Event

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

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 2^nd Monday of each month, and 5-6pm on the 4^th 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 21^st 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 21^st 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.”

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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.

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.

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.

THE TIME IS NOW: Virtual lobby – 30th June 2020

Join with thousands of others to ask our MPs to put people, climate and nature at the heart of our nation’s recovery.

Find out more about the ‘Time is Now’ virtual lobby and sign up

Last year were able to meet with our MPs at Parliament. This year why not join us for our first virtual lobby? Find out more about the Climate Coalition

At the Global Justice Now AGM in June Pia Eberhardt from Corporate Europe Observatory spoke movingly about the struggle to protect an area of natural beauty and possible UNESCO World Heritage site.

Canadian company Gabriel Resources have applied to build a toxic gold mine in the Romanian area of Rosia Montana. If given the go ahead, it would destroy homes, damage the local environment and cause the destruction of an irreplaceable heritage site.

Pia Eberhardt speaking at the Global Justice Now AGM in Birmingham

The open cast gold mine has not been given permission by the Romanian courts. This decision was made after a legal process that took into account the facts about the impact of the gold mine on the community and environment.

Now Canadian Company Gabriel Resources is suing Romania in an international tribunal, seeking US$5.7 billion in compensation – nearly 3% of Romania’s GDP.

Sign the petition against corporate courts here

Find out more here

Why not join us in the campaign to stop the corporate court system?