CGP,India's Nagpur declaration on Climate Change

Nagpur Declaration

Adopted in CGP,India's National Workshop

in Nagpur on November 16, 2009

Like other chapters of the Citizens' Global Platform, the CGP, India has also emerged as forum of global citizens to express the voices of the marginalisd majority. This need did arise in the context of global crisis of climate change wherein the people who have been marginalised in all contexts of social, economic, ecological and political processes. CGP, India stands for equity at all levels. We strongly feel the purpose of governance has been defeated by few elites at the cost of the marginalised majorities.

The CGP, India is very much concerned that the governments and the state at the national and global levels have become almost captive of the multinational corporates. It is the multinational sovereignty that prevails rather than State sovereignty.

CGP, India has been working on the issue of climate change and increasing marginalisation of voiceless majorities. In the process we have been organising local, regional and national conferences, workshops, consultations and dialogues on above issues in view of the summit at Copenhagen. CGP India held a two-day national dialogue on ‘Civil Society Organisations' participation in Climate change" at Nagpur on November 15-16 2009.

While we welcome the on-coming UN climate summit, COP15, at Copenhagen as a deciding factor of life and death for humanity and planet earth, we acknowledge:

1. In the post industrial revolution era of development, the majority of people were systematically marginalised for benefit of few. In this process of development, in the name of democracy, development, egalitarian society what has taken place is an irreversible destructive process. In this context, we firmly assert the kind of development that has taken place is more destructive, purely materialistic and without concern for all forms of life, livelihood and equity.
2. Everyone accepts and recognises "Equity" as their cardinal principle of development and goal of governance despite more than a century of development and governance process. The result is negative in all aspects of our lives. Hence, we declare and demand there is an urgency to critically look at this development paradigm to save the planet and lives on it from disaster and death.
3. The practice of scaling development in the name of "GDP" does not reflect the real quality and happiness of everyone. So, there is an urgent need to scale development with alternative scale of quality of life and happiness.
4. We believe and affirm that the Adivasi way of life is independent of any hegemony and dependence on the so-called mainstream society. Hence, we believe that the Adivasi lifestyles need to be followed to save the mother Earth. It is to be noted that the Adivasi philosophy and perspective of life are self-sustaining and based on the symbiotic relationship with the Nature.
5. We recognise the fact that the Western world is mainly responsible for the present situation arising out of the climate change due to global warming. The fact that they are not ready to change their lifestyles immersed in consumerism and over-exploitation of the natural bounties. Now, the same world has been creating fear psychosis among the people in the developing world even as it has no tangible and concrete solutions. Neither the so-called first world is ready to initiate steps to reduce carbon emissions. Their desire to retain power and hegemony is only adding to the already worsened situation.
6. We acknowledge the present condition of the world order is established to protect the mighty leaders of the international financial capital. The world is governed by invisible dictatorship by the great Lords of finance. There is an organised genocide worldwide on the poor, the eldely, the marinalised, the physically and mentally challenged, etc., who are considered potentially useless in the consumeristic market economy.

Hence, we hereby demand:

1. That the Copenhagen Summit to evolve a system and structure with a policy framework for the member States and governments wherein they ensure participation of people at all levels and bring them in the decision making processes.
2. That the Copenhagen Summit must put an end to the world financial dictatorship which is the sole cause for the present catastrophe of eco-bio life on planet Earth.
3. That relying heavily on the ruling of leading corporate thinkers, experts, politicians, economists, and cultural elite for undoing the damage caused to the Earth and humanity has resulted zero-sum. Hence, the Summit at Copenhagen must bestow the present climate repairing task to the UN general Assembly, instead of handing it over to the UN Security Council or the G-8 Group or the big corporate circle which has corporate vested interests.
4. That the UN must remove the Veto power only to a privileged few and provide all member countries the power to vote and decide on the majority vote system so that collective and tangible decisions are made to implement the relevant international instruments.
5. That all nuclear powers destroy and demolish their nuclear stockpiles and other dangerous weapons of mass destruction.
6. That the United Nations General Assembly set up a UN body to act as global authority by integrating all people and nature-centred national policies for combating the threat of climate change.
7. That India should show courage and without being bullied by any hegemonistic power must play a lead role in the talks at Copenhagen on behalf of the whole developing world as India is a major developing country cannot shirk from its global responsibilities.
8. That India needs to have a paradigm shift in its thinking on the whole climate change discourse in favour of the marginalised communities. It should not change its stand quite frequently on the international and hegemonistic pressure coming from certain power blocks. Instead, Parliament should be taken into confidence.
9. That India must not surrender to the corporate houses that are singularly pursuing their business interests and undermining the rights and privileges of the communities such as Adivasis living in the forest areas, Scheduled caste people living on the margins of society and the communities living in the coastal areas for centuries.
10. That India must have an integrated policy frame work for the eco-friendly management of its cities. The cities right now are contributing to pollution due to weak public transport system. The rampant use of private vehicles in the absence of satisfactory public transport system in the cities is only causing emission of more greenhouse gases. This is very clear that the government has no plans to reinforce the public transport system only to benefit the private car manufacturers. This must end with the integrated public transport policy for the cities in particular.
11. That the rich nations make an agreement on burden sharing principles between the North and the South and that the North take responsibility for emission of the developing countries as the rich countries have forced the South to adopt their technologies and models of economic development.
12. That the climate change mitigation must not be viewed in isolation from the highly important challenges such as accessibility to energy, clean water, alleviation of poverty and economic growth in the emerging economies.
13. That the CGP India is of the view that time has to unburden the national economies of the process of globalization and marketisation and move towards the concept of gram swarajya or village governance system in order to achieve local solutions to the climate change issues.
14. That biodiversity is conserved in accordance with the international instruments and commitments and protected areas be created and managed with the approval and cooperation of the local communities like gram sabha. Evictions and resettlements of the forest, indigenous and coastal communities must not occur at any cost.