Gluaiseacht for global justice was formed by students in various eco college societies in 2000 after a communal trip to COP 6 in The Hague. Glu was set up to be non-hierarchical and with a strong basis on direct action. Glu has organized various international trips to Faslane, Sellafield and Genoa, as well as funding the Climate Camp trip in Dec. 09 to COP15.

Glu has ebbed and flowed has seldomly had any paid workers, hence it’s sometimes chaotic with all volunteers. In 2002 Glu organized and hosted Ecoptopia a 2 week summer eco-camp hosted by a different European country every time. EYFA (European Youth for Action) the organization that funded Ecotopias, has now decided to support a climate camp each summer, instead of ecotopia. Ecotopia Ireland was amazing, and created lots of inspiration but also took lots of hard work. Glu had an office in Kilkenny for a year. From here some volunteers ran “the bet” a schools energy saving project.

In now 2007 Glu did a skills weekend in Dublin, which brought a lot of people together who are now involved in Climate Camp. Then in March 2008 a bus went to London to do a shell to sea action in the St Patricks day march and at Shell Headquarters.

Glu wants to strengthen links between Climate Camp and Glu as Glu funded the camp and without Glu climate camp would now be in a lot of debt.

Are glu and climate camp going to merge more?

They are already very close at the moment e.g. the insurance for the camp was taken out by glu.

How to get more involved? – email N and she can give you last minutes and see if you are interested in getting more involved.

Approx. 23 irish people went over (with Climate Camp/YFOE), not all together. Stayed in a disused warehouse south of the city. 1500 stayed there in total from Germany, France, Spain, and Sweden. Other activists group across Europe coordinated all those logistics of accommodation and food.


Folks went to Klima forum ,many excellent workshops, talks and meetings on. Every day different demos to get involved. There were different affinity groups also, but no Irish folk had particular plans beforehand. Very inspiring to see the strength of the social movements to see building up. It was really powerful, buzzing, Klima forum was fab. Different groups were arguing different points. No one large voice, Ci wishes there was one more clear voice. March to the docks one day was blocked off by the police.

Most interesting part was reaction of folks at home, what they said to you. They didn’t really understand why you would go to COP15. Many didn’t think climate change was such a big issue, and the didn’t really understand the science behind it either. One participant said “When I got home, my mother called me and said ‘ Why were you breaking windows?’ “ The media stereotyping of protestors was the usual. Media outlooks was on arrests and general hopelessness.

Socially, it’s really important for Irish people to see the international scene and the energy. “Now I’m home and that energy has not stopped. I still see the urgency of the whole thing” said a participant.

“Seeing the global south speakers was really inspiring. Solidarity between the north and south is incredibly important. I see that more now. Land issues are very important in the developing south.” “The Reclaim power demo, some of us went on bikes. Very well organized. Couple of hundred bike block people.”

Only 1 arrest the day there was a pre-emptive mass arrest of hundreds of people before a demo. The Irish participant was held for 9 hours in a military prison. No charges were made. (VERIFY)

A lot of plain clothes policemen were in the demos, later spotted in police cars etc.

Police were also posing as media.

194 countries negotiating for over 4 years. When it was obvious that no agreement was going to happen, Obama jetted in, got together the heavy weights and took them aside to try to do a deal, which materialized as a shite political declaration, not legally binding. It was not adopted by the conference. Tuvalu, an island state, objected to it, said they wouldn’t be bought off. Bolivia also objected, other ALBA? countries. Noted by the conference, but that doesn’t mean anything. Carbon trading side-discussions were quite frightening and horrible. Well-dressed suits arguing on ways to make money.

Outcomes/What have we learnt?

From organising trip:

Transport:

Eurolines, wasn’t perfect, but much cheaper than bus hire. Reimbursements have been made to those who needed it.

Those who paid their own tickets have not asked for reimbursements so far.

Didn’t have same spirit as before on hired buses, but less pressure to fill a bus too. Meetings beforehand to organise with group is necessary.

Suggestions for next time:

BUDDY SYSTEM, phone tree system (organize it on the bus on way over)

But defo, these trips are great for activist groups….for solidarity, Next meeting of CJA will be possibly in Brussels in March maybe. Possibly convergence in Bonn in June. Could be good to plan to go over or send some reps.

The more radical groups would be against mining fossil fuels, against market solutions.

In general, the realization that we need a massive reduction in consumption from the industrialized world.

Everyone came back with different messages depending on where they were from.


