Climate Caravan, November 2011
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Central Committee meeting of BKF&BKS on Climate Caravan.
Co-host La Via Campesina SA technical assistant participated.
On 23 and 24 September 2011 Bangladesh Krishok Federation and Bangladesh Kishani Sabha organized it's Central Committee meeting on forthcoming Climate, Gender and Food Sovereignty Caravan. This CC meeting decided many important points of implementation of Caravan. Co-host La Via Campesina South Asian technical assistant Ashlesha Khadse participated in this CC meeting. Leaders from all respective district of caravan route attended the meeting and play affective roll to take decision. CC meeting fixed caravan program schedule and venue of all caravan station. After back in their area leaders will start work on implementing part of climate, gender and food sovereignty caravan.
More photos are here....
More photos are here....
Climate Change and Bangladesh Landless and Peasants
Bangladesh is one of the world's front line victims of climate change. Most people of rural Bangladesh who are already suffering a lot because of climate change do not know about climate change. They are not responsible for carbon emissions, not responsible for climate change, but they are losing lives and suffering due to devastating cyclones, floods, salinity, droughts, heat, cold, dense fog and more. The landless, peasants, laborers as well as the poor working class of Bangladesh have to be saved from the devastating impacts of climate change. Many think that all the sufferings they experience were created by God or it's their fate. They have the right to know the exact facts about climate change. They have to know all the options to get relief from their suffering.
Bangladesh Krishok Federation and Bangladesh Kishani Sabha have been working on climate change since 2000. Our target is to build up a strong movement on climate change. First- to increase the awareness of the grassroots people who suffer the affect of climate change. Second- to start a movement from the villages of Bangladesh, especially those from climate affected areas. Third- to pressure local governments and the national government of Bangladesh to take steps and in turn to pressure the industrialised countries to reduce carbon emissions and give compensation. Fourth- to make regular links between grassroots climate movements of Bangladesh and international movements on climate change and raise the voice of grassroots sufferers in the international arena. Fifth- to pressure industrialized countries to stop carbon emissions and allot compensation for climate change affected people.
Bangladesh Krishok Federation and Bangladesh Kishani Sabha have been working on climate change since 2000. Our target is to build up a strong movement on climate change. First- to increase the awareness of the grassroots people who suffer the affect of climate change. Second- to start a movement from the villages of Bangladesh, especially those from climate affected areas. Third- to pressure local governments and the national government of Bangladesh to take steps and in turn to pressure the industrialised countries to reduce carbon emissions and give compensation. Fourth- to make regular links between grassroots climate movements of Bangladesh and international movements on climate change and raise the voice of grassroots sufferers in the international arena. Fifth- to pressure industrialized countries to stop carbon emissions and allot compensation for climate change affected people.
Bangladesh peasants organize for Climate Change
Bangladesh, 8 December 2010: Bangladesh Krishok Federation with it's associate organization, Bangladesh Krishani Sabha organized a climate rally in the southern zone of the country as part of the program "1000s of Cancun" declared by LVC. Hundreds of landless peasants, both men and women victims of climate change gathered in front of the Town Hall of Barisal.
After the rally a procession paraded different streets of the city. Participants expressed their concerns by raising the question about the people who are responsible for their current and prospective vulnerabilities. They reaffirmed their own innocence and their right to justice. During the rally briefings on COP-16 were also delivered.
The people claimed that the current production system which contributes to the climate change should be changed radically for the interest of people and the planet. Thousands of people died in Bangladesh due to the cyclones Sidr in 2007 and Aila in 2009. Nothing can be compensated to equal their lives. History will not spare those who are to blame for this. The victims definitely deserve reparations for the damages to their livelihoods along with justice - allowing them their own way of life.
The protesters bitterly criticised the solutions that world leaders are mulling. They said that the solutions such as REDD, CDM, ago-fuel, GMO, etc to climate change proposed so far are fake and ridiculous. Participants also stated that "Adaptation and Mitigation Measures" as well as REDD, CDM, ago-fuel, GMO, etc just sound good but their implications are tricky and lead to the continuation of green house gas emissions which need to be reduced under the legally binding framework agreement.
In the rally Badrul Alam as chief guest, who is also Central President of Bangladesh Krishok Federation underscored the need for peasant based solutions to the adverse impacts of climate change and rejected the current market based solutions that would further risk mother earth. He asked for a new convention on the human rights of the climate proletariat evicted from their living grounds. He called the world leaders to stopping greenwashing with false solutions and to take genuine and effective steps to resolve the climate crisis created by the rich industrialised countries for their profit making game. He asked the official delegates in Cancun Climate Conference to take the declaration of World People's Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth held in Bolivia this year into consideration to find the way out of what they have done over the centuries. He defended the fact that the 'small peasants and family farmers are cooling the world'. He added the people around the world could not be a buffer for the luxury of the richest. People all over the world should be united in order to protect their lives, livelihood and mother earth. He expressed his optimism that finally the victory would go with the people. In his concluding speech he also criticised the intervention of the World Bank which already has very bad social and environmental track record.
