Pacific Climate Activists Join Protests Demanding More Ambition In Climate Negotiations

Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt – With the slogan “we are not yet defeated” hundreds of people marched on the morning of 12th of November at COP27 in Egypt to make it clear that civil society will not give up in defending their demands. Environmental NGOs, Women and gender constituency, Indigenous peoples organizations, Trade union NGOs, and Children and youth NGOs joined the COP27 coalition on the Global day of action to organize the march that took place within the Blue Zone (governed by UN rules), due to the restrictions on freedom of association and assembly and free speech imposed by the Egyptian government.

These actions take place within the framework of global mobilisations to demand more ambitious climate policies and climate justice. Governments are refusing to step up and act in the interest of the people and, as a result, the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities continue to suffer whilst they have the least responsibility for causing it.

Pacific climate activists at COP27 were joined by the Pacific Climate Warriors in Fiji and Australia, standing in solidarity with activists in Sharm El-Sheikh and demanding that wealthy nations move beyond their addiction to fossil fuels. From the island of Rabi in Fiji, to the streets of Victoria in Australia, to the Blue Zone in COP27, Sharm El Sheikh - the resounding message from the Pacific is that “we are not drowning, we are fighting”.

Joseph Sikulu, 350.org Pacific Managing Director says,

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“Keeping global heating below 1.5 degrees celsius is non-negotiable for the Pacific. We refuse to let up the pressure on global leaders at COP27 because this is a matter of survival for our islands. Our Pacific negotiators going into next week’s ministerials are fighting an uphill battle against Goliath nations that are stalling for time and continuing to block the climate action needed for our survival.

In the Pacific, we are facing the increasingly devastating impacts of climate change - tropical cyclones are more frequent, ocean temperatures threaten our marine ecosystems and rising sea levels eat at our shorelines. Our brothers and sisters here on the African continent face drought and famine while greedy corporations strip their land for more oil pipelines. It is appalling that the leaders of wealthy nations present at COP27 ignore these realities and ignore the clear science of climate breakdown.

But we are not yet defeated. We march for climate justice, for human rights justice and to lift up the voices and demands of frontline communities in the Pacific and the rest of the world. We are not drowning, we are fighting.”

Location details

Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt: Pacific climate activists joined the march in the Blue Zone (governed by UN rules) of COP27.

Victoria, Australia: Pacific climate warriors held a protest outside the National Australia Bank, calling on them to stop financing fossil fuel projects and move beyond coal.

Rabi, Fiji: Pacific climate warriors in Fiji held a banner action, calling on National Australia Bank to move beyond coal, and stop financing the extraction of fossil fuels, particularly the Whitehaven coal project, that exacerbate the climate crisis in their islands.

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