Today we had quite an special event. A briefing for observer organizations with the incoming presidency of the Conference of the Parties (COP25), a.k.a Carolina Schmidt, Minister of the Environment of Chile. She was very clear as to what the priorities of COP25 are going to be:
1. COP25 to be a People's COP.
2. Private sector involvement in raising ambition.
3. Science is not negotiable.
4. Adaptation is not enough, we need an improvement of the loss & damage mechanism.
5. Food Security.
6. Ocean link between Climate Change (Blue COP). 43% of the Chilean oceans are marine protected areas.
The ideas sounds quite wonderful, but we are yet to see how this will be implemented during the actual COP. A people's COP? For which kind of people? Green Zone, blue zone, with access to whom? Chilean and Latinemerican civil societies will be gathered at the COP Paralela and at the Cumbre de los Pueblos, and as a matter of fact as of now there is only one Chilean civil society group accredited to attend COP. So which people are we exactly talking about?; How will the private sector get involved in raising ambition? Chile has a long standing history of opening up its economic borders for foreign powers to strip us out of our resources, (a.k.a privatization of water?) will this private sector involvement foster foreign investment to continue profiting of the environment now through climate change? Will it be the same private sector that owns the rest of the resources of the country? What will happen to indigenous peoples land rights already under threat?
Anyways, vielen fragen. In the international context, maybe these questions do not weight in that much. Nonetheless, for a Chilean, this are essential questions that must be answered before anything happens, those who've suffered by its hand live with the fear of the foreign industry. And as a Chilean young person, I have to make peace with seeing others praising the image that Chile sells to the world. This questions to me, matter.
Out of the conversation that was generated after the briefing from the presidency was over, I take two fundamental questions, and I would like to point the lack of answering:
a. The invitation to the presidency to sign the Escazú Agreement, delivered by the Climate Action Network.
b. The concern over the presence of fossil fuel industry at the negotiations, delivered by me on behalf of Climate Justice Now.
The answer to the first question was essentially that Chile had better frameworks in place than those of the Escazú Agreement. Wait what? I said. What do you mean Chile has got stronger legal framework for the protection of environmental defenders? It was only a few months ago when Alberto Curamil could not go and receive his Green Nobel Prize for being imprisoned.
The second question was answered with a bit of a more strategic taste to it. Only those who are committed to make contributions are going to be allowed to come to the COP. Fair enough, yet another opportunity for companies to continue their greenwashing without having to make actual commitments. But fair enough, yet again, we must see how it plays before we judge; which does not stop us from pushing in the direction we want.
But anyway, coming back to the first answer. Maybe my young naivety pushed me to do this, maybe the revolutionary Chilean fire that is always deep within me (sometimes dormant, sometimes not); something drove me to bring it up, so with my partner from CJN, we quickly devised and delivered a second question about environmental defenders like Alberto Curamil awaiting justice. A bold move because there is yet to prove the fabrication of its case, and it could have backslashed quite significantly. Yet his name was not going to be pronounced anywhere else in the room and so long as we talk about justice we cannot leave without mentioning those who deserve it.
As expected the question was not answered satisfactorily, neither it backlashed. It floated in from my lips and was sucked by the vacuum of ignorance and priorities. Yet his name was brought up, because his people, my people, allowed me to be there today so should I pay respect. As it should. Because it matters.
More info on the Escazú Agreement:
https://dialogochino.net/20448-cop25-host-chile-must-sign-the-escazu-agreement/
More info on Alberto Curamil:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-48104817