After the rally a procession paraded different streets of the city. Participants expressed their concerns by raising the question about the people who are responsible for their current and prospective vulnerabilities. They reaffirmed their own innocence and their right to justice. During the rally briefings on COP-16 were also delivered.
The people claimed that the current production system which contributes to the climate change should be changed radically for the interest of people and the planet. Thousands of people died in Bangladesh due to the cyclones Sidr in 2007 and Aila in 2009. Nothing can be compensated to equal their lives. History will not spare those who are to blame for this. The victims definitely deserve reparations for the damages to their livelihoods along with justice - allowing them their own way of life.
The protesters bitterly criticised the solutions that world leaders are mulling. They said that the solutions such as REDD, CDM, ago-fuel, GMO, etc to climate change proposed so far are fake and ridiculous. Participants also stated that "Adaptation and Mitigation Measures" as well as REDD, CDM, ago-fuel, GMO, etc just sound good but their implications are tricky and lead to the continuation of green house gas emissions which need to be reduced under the legally binding framework agreement.
In the rally Badrul Alam as chief guest, who is also Central President of Bangladesh Krishok Federation underscored the need for peasant based solutions to the adverse impacts of climate change and rejected the current market based solutions that would further risk mother earth. He asked for a new convention on the human rights of the climate proletariat evicted from their living grounds. He called the world leaders to stopping greenwashing with false solutions and to take genuine and effective steps to resolve the climate crisis created by the rich industrialised countries for their profit making game. He asked the official delegates in Cancun Climate Conference to take the declaration of World People's Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth held in Bolivia this year into consideration to find the way out of what they have done over the centuries. He defended the fact that the 'small peasants and family farmers are cooling the world'. He added the people around the world could not be a buffer for the luxury of the richest. People all over the world should be united in order to protect their lives, livelihood and mother earth. He expressed his optimism that finally the victory would go with the people. In his concluding speech he also criticised the intervention of the World Bank which already has very bad social and environmental track record.
Climate Change Workshops
Bangladesh Krishok Federation and Bangladesh Kishani Sabha organized 31 workshops in different parts of Bangladesh from the 17th December 2009 to 27th January 2010. Those workshops were organized to teach BKF & BKS members the impact of climate change, and its future consequences as well as the international social responsibility for emissions. We invited Cathryn Kriewaldt, an academic from RMIT University, Australia, to be the facilitator of these participatory workshops.
31 Climate Change workshops took place in 22 Sub-Districts of 11 Districts. More than one workshop took place in some sub-districts. We chose the areas for workshops in northern drought-prone areas and in southern cyclone-prone and high tidal wave affected areas.
Most of the participants of the workshops were grassroots leaders and members of BKF and BKS. Peasants, including female peasants, and workers appreciated the chance to attend the workshops. We also ensured the participation from different classes and professional peoples of respective areas. The participation of women was 60% to 80%. Total participation was between 30 and 80 delegates in one workshop.
For our detailed report on the Climate Change workshops please download our report HERE.
31 Climate Change workshops took place in 22 Sub-Districts of 11 Districts. More than one workshop took place in some sub-districts. We chose the areas for workshops in northern drought-prone areas and in southern cyclone-prone and high tidal wave affected areas.
Most of the participants of the workshops were grassroots leaders and members of BKF and BKS. Peasants, including female peasants, and workers appreciated the chance to attend the workshops. We also ensured the participation from different classes and professional peoples of respective areas. The participation of women was 60% to 80%. Total participation was between 30 and 80 delegates in one workshop.
For our detailed report on the Climate Change workshops please download our report HERE.
International Seminar on Climate Change and Food Sovereignty
On 26 August 2008, La Via Campesina-South Asia and Bangladesh Krishok Federation (BKF) jointly organized a international seminar on Climate Change and Food Sovereignty in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Delegates from six organizations from Nepal, ten organizations from India, two organizations from Sri Lanka, one organization from Indonesia and 14 organizations from Bangladesh participated in the seminar. The seminar was presided over by Vijay Jawandhia, leader of All Indian peasant union (BKU). An academic from RMIT University, Australia, Cathryn Kriewaldt, Professor Jahid Hassan Mahamud of Dhaka University and Dr. Wilfred Lionel Weerakoon, researcher, Movement for National Land and Agricultural reform (Monlar), Sri Lanka also attended as expert speakers. Saiful Huq, president of Bangladesh Khetmajur Union and Mr. Bal Ram Banskota, General Secretary, All Nepal Peasant Federation Association also spoke at the seminar. Badrul Alam, Co-ordinator of LVC and President of Bangladesh Krishok Federation presented the brief keynote paper on the said issue.
