The world comes to Cochabamba..

April 16, 2010

The world comes to Cochabamba..

Common Frontiers and its member groups will be sending 13 delegates to Bolivia for the World Climate Change Conference, which runs April 20-22. Below is a clip from the most recent note sent out by organizers:

When President Morales of Bolivia launched his invitation to the world to come to Bolivia to develop a Peoples’ Agenda for Climate Change, we never imagined the overwhelming response it would generate. With less than a week to go before the conference, here are some of the astonishing statistics related to the conference:

– At least 15,000 people are expected to attend from 126 countries
– Around 70 governments are expected to attend to listen to the voices of civil society, including Presidents of Ecuador, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Venezuela, the Vice-President of Comoros Islands, government ministers, delegates and parliamentarians from Europe, Asia and Africa. 
– International organisations include UNICEF, FAO, UNESCO, UNFPA, WTO, OICA, OPS, FIDA
– 180 self-organized events have been registered by different networks on every aspect of climate change policy 
– More than 50 scientists, social movement leaders, researchers, academics and artists have agreed to speak on 14 panels
– More than 300 press have registered.

It is clear that the conference and its objective of putting forward a just and effective response to climate change have touched a chord worldwide. It shows more than ever, after the failure of Copenhagen, that the hope that we can address the climate crisis lies with the people of the world.

Watch for updates from those attending.