Global Justice Leicester and Leicestershire

Campaigning

International Day of Action on COP26 – Stand Up for Climate Justice

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Global Day of Action for Climate Justice – on Saturday November 6th

Please join us in Leicester city centre as we take part in a worldwide day of action:

  • to highlight how climate change disproportionately affects the poorest in our communities.
  • to call for action to address this injustice – action by politicians at COP26 and action in our city and communities.

The events in Leicester have been organised by
Climate Action, the Race Equality Centre, the Muslim Green Guardians, Leicester Friends of the Earth and the City Retreat

The timetable for the afternoon is:

  • 2.30-3.30 pm at the Clock Tower: silent vigil for climate justice, please wear black or white.
  • 3.30-4.00 pm in Jubilee Square: arrange ourselves in the shape of an eye and take an aerial photo to send to world leaders at the COP26 climate talks with the message “Leicester has its eye on you”.
  • 4.00-6.00pm at the City Retreat on Churchgate: Write a postcard to our MPs calling for action, share plant-based food and swap pre-loved clothes.

Extinction Rebellion Leicester will also be in Jubilee Square from 9:30 am on Saturday and invite everyone to take along a pair of old shoes to help create a memorial to the victims of the climate crisis. Their samba band will be playing between noon and 1 pm and there will be some speakers.

Find out more about the Global Day for Climate Justice

Campaigning in Great Big Green Week

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Global Justice Leicester is celebrating Great Big Green week (18-26th September)

During Great Big Green Week communities across the country arrange events to highlight action that is taking place to tackle climate change and protect green spaces.  Everyone is invited to get involved in taking action to protect nature and send a message to politicians that they must raise their ambition and champion action against climate change. Global Justice Leicester will have stalls at several events this week-end.

On Saturday 25th September Global Justice Leicester joined a Great Big Green event in Market Harborough. With local campaigners, we highlighted the danger of Corporate Courts to the environment and invited people to sign the petition ‘Don’t let corporate courts block climate action’.

We had a stall at the Stoneygate Great Big Green Harvest Festival on Sunday 26th September in Leicester. The event gave us the opportunity to explain about the dangers of Corporate Courts with people who came to our stall.

It was an enjoyable afternoon, with time to share ideas with other groups that are campaigning during this climate emergency. Global Justice Now has got an important message to share about

  • Trade and investment deals give corporations huge power and lock us into a fossil-fuel based economy.
  • Debt and tax injustice drive deforestation and extractivism, which themselves are based on colonial relationships.

Find out more about our campaigning on the Global Justice Now website.

On Sunday, Global Justice Leicester also took part in an event organised by the Race Equality Council, the City Retreat and Friends of the Earth on the theme of Community Responses to Climate Change. The event brought together different communities to share thoughts on climate change and discuss practical actions that everyone can take. There were speakers from all the major faiths in Leicester, as well as environmental groups. It was great to be part of this event – there is so much going on in our local communities… and so much more that we can do if we work together.

18th September: Day of action – Corporate Courts vs the Climate

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Today was the day of action – Corporate Courts vs The Climate

Global Justice Leicester joined Global Justice Nottingham to highlight the danger of Corporate Courts for the environment. There should be no place for Corporate Courts when our government negotiates trade deals.

Fossil fuel companies are suing governments for more than $18bn (£13bn) in corporate courts over climate policies.

These are corporations that have caused the climate crisis. They should be paying to fix it, not demanding a payout. 

Find out more – Stop Corporate Courts Threatening the Climate

Watch the video

Sign the petition here

Local actions – sign a petition and regular climate vigils

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Global Justice Leicester is a member of Climate Action Leicester and Leicester (CALL)

We are invited to get involved in some local actions:

1. Launching regular climate vigils in Leicester

Climate Action has decided to start running regular silent vigils on the climate focussing on specific topics. They will run at 12 noon-1pm on the 2nd Monday of each month, and 5-6pm on the 4th Friday of each month from September, and you can find information about them on our website here.

The launch vigil will be noon-1pm at the clocktower in Leicester on Sat 21st August. It will focus on the impacts of the climate crisis in various parts of the world (fires in Siberia, typhoons in the Philippines, disease in Bangladesh, floods in Uganda, mud slides in Japan and so much more). It’s a great chance to get new people thinking about the climate and also to get to know each other (chatting afterwards and before – not during, as the vigils are silent). We are asking you to wear black or white as we want to stand out as a group. Please bring someone with you if you can. We will make and bring a set of matching placards and also flyers.

Please come and stand up for the people and places across the world suffering from the climate crisis right now. 12-1, Sat 21st August, Leicester Clock Tower. Wear black or white.

2. Leicester Friends of the Earth Pesticides petition

Leicester Friends of the Earth have launched a petition asking Leicester City Council to stop spraying pesticides, and we are asking people who live or work in Leicester to sign it (using their Leicester postcodes). You can find it here.

Message from Leicester Friends of the Earth:

“The City Council say they are minimising the use of weedkiller around Leicester but we are still seeing unnecessary spraying. Being exposed to pesticides has been linked to many health problems, including cancers, Alzheimer’s, asthma and fertility problems. Glyphosate, the weedkiller used in Leicester, was recognised as a carcinogen by the World Health Organisation in 2015. Children are particularly vulnerable to pesticide poisoning because their skin is more permeable and they spend more time playing close to the ground.

“Biodiversity and the natural world are is already stressed by the climate crisis and don’t need spraying poisons to make it worse.

“We understand that it is necessary to remove plants from pavements to stop people slipping but why spray in parks and green spaces? Does it really matter if wild plants grow around trees or fence posts? We need more space for wildlife in our city.”

In 2016 Global Justice Leicester was involved in the Global Justice Now campaign to #StopGlyphosate – due to safety concerns. It is worrying to learn that this weed killer is being used in our parks and green spaces.

Walk Away From Fossil Fuels

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Last week-end Global Justice Leicester had a stall at the National Justice and Peace Network annual conference in Derbyshire

The theme of the conference was ‘2021: Moment of Truth – Action for Life on Earth’

People visiting our stall were shocked to learn how corporate courts block climate action.

The Netherlands is being sued by two fossil fuel companies, RWE and Uniper, for phasing out coal power.

Don’t let corporate courts block climate action – sign the petitition to the prime minister and the international trade secretary.

Bee on campaign poster

In this year when the UK is hosting the COP26 climate talks, the UK government should reject corporate courts:

  • Drop corporate courts in the UK-Canada and UK-Australia trade deals
  • Exit the Energy Charter Treaty
  • Stop joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)

Download the campaign briefing to find out more.

How green is your energy? Talk by Climate Action Leicester and Leicestershire

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Greenwashing vs Renewable Energy Generation: which energy suppliers are making a positive difference?

A lot of us think we are with a green energy company, but actually there’s a lot of greenwashing in this area. Climate Action Leicester and Leicestershire has just run an event to clarify things. You can see the slides (including ones not used in the actual event on other companies) here or watch a recording of the talk and debate here.

Global Justice Leicester is a member of Climate Action Leiceseter and Leicestershire (CALL).