Writing letters has long been a feature of campaigning. To illustrate the power of the pen Amnesty International has produced two short videos. The first of these superbly reinforces the point.
Thousands of individuals across the world can in combination make a huge difference, save lives, prevent human rights abuses and obtain the release of prisoners of conscience. Amnesty's UK website contains numerous examples of people from around the world who have benefited from this simple action, who need you and me to take action now.
The second commercial entitled ink reinforces the message of the power of the pen. So it's very clear and very simple, join many others around the world and take action - send a letter, post an email.
A few minutes of our time may save a life the other side of the world.
Paul
Friday, 29 August 2008
Where are the leaders with courage and vision?
How much more leading by the nose do the chief executives of today's energy sector companies need before they decide to seriously invest in renewable energies and sustainable development?
Likewise the leaders of UK Plc in providing many more incentives for companies to invest now.
There is a massive market awaiting those companies who have the courage to grasp the opportunity now. UK companies could develop technologies that we could then sell to the world, instead they hang onto fossil fuels and nuclear energy, whilst making, in their terms, small investments in the renewable sector.
As regards UK Plc, why aren't all new buildings compelled to use renewable energy sources, which would provide a massive kickstart to companies developing those technologies.
The writing is on the wall for the 'dinosaurs' leading companies and countries, wedded to yesterday's technologies, justifying themselves on profit and market share grounds, for their continued refusal to see the light. They are ably assisted in this blinkered view by their boards of directors.
Governments and companies worldwide reinforce each other's behaviour and refusal to break ranks, and be the leaders of a twenty first century revolution, which embraces the realities and challenges of this century and throws their full weight behind the actions needed to address climate change, sustainable development and human rights.
Instead governments and companies blur and obfuscate, hoping to distract people across the world from the coming time when it will be too late to take action.
So we should all take action now and join '100 month and counting' and encourage all your friends and colleagues to join as well. Time is of the essence!
Paul
Likewise the leaders of UK Plc in providing many more incentives for companies to invest now.
There is a massive market awaiting those companies who have the courage to grasp the opportunity now. UK companies could develop technologies that we could then sell to the world, instead they hang onto fossil fuels and nuclear energy, whilst making, in their terms, small investments in the renewable sector.
As regards UK Plc, why aren't all new buildings compelled to use renewable energy sources, which would provide a massive kickstart to companies developing those technologies.
The writing is on the wall for the 'dinosaurs' leading companies and countries, wedded to yesterday's technologies, justifying themselves on profit and market share grounds, for their continued refusal to see the light. They are ably assisted in this blinkered view by their boards of directors.
Governments and companies worldwide reinforce each other's behaviour and refusal to break ranks, and be the leaders of a twenty first century revolution, which embraces the realities and challenges of this century and throws their full weight behind the actions needed to address climate change, sustainable development and human rights.
Instead governments and companies blur and obfuscate, hoping to distract people across the world from the coming time when it will be too late to take action.
So we should all take action now and join '100 month and counting' and encourage all your friends and colleagues to join as well. Time is of the essence!
Paul
Climate change and human rights 'the most important game in town'?
Gradually over recent months I have become more and more convinced that tackling climate change should be the main focus of all human rights activists.
Why? Because unless we tackle climate change, we are in danger of any advances in dealing with other human rights abuses will be wiped out when the footprint of climate change is fully stamped across the world.
What's the evidence for this? Firstly the all pervasive impact of climate change on human rights. To quote from the recently published 'Climate Change and Human Rights – A Rough Guide'
…….climate change is already undermining the realisation of a broad range of internationally protected human rights: rights to health and even life;rights to food, water, shelter and property; rights associated with livelihood and culture; with migration and settlement; and with personal security in the event of conflict.
In addition the worst effects of climate change impact on the poorest, most disadvantaged, marginalised and indigenous communities.
Several years ago in an article in The Guardian, Mary Robinson ex President of Ireland and High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that
….. Climate change is a subtle form of human rights violation. There is no direct persecution or threat, but combustion of fossil fuels in industrialised nations has jeopardisedthe ability of certain societies to maintain their traditional practices, diminishingtheir cultural identity and their connection with their natural environment. Whilst responsibility is difficult to ascertain, some human rights experts, civil society organisations and indigenous peoples believe that the failure of the highest emitting nations to take action does constitute a breach of human rights law. This is a new challenge, which warrants the attention of the human rights community.
I would argue that since then climate change has moved to the top of the list of human rights priorities.
A few facts and figures to illustrate this point.
In Africa by 2020 between 75 and 250 million people are projected to be exposed to increased water stress due to climate change. By 2020 climate change is expected to put close to an extra 50m people at risk of hunger. Globally an estimated 220 to 400 million extra people will be at risk of malaria due to climate etc etc.
Perhaps human rights organisations across the globe should be uniting with envionmental and developmental ngos and campaigning on this issue before it's too late.
Paul
Why? Because unless we tackle climate change, we are in danger of any advances in dealing with other human rights abuses will be wiped out when the footprint of climate change is fully stamped across the world.
What's the evidence for this? Firstly the all pervasive impact of climate change on human rights. To quote from the recently published 'Climate Change and Human Rights – A Rough Guide'
…….climate change is already undermining the realisation of a broad range of internationally protected human rights: rights to health and even life;rights to food, water, shelter and property; rights associated with livelihood and culture; with migration and settlement; and with personal security in the event of conflict.
In addition the worst effects of climate change impact on the poorest, most disadvantaged, marginalised and indigenous communities.
Several years ago in an article in The Guardian, Mary Robinson ex President of Ireland and High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that
….. Climate change is a subtle form of human rights violation. There is no direct persecution or threat, but combustion of fossil fuels in industrialised nations has jeopardisedthe ability of certain societies to maintain their traditional practices, diminishingtheir cultural identity and their connection with their natural environment. Whilst responsibility is difficult to ascertain, some human rights experts, civil society organisations and indigenous peoples believe that the failure of the highest emitting nations to take action does constitute a breach of human rights law. This is a new challenge, which warrants the attention of the human rights community.
I would argue that since then climate change has moved to the top of the list of human rights priorities.
A few facts and figures to illustrate this point.
In Africa by 2020 between 75 and 250 million people are projected to be exposed to increased water stress due to climate change. By 2020 climate change is expected to put close to an extra 50m people at risk of hunger. Globally an estimated 220 to 400 million extra people will be at risk of malaria due to climate etc etc.
Perhaps human rights organisations across the globe should be uniting with envionmental and developmental ngos and campaigning on this issue before it's too late.
Paul
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