Global Day of Action 3rd December 2011 by Anton Jaekel

Every year a COP takes place. It decides the whole climate politics and the outcome is often not very ambitious. Thus the Kyoto-Protocol will end in 2012, there is a new, legally binding mechanism needed. Since the Bali-Road Map, the Parties of the Conference try to make a new one.

As time is running out fast a more ambitious protocol is needed. And on this day of action people from around the world, united marched to fight for their cause. The biggest protest normally take place in the host city, which this year is Durban.

Already before the march started there was a problem for several groups: It seemed, that the meeting point had been changed, so we saw a little bit more of Durban’s barrows before we finally found the meeting point. We didn’t have to wait a minute and it started: On both sides of the activists stayed marshals and policemen, in front of the people police cars and in the back a water cannon and bulldozers. Fortunately, nothing happened, so they had been nearly invisible.

After some minutes, the colourful crowd of green activists came on to a bridge. Big balls, filled with air and claims for Climate Justice in several languages have been thrown through the air. Pushed by the wind, some of them landed on the railways. Yes, the trains do pollute the atmosphere too but not as much as cars do, but they still do. Hopefully, the South-African railways agencies will now start to think about a green electrification of their railway systems.

There were also some very unmissable groups: TWYCC (Taiwan Youth Climate Coalition), SCM (Socialist Civic Movement), WWF, Greenpeace, SAWPA (South African Waste Pickers Association) and a lot of Host-City volunteers for COP 17.

They danced, sang songs, gave interviews or easily made a lot of noise…or promoted Zuma, the South-African Prime Minister. (But was this consciously done or not? We don’t know, but it seemed to be many to be so)

Even more impressive were the little networks or individuals who attended the march. Without them, a great atmosphere as today and a great march would not have been possible.

When the march was about to end, it started to rain. But the activists danced and after a few minutes the rain stopped and the march was going on until it ended at the occupy-COP17 area. The march seemed a success. They did definitely “walk the talk”.

Tags: CSM, Global Day of Action, Greenpeace, SLYCAN, TWYCC, WWF