justice and human rights, while also investigating new climate mitigation alternatives. Langelle presented on the future role of GE trees in monoculture industrial tree plantations developed to offset carbon emissions. It was attended by over 250 people.
Global Justice Ecology Project participated in a strategy session organized by the German NGO Forum on Environment and Development that discussed the CBD COP-9 to be held in Bonn, Germany in May 2008. The meeting explored strategies to mobilize support for the campaign for a CBD ban on GE trees as well as opposition to large-scale (GE and non-GE) biofuel production schemes.
Co-Director Langelle had several meetings with STOP GE Tree Campaign partners to discuss Campaign plans for the coming year including an international strategy meeting and preparations for the UN CBD meeting in May 2008. These partners included World Rainforest Movement, ETC Group, Global Forest Coalition, the Samoan NGO O Le Siosiomaga Society and numerous other activists.
Networking: The World Social Forum was a tremendous networking opportunity and Global Justice Ecology Project met with numerous groups on forest protection, indigenous rights and global warming issues including 50 Years Is Enough U.S. Network (Langelle serves on their Board and Steering Committee), Bank Information Center, Friends of the Earth U.S., ETC Group, Solidarity Africa Network, Gaia Foundation, Indigenous Information Network, World Rainforest Movement, Durban Group, Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation and others.
GJEP worked with 50 Years Is Enough on a dinner that brought together numerous forest and anti-globalization activists and groups to discuss joint activities against the World Bank. This has contributed to important ongoing collaboration between these groups against the World Bank.
Top right: At the World Social Forum in January 2007, Nariobi, Kenya. Photo by Langelle/ GJEP
