Howick Activists – March for Climate Justice

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Howick has a proud history of environmental activism. Midlands residents and visitors will join millions of people worldwide in the largest climate mobilisation event in history next month.  Midlanders have participated in numerous other global events over the past few years – like 10:10:10, Moving Planet, COP17 and the Anti-GMO March.

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At 10 am on 21 September 2014, we will gather in front of the Howick Falls to deliver the millions-strong call for a 100% clean future.

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To all world leaders:

On September 21st, 2014, we will join the People’s Climate March, and help make it the largest mobilisation the world has ever seen on climate change. We will march to ensure that you heed our demand for urgent action to safeguard our planet, our future and all that we love.

September 21st marks the global day of action, heads of state are holding an emergency summit in New York City – chaired by UN Secretary General,  Ban Ki-Moon – to discuss a unified government response to climate change. Local, national and international civil society organisations are meeting world leaders as they arrive in New York City, which will grab the attention of global media.

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At the same time, thousands of petition deliveries demanding 100% clean will be held in more than 88 countries including a march right here in Howick.

Harriet Lavery-Reynders an Avaaz member from Howick says,

This climate day of action is snowballing into a massive mobilisation of millions around the world who want leaders to do more to stop runaway climate change.  Midlands residents are taking part to help show the huge level of public support for a global deal that will avert climate catastrophe and unleash a new 100% clean future”

Moving Planet Where To.RES

Polls show 90% of people worldwide see climate change as a serious problem. Now over a million people in the streets are making it clear that world leaders must take urgent action to stop catastrophic climate change. ‎

Our demand is for Action Now, Not Words: take the action necessary to create a world with an economy that works for people and the planet – now. In short, we want a world safe from the ravages of climate change.

We know that no single meeting or summit will “solve climate change” and in many ways this moment will not even really be about the summit. We want this moment to be about us – the people who are standing up in our communities, to organise, to build power, to confront the power of fossil fuels, and to shift power to a just, safe, peaceful world.

To do that, we need to act – together.

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Get Involved

  1. Join the global day of action on September 21st for a clean future by coming along to Goddard Park near the Howick Falls.  There will be face painting, personalised t shirts, kids games, environmental experts and eco-friendly products. Phone Harriet 081 013 2222 for details.
  2. Signing the Avaaz Petition – https://secure.avaaz.org/en/join_to_change_everything_rb/. With the simple act of adding your name you’ll be starting on a journey towards one of the defining moments in history. Our greatest hope to tackle the challenge of global warming rests with us and our ability to demand greater action from world leaders.
  3. Use #PeoplesClimate in your social media posts and it will automatically be added to the http://peoplesclimate.org/stories/
  4. Check out what is happening around the planet for extra inspiration. http://peoplesclimate.org/

To change everything, it takes everyone — let’s get started! Come on Midlands, get on your feet!

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About Midlands Conservancies Forum

Welcome to the Midlands Conservancies Forum Blog. The conservancy movement in South Africa has its roots in KZN Midlands with Balgowan being the first conservancy established in 1978 by landowners in the area who were concerned about the reduction in the number of game and general degradation of the environment. Today there are 14 conservancies within or overlapping the Umgeni Local Municipality. In keeping pace with international environmental issues and the ever-increasing threat to our dwindling biodiversity the conservancy movement has expanded its influence to include challenges way beyond the founding concerns for the reduction in game and general degradation of the environment. The fact of the matter is that, at the very least, the state of the environment in the KZN Midlands is of vitally and direct importance to well in excess of 3 million people who depend largely on this region for their fresh water. In terms of global the planet has 34 biodiversity hotspots which are the Earth’s most biologically rich and threatened areas. These hotspots hold especially high numbers of unique species, yet their combined area now covers only 2.3 percent of the Earth's land surface. South Africa is home to 3 of the 34 global biodiversity hotspots and the Midlands not only falls into the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany hotspot but is one of the 21 priority nodes that have been identified by the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund for investment aimed at securing existing biodiversity. The Midlands Conservancy Forum is proud to have been awarded a two year grant that has been used to establish the MCF Biodiversity Stewardship project that is working closely with KZN Wildlife. The reality of the Conservancy movement is that it has until know been championed by volunteers who are landowners and, in many cases, have precious little time and therefore this needs to be used to the maximum potential. This has lead to the establishment, and current success, of the MCF. It is an ideal forum to share knowledge, experiences and collectively tackle common issues in the most co-0rdinated and effective way possible. It is also a forum that has the capacity, through its landowner support base, geographical influence and biological inventory, to attract funding for critical environmental projects. It is also a forum for any and all government departments, NGOs and industries to engage with environmentally minded landowners. Through this blog we hope to promote the aims of the MCF in general and the sharing of information in particular. It is your platform to express and respond to ideas and concerns. Please use it wisely and respectfully!

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