All the speakers expressed their concern about the challenges of global climate change. They underscored the timeliness of the topic, to discuss how to cope with the negative impacts of the climate crisis. They expressed their resentment that the rich countries are not taking measures to stop their carbon emissions that have been continuously contributing to climate change. They also added that the neo-liberal economic model of the world capitalist system gave the rise to this climate crime. The seminar expressed the view that the current mitigation measures aimed at developing countries could not be the answer to the climate problem. "Major contributors like the USA, EU, China, Japan and Australia should stop their carbon trading world-wide for the benefit of TNCs." said one of the speakers. The seminar was attended by more than one hundred participants.
The brief keynote paper from the climate change and food sovereignty seminar is below:
A brief statement for the international seminar on Climate Change and Food Sovereignty
Organized by LVC-South Asia and BKF on 26 August, 2008, Dhaka
Badrul Alam, President, Bangladesh Krishok Federation
Today climate change and its impact on the earth is a big global concern. Various investigative efforts and documentaries are being made on climate change. The investigations so far made proved that it has come about due to the excess and unplanned use of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. The industrial rich countries have always been emitting greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, methane, etc. Even the luxurious cars and air-conditioners of everyday life are also emitting greenhouse gases. This gas spreads in the air, polluting the eco-environment system, where it persists in the atmosphere. Because they are there, heat from the earth can't escape to outerspace as easily, and stays on earth. Presently the increase in temperature is estimated to be .76° C. If the emission of greenhouse gases continues due to the continued use of the carbon, the amount of increase in average temperature will reach up to 2°C within 2050 which is really dangerous to this only known livable planet in the universe. Consequently extreme disaster and incredible incidents will take place in different areas in the world. As for example, the desert areas could be fertile and the fertile areas desert or anything else.
Already there is a significant change in the global climate. The impact of climate change would result in huge problems in the earth. In the meantime, because of global warming, the permanent ice in the north and south poles, especially in the Antarctica is being melted which results in increase in the water level of seas. As a result there is a possibility for the low lying countries like Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Philippines and Netherlands to partly go under water.
There is another prediction that within 2030 one-third of the southern part of Bangladesh will go under water. 60 million people will be affected by that. These people are peasants, rural workers and other workers related to agriculture. Apart from this, the whole biodiversity and animal diversity in the southern part of the country will disappear. Characteristics of climate change are exposed here in Bangladesh in various ways. Cyclone, tidal storm, increase in salt of soil, drought, unusual flood, desertification, land slide and land erosion are all the multi-faceted expressions of climate change. All of these things are occurring more frequently. Last year on November 15 a fierce cyclone called Sidr hit the southern coastal belt covering the world heritage mangrove forest Sunderban. There was huge loss of life and livelihood. According to the government survey the total death is 10,000 but the private survey showed that death toll will stand at about 40,000 and hundreds of thousands of people are affected by losing their belongings. It can be mentioned that in the past there were also devastating floods that claims the lives of millions of people.
There is another most alarming prediction from the environmental groups that within 2050 due to the impact of heavy climate change there will be no countries like Bangladesh, Maldives, and the Netherlands on the world map. It means they may disappear, going under sea. If things go like this it is really a big challenge for all those living in these countries.
In order to get rid of the impact of global warming, various strategies are being considered. But until now no strategy is proven a viable one. However, our best idea is the idea of the reduction of greenhouse. The Kyoto protocol with regard to this challenge has been declared at the initiative of UN. In the protocol there is a promise that the major industrial rich countries who are responsible for pollution will reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions within certain period of time. But the funny thing is that the major carbon emitting countries, the USA and Australia, did not even sign it at first. Australia has only just signed it, but is not on target to meet its reduction obligations (which are actually to increase emissions, but only by 8%). Moreover, the countries which signed the protocol did not take any significant and substantial measures in terms of reduction of their carbon emissions; rather they have increased their carbon 'trade'. Thus the situation is more vulnerable and deteriorating than it was before.
