On 6 to 13 December, parallel to the official COP25, civil society organizations in Madrid organized the Social Climate Summit, SCS, (Cumbre Social por el Clima), together with their Chilean counterpart; Sociedad Civil de Acción Climática, SCAC. In 3 weeks the summit as such, and a huge, ambitious program with 350 presentations and activities were developed.
The Social Summit had a broad; 300 organizations, networks, groups and social movements from most continents, gathered at the SCS.
In Madrid
Chilean and Latin American climate initiatives such as the Summit of the Civil Society for Climate Action (SCAC), the Indigenous Minga, and the Peoples’ Summit had been preparing for months, for COP25 in Chile. It was a big disappointment for the Latin America climate movements, when it was moved to Madrid.
The Spanish climate movement organized then, in record time, the Social Climate Summit, SCS, in Madrid. More than 15,000 people and 300 organizations, networks, groups and social movements from different continents gathered at the SCS, in Madrid 6-13 December 2019 at the University of Madrid, UCM. Indigenous leaders coming from different countries in Latin America had a special programme; the Minga, to evidence the situation and share good practices of Indigenous people and territories affected by climate change.
At the end of the Summit and the COP conference the experience was summarized:
“The Social Climate Summit (SCS) in Madrid has been the social response to the COP25; to act as a loudspeaker for the demands of communities in the Global South, particularly social movements in Latin American and Chile.
In coordination with the numerous Chilean social spaces that were already in action, particularly the Indigenous Minga, the Peoples’ Summit and Civil Society for Climate Action (SCAC).
In contrast to the disappointing debates at the official negotiations, which revolved around carbon markets and offsets, a space for debate to a much richer and more diverse discussion about real solutions, weaving together the social and community network that will make us stronger for the ecological, social and climate crisis scenario we are facing.
Each day, during the plenary meetings—in some case with over 1000 participants companions from a wide diversity of communities, who have shared their struggles and their front-line efforts while facing up to extractivist aggressions and climate impacts.
Our capacity to mobilise, organise and understand each other is what can save us from the ecological and social emergency that we are experiencing. We have learnt from each other, built bonds of solidarity and fueled our desire to fight. We are leaving much stronger than we were when we arrived. We will keep up pressure on politicians in defense of the common good. We will continue to take to the streets to halt the climate emergency. From Santiago to Madrid, we will articulate solidarity networks with the communities who are fighting for justice around the world. In the face of neoliberal policies, sacrificed zones and the madness of continued fuel extraction, we call for peaceful but firm and ongoing resistance.
At last the world has woken in face of the climate emergency.”
In Chile
The Sociedad Civil de Acción Climática, SCAC still held the Social Climate Summit in Santiago de Chile.
The Latin American Climate Declaration was developed on-line in Madrid and Chile simultaneously.
The Sociedad Civil de Acción Climática, SCAC had also a full one week programme in Chile, which they implemented despite the move of the COP. For several months, SCAC had coordinated the drafting of “The first Latin American Climate Declaration” together with other Climate organizations in the region. This Declaration was to be present to COP 25, thinking it would be in Chile. The Declaration was now finalized in joint sessions over internet and video in Madrid and in Chile simultaneously.
Expectations and enthusiasm for COP 25 among Climate organizations, in Chile, in Latin America and in Madrid had been high. At the end of the Conference, this tuned into disappointments but at the same time it became even more evident, the key role people have to play in the climate emergency.
The Social Summit was the beginning of a new movement, of people and organizations that met, learned, built solidarity and strength to struggle together. The world has woken in face of the climate emergency. We’re now much stronger than we have ever been.
Time is now, it is happening!
There are 3 documents especially worth mentioning:
The SCS Madrid and SACS Chile/ Latin American Climate Declaration the “Manifest”
The final declaration, https://cumbresocialclima.net/final-declaration-social-climate-summit/
The Escazu Agreement, see special topic below.
References:
The programme of the SCS Summit: https://cumbresocialclima.net/#programa
Sociedad Civil de Acción Climática, SCAC, https://www.porlaaccionclimatica.cl/
The special Minga programme https://cumbresocialclima.net/programa-minga-indigena/
The Minga website: www.mingaindigenacop25.org
Read the Manifiest in Spanish: EL MUNDO DESPERTÓ ANTE LA EMERGENCIA CLIMÁTICA
Videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh2oA62aGYVmR12RtOHcEgw