The uniting demand for Climate Defense is informed by climate science. To avoid climate collapse, we aim at limiting global heating by 1.5ºC. For us to have a reasonable chance for that, we need almost zero emissions by 2050, worldwide.
We demand 90% emission cuts
- by 2030 in core countries,
- by 2040 in semi-peripheral countries,
- by 2050 in the peripheral countries.
Action groups will have their own specific demands and their own ways of explaining them. We will be sharing all actions compatible with the uniting demand of Climate Defense.
#climatedefense
#stopharm
90% emission cuts
There is too much talk of “net zero” emissions. This discourse relies on negative emission technologies, compensations / offsets and accounting tricks. These technologies are generally inexistent, mostly dubious and highly controversial. Sound climate action cannot rely on these. We focus on actual emission cuts.
Core vs. Semi-periphery vs. Periphery
This language is similar to the Global North – Global South divide, but we prefer to use the terminology of world imperialism theory.
Core countries are the imperialist countries. They are identified by high levels of value in-flow, increased financialization and export of high technology goods. They are where the world monopolies are based. Most also have a colonialist past. Examples are the US, the countries in the EU, and Japan.
Peripheral countries are the center of extraction and exploitation. They are identified by de-industrialization, export of raw materials to the core, and high levels of value out-flow. Many of the previously-called “Third World” countries fit in this category.
Semi-peripheral countries are in between the core and the periphery. They generally have a significant level of industrialization and a manufacture industry. Their value flow is still negative but there is some value in-flow. This means that they do exploit other countries but overall in the global capitalist system they are being exploited. Examples are Turkey, South Africa, Russia, and China.
2030 vs. 2040 vs. 2050
We need virtually zero emissions by 2050 worldwide. This means only a handful of least developed countries should have emissions in the year 2049. Rewinding in time, the countries with most responsibility and with most capacity should reach zero emissions much earlier than 2050. (Also, if all the countries of the Global North must reach virtually zero emissions by 2030, this means the richer among them should reach zero emissions well before 2030.)
This framework addresses global justice partially, as it leaves aside the issue of who pays for the emission cuts in poorer countries. Action groups may have different takes on this topic. What unites us under Climate Defense is that currently we are demanding a climate policy (1) that would be compatible with the climate deadlines and (2) which no country in the world is implementing at the moment.