PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Arab activists demand concrete action on climate change
Doha, Qatar (PANA) – Hundreds of activists from the Arab region and around the world on Saturday protested in Doha, the Qatari capital, where governments are gathered for the UN Climate Change Conference until 7 December, demanding urgent action to address climate change.
The protest which is believed to be the first of its kind in the history of modern-day Qatar, held at Cornish Park, is asking for a world that does not compromise resources and life for future generations and their ability to meet their own needs.
Asad Rehman, spokesperson for Friends of the Earth International, said: "It's hugely significant that the first ever legal protest in Qatar was about climate change. This protest was because climate change is an issue that unites all the people of the world. The people on the streets today (Saturday) are calling for an outcome based in justice for the people and the planet; but it looks like they are being ignored.
"Protests like this one are a signal of what's to come. As the climate crisis and planetary emergency become more dangerous we will have millions of people in the street holding their governments accountable."
Ali Fakhry, IndyACT media campaigner, explained: "the marchers are here to ask their country leaders to act now, there is no time left.
“Time is running out for us to ensure climate impacts do not spin out of control. We only have one environment and one earth, as the ministers and decision makers are coming, we need them to hear civil society voices and push for concrete steps they are willing to take whether it is committing to cutting their emissions or ensuring poorer countries get support to take action."
Some protesters, chanting "Pledge Pledge, Pledge", had banners which read : "Arabs; it's time to lead", and "One Environment, earth", called for urgent climate action, concrete steps towards binding future agreement in Doha & a second commitment of Kyoto protocol that should start in 2013.
According to organisers of the protest, activists from more than 15 Arab countries such as Qatar, Mauritania, Morocco, Jordan, Libya, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Algeria, Sudan, Oman, Egypt and Bahrain, will also call on their own leaders – at the current first climate negotiations ever held in the Middle East, to submit concrete voluntary pledges for mitigation targets at the Doha Conference in order to fulfill their own responsibilities in reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
-0- PANA MM/VAO 1Dec2012
The protest which is believed to be the first of its kind in the history of modern-day Qatar, held at Cornish Park, is asking for a world that does not compromise resources and life for future generations and their ability to meet their own needs.
Asad Rehman, spokesperson for Friends of the Earth International, said: "It's hugely significant that the first ever legal protest in Qatar was about climate change. This protest was because climate change is an issue that unites all the people of the world. The people on the streets today (Saturday) are calling for an outcome based in justice for the people and the planet; but it looks like they are being ignored.
"Protests like this one are a signal of what's to come. As the climate crisis and planetary emergency become more dangerous we will have millions of people in the street holding their governments accountable."
Ali Fakhry, IndyACT media campaigner, explained: "the marchers are here to ask their country leaders to act now, there is no time left.
“Time is running out for us to ensure climate impacts do not spin out of control. We only have one environment and one earth, as the ministers and decision makers are coming, we need them to hear civil society voices and push for concrete steps they are willing to take whether it is committing to cutting their emissions or ensuring poorer countries get support to take action."
Some protesters, chanting "Pledge Pledge, Pledge", had banners which read : "Arabs; it's time to lead", and "One Environment, earth", called for urgent climate action, concrete steps towards binding future agreement in Doha & a second commitment of Kyoto protocol that should start in 2013.
According to organisers of the protest, activists from more than 15 Arab countries such as Qatar, Mauritania, Morocco, Jordan, Libya, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Algeria, Sudan, Oman, Egypt and Bahrain, will also call on their own leaders – at the current first climate negotiations ever held in the Middle East, to submit concrete voluntary pledges for mitigation targets at the Doha Conference in order to fulfill their own responsibilities in reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
-0- PANA MM/VAO 1Dec2012