Some quarters think that it is rational to claim compensation from the countries which are to blame for carbon emissions. They also try to think of various strategies of how to adapt themselves with the changed climate and how to mitigate the adverse consequences. But, these solutions are not the answer. Just like people think of agro-bio-fuel as the alternative to fossil fuels that is mostly used in the factories, industries and vehicles. It is also not an appropriate answer to the problem; rather it has created new types of problem including exacerbation of the food crisis, for instance. It will help cause the increasing the number of hungry people. So it is with many of the 'solutions' for climate change, like trading emissions for 'clean development' in developing countries. Many of these projects are really problematic and lead to problems for local communities including removing subsistence livelihoods. At present, more that one billion people go hungry every day all over the world. Most of them are living in the southern hemisphere.
In order to overcome the present challenges of the climate crisis, the small peasant can play pivotal role; for it is they who are all the times keeping the earth cool through their conventional farming methods. This is peasants who preserve carbon dioxide in the micro-organisms of the soil through their conventional farming method. They plant those types of trees which directly exploit nitrogen and carbon dioxide from the air. They produce bio-gas from the residues of plants and animals that is eco-friendly. This is peasants who can keep the expected average temperature of the earth below 2°C through their traditional art of agriculture.
In order for all of these things to continue, it is essential to protect and achieve food sovereignty. Because of the destructive role of the World Bank / IMF, the rural agro-economy has collapsed. Thus there is unemployment, landlessness, pauperization and marginalization in the rural life that has been exposed as extreme poverty. Food sovereignty means the people's right to produce and consume culturally appropriate food and their right to define their own food and agriculture policy. The concept of food sovereignty keeps the aspirations and demands of the peasants who produce the basic food in the centre of all thinking around the food policy. It is not based on the need of TNCs. It prioritizes the local and national economy, peasants and family farm based agriculture, artisan style fishing, pastoralist-led grazing and food production, distribution and consumption based on environmental, social and economic sustainability.
Sources: Different dailies, draft declaration of LVC on climate change and the experiences of grassroots people.
All the speakers expressed their concern about the challenges of global climate change. They underscored the timeliness of the topic, to discuss how to cope with the negative impacts of the climate crisis. They expressed their resentment that the rich countries are not taking measures to stop their carbon emissions that have been continuously contributing to climate change. They also added that the neo-liberal economic model of the world capitalist system gave the rise to this climate crime. The seminar expressed the view that the current mitigation measures aimed at developing countries could not be the answer to the climate problem. "Major contributors like the USA, EU, China, Japan and Australia should stop their carbon trading world-wide for the benefit of TNCs." said one of the speakers. The seminar was attended by more than one hundred participants.
The brief keynote paper from the climate change and food sovereignty seminar is below:
A brief statement for the international seminar on Climate Change and Food Sovereignty
Organized by LVC-South Asia and BKF on 26 August, 2008, Dhaka
Badrul Alam, President, Bangladesh Krishok Federation
Today climate change and its impact on the earth is a big global concern. Various investigative efforts and documentaries are being made on climate change. The investigations so far made proved that it has come about due to the excess and unplanned use of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. The industrial rich countries have always been emitting greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, methane, etc. Even the luxurious cars and air-conditioners of everyday life are also emitting greenhouse gases. This gas spreads in the air, polluting the eco-environment system, where it persists in the atmosphere. Because they are there, heat from the earth can't escape to outerspace as easily, and stays on earth. Presently the increase in temperature is estimated to be .76° C. If the emission of greenhouse gases continues due to the continued use of the carbon, the amount of increase in average temperature will reach up to 2°C within 2050 which is really dangerous to this only known livable planet in the universe. Consequently extreme disaster and incredible incidents will take place in different areas in the world. As for example, the desert areas could be fertile and the fertile areas desert or anything else.
Already there is a significant change in the global climate. The impact of climate change would result in huge problems in the earth. In the meantime, because of global warming, the permanent ice in the north and south poles, especially in the Antarctica is being melted which results in increase in the water level of seas. As a result there is a possibility for the low lying countries like Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Philippines and Netherlands to partly go under water.
There is another prediction that within 2030 one-third of the southern part of Bangladesh will go under water. 60 million people will be affected by that. These people are peasants, rural workers and other workers related to agriculture. Apart from this, the whole biodiversity and animal diversity in the southern part of the country will disappear. Characteristics of climate change are exposed here in Bangladesh in various ways. Cyclone, tidal storm, increase in salt of soil, drought, unusual flood, desertification, land slide and land erosion are all the multi-faceted expressions of climate change. All of these things are occurring more frequently. Last year on November 15 a fierce cyclone called Sidr hit the southern coastal belt covering the world heritage mangrove forest Sunderban. There was huge loss of life and livelihood. According to the government survey the total death is 10,000 but the private survey showed that death toll will stand at about 40,000 and hundreds of thousands of people are affected by losing their belongings. It can be mentioned that in the past there were also devastating floods that claims the lives of millions of people.