There hasn’t been one coherent co-ordinated picture from the grassroots movement. The Klimaforum declaration, 6 pages, has been signed by almost 500 organisations, but not incredibly specific.Climate Justice Now – claim to represent quarter of the planet, network, huge of climate orgs.

Internationally, CJA mostly European at present. It hopefully will expand. The Climate Change movement is the anti-globalisation movement reformed as such. How is it reforming?

Media coverage of camp and actions were very good. (at least 5 articles in the national papers during the camp, plus numerous national radio interviews, and many local paper and radio coverage).

Overall direct actions were very successful, we reached 3 powers stations and triggered debate.

New groups emerged as a result of the camp.

The running of the actual camp seemed very successful and in alignment with the underpinning values.

• A general brainstorm brought up the following ideas:
• Another camp (seconded 6 times).
• Strengthening the educational side and outreach (seconded 1).
• More direct actions (seconded 2 times).
• Another camp not a priority if there isn’t enough energy for it (seconded 4 times).
• Connect with other camps in the UK.
• Integration of climate change group with other groups and initiatives in Ireland (seconded 1 ).
• Influencing media to take up the issue in a more consistent and concrete way (seconded 2).
• Action that helps protecting forests.
• Education around effects of military presence in Shannon and of Shell in Rossport, linking various issues under the climate change common denominator.
• Focusing on closing down Bord na Mona.
• Bring climate change in to universities, create a team to facilitate this (T would like to create a package for this next year (summer 2010?))
• Climate bike ride to Rossport in May.
• Strengthening relationships within existing local groups..
• Using existing channels and facilities to generate more involvement in working groups.
• Creating a credible document/report that addresses the climate change issue in Ireland and its implication.
• Positive direct action such as cooking outside supermarkets and donating the food.
  
  

Suggestion: It might be worthwhile connecting with Earthsong and or CELT in terms of finding a way to keep up the “camp” element in a sustainable way by joining forces.

Importance of maintaining continuity of profile and outreach of the camp by using existing facilities…i.e. finding a green site which is better set up to host a camp, instead of like last year’s camp (e.g. camp site, with toilets, water taps etc?)It could be good to draw up a map of what it actually takes to run a camp in terms of prep work so that it would help in being able to be more efficient about it and in estimating the energy needed for it.

(Note: working group reports were to be done. Two have been completed by Site Crew and Research group, others need to complete theirs…set deadline? Include in newsletter?)

Skills weekends might be an alternative to main “camp” ?

The most successful part of last year was the direct action so it would be good to focus on that if people are too burned up for organising a camp, this is seconded and also the importance of education is highlighted.

A skills weekend before May to involve colleges : Barry suggests a contact person to facilitate presentations in colleges (Nancy has taken the number).

Ta offers Non Violent Communication and group facilitation skills for the Skills Weekend.Proposed date for Skills weekend : 20-22 April Location : Galway, Cork or Dublin with a leaning towards Galway and Cork.

Workshop on the implications of direct action (jail follow up, mental well being, trauma support etc).

Ta offers to connect with someone who might be able to facilitate such workshop.

• Training how to get on message across in media, leaflets etc.
• Carbon trading.
• Legal training.
• Update on peat after climate change - I L offers a briefing on upcoming projects in Ireland.
• Water conservation – in aftermath of recent flooding/water shortages due to weather.
• LETS schemes (some in Clare, any speakers?).
• Community outreach (Ma in Kinsale suggests this, can she get a facilitator? T?)

A lot of these topics are being addressed by the transition town movement, it might be useful to connect with them to share resources and create synergy.

Bike ride 6 (J will send email to UK group, get details + send info on camp list).

Camp 6 (C will send an email to galvanise and the 2 I’s will respond straight away! ).

Skills weekend 5 (N contact point between camp folk and Glu folk organising this, she will email them).

Trip to UK 3 (B will send first email on camp list to gauge interest).

Direct Action 11 (Ci will post an email to galvanise interest).

Building local groups 5 (who is lead on this?).

However, Local group processes should be discussed more. How to make decisions, urgent decisions, what decisions can be made locally, what nationally, how to work with groups.

Maybe this could be discussed at the next meeting if someone puts together a proposal for discussion beforehand and emails to all the week before the meeting.

Tree Walk tomorrow meeting tomorrow 2pm Salthill (www.transitiongalway.com)

When – Feb. 20^th (date that suited most present)


Where – Belfast? Or Dublin (Belfast can’t host that date…)


Who to do it? (PROCESS GROUP? Needs recruits!)