There is another most alarming prediction from the environmental groups that within 2050 due to the impact of heavy climate change there will be no countries like Bangladesh, Maldives, and the Netherlands on the world map. It means they may disappear, going under sea. If things go like this it is really a big challenge for all those living in these countries.
In order to get rid of the impact of global warming, various strategies are being considered. But until now no strategy is proven a viable one. However, our best idea is the idea of the reduction of greenhouse. The Kyoto protocol with regard to this challenge has been declared at the initiative of UN. In the protocol there is a promise that the major industrial rich countries who are responsible for pollution will reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions within certain period of time. But the funny thing is that the major carbon emitting countries, the USA and Australia, did not even sign it at first. Australia has only just signed it, but is not on target to meet its reduction obligations (which are actually to increase emissions, but only by 8%). Moreover, the countries which signed the protocol did not take any significant and substantial measures in terms of reduction of their carbon emissions; rather they have increased their carbon 'trade'. Thus the situation is more vulnerable and deteriorating than it was before.
Some quarters think that it is rational to claim compensation from the countries which are to blame for carbon emissions. They also try to think of various strategies of how to adapt themselves with the changed climate and how to mitigate the adverse consequences. But, these solutions are not the answer. Just like people think of agro-bio-fuel as the alternative to fossil fuels that is mostly used in the factories, industries and vehicles. It is also not an appropriate answer to the problem; rather it has created new types of problem including exacerbation of the food crisis, for instance. It will help cause the increasing the number of hungry people. So it is with many of the 'solutions' for climate change, like trading emissions for 'clean development' in developing countries. Many of these projects are really problematic and lead to problems for local communities including removing subsistence livelihoods. At present, more that one billion people go hungry every day all over the world. Most of them are living in the southern hemisphere.
In order to overcome the present challenges of the climate crisis, the small peasant can play pivotal role; for it is they who are all the times keeping the earth cool through their conventional farming methods. This is peasants who preserve carbon dioxide in the micro-organisms of the soil through their conventional farming method. They plant those types of trees which directly exploit nitrogen and carbon dioxide from the air. They produce bio-gas from the residues of plants and animals that is eco-friendly. This is peasants who can keep the expected average temperature of the earth below 2°C through their traditional art of agriculture.
In order for all of these things to continue, it is essential to protect and achieve food sovereignty. Because of the destructive role of the World Bank / IMF, the rural agro-economy has collapsed. Thus there is unemployment, landlessness, pauperization and marginalization in the rural life that has been exposed as extreme poverty. Food sovereignty means the people's right to produce and consume culturally appropriate food and their right to define their own food and agriculture policy. The concept of food sovereignty keeps the aspirations and demands of the peasants who produce the basic food in the centre of all thinking around the food policy. It is not based on the need of TNCs. It prioritizes the local and national economy, peasants and family farm based agriculture, artisan style fishing, pastoralist-led grazing and food production, distribution and consumption based on environmental, social and economic sustainability.
Sources: Different dailies, draft declaration of LVC on climate change and the experiences of grassroots people.
Post Cyclone DIDR seminar on "Climate Change and Food Sovereignty" organized in Dhaka
On 28 November 2007 BKF and BKS organized a seminar on "Climate Change and food sovereignty" in Dhaka. BKF president Badrul Alam presided over the seminar while BKF general secretary Abdul Mannan Azad, Vice-president Naresh Golder, BKS president Khursida Akter, Vice-president Maloti Golder, Central Leader of Sromjibi Mukti Andolon Babul Biswas, Central leader of workers party Akbor Hossain, Central leader of democratic movement of Bangladesh Hamidul Haque, president of Bhumihin samity Subal Sarker and convener of Nari Mukti Sava shahana parvin spoke at the seminar.
"Where are we going? What is our future in the world? How can we encounter the affects of climate change?"--- these were the speakers' emphasis in the seminar. We should create pressure on those who are to blame for climate change and compel them to stop carbon emission in order to save our world, said speakers in the seminar.
They also explained the pitiable story of Cyclone SIDR attack. Speakers also put a call towards other pro-people organizations to come together to protest the carbon aggression by industrialist countries.
"Where are we going? What is our future in the world? How can we encounter the affects of climate change?"--- these were the speakers' emphasis in the seminar. We should create pressure on those who are to blame for climate change and compel them to stop carbon emission in order to save our world, said speakers in the seminar.
They also explained the pitiable story of Cyclone SIDR attack. Speakers also put a call towards other pro-people organizations to come together to protest the carbon aggression by industrialist countries.
