NEWS

An aerial view of the Solomon Islands. Flying over the province’s main town of Gizo, Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was able to observe the effects of deforestation, climate change and natural disasters on the area. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.

By Nancy Price

Fiji’s vision as President of COP 23, (November 6-17) is to be transparent and inclusive of all, advance the Paris Climate Agreement, and accelerate climate action for vulnerable societies, drawing on its own experience as a small island nation in the Pacific.

Listen to Fiji’s Prime Minister address the 72^nd session of the UN General Assembly and read about Fiji’s commitment to addressing climate change and why the role of Fiji and Pacific Island nations at this COP 23 is so crucial. As islands and countries with low lying deltas and coastal areas are so vulnerable to rising sea levels, ocean acidification that is destroying protective reefs, and extreme storms, Fiji will be sure these issues won’t be ignored at COP 23.

Here’s more information on COP 23 and a brief history of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that was adopted in 1992 at the United Nations Rio Earth Summit.

Here is what you can do:

First - Plan to take action:

COP 23 is November 6-17. Afterwards, we will know what’s been negotiated, what concessions may have been made to get the U.S. back in, and where we stand going forward. Remember, many say that we are actually in the midst of a climate breakdown, not just extreme weather events because of warming, etc., but an actual breakdown in the system that has kept the climate pretty stable over the last many decades. But now, the cumulative effects of more CO₂ in the atmosphere and warming is leading to actual system breakdown as we enter a “new normal” climate system.

From November 17 to November 26, Congress will be on recess

• Before then, make an appointment and go with friends to speak about Climate Justice+Women+Peace. Order your Inforgraphic Cards now to leave a few with your Congress person and for tabling. Email Marybeth Gardam at mbgardam@gmail.com
• Plan to go to a town meeting or other event and get your Congress person or candidate on record about climate. Is he/she a denier? Does he/she support getting to green energy as fast as we can by 2030? Does he/she support divestment from fossil fuels? What other questions?

After the COP 23 meeting, I’ll be writing a digest of what happened there and what you need to know before attending meetings with your representatives, how to write a letter to the editor, and more.

Second - Listen to the entire September 18, 2017 three-part interview with Naomi Klein on Democracy Now here.

In Part One, Naomi explains what is at stake: In order to get the U.S. back into the Paris Climate Agreement, other countries will broker deals or make concessions that will make the Climate agreement even weaker. Remember, all country pledges are voluntary anyway.

Here’s the shocking truth that Naomi Klein emphasized: At Paris in 2015, they set this target of keeping warming below 2 degrees Celsius above what it was before humans started burning fossil fuels on an industrial scale. There was a huge fight about that 2-degree target, because we’ve already warmed the planet by 1 degree Celsius, and we are already seeing such catastrophic effects. And so, there was a push to make it more ambitious, to make it 1.5. So, the agreement has some complicated language, making best efforts to meet 1.5, but definitely keeping it below 2 degrees Celsius.

The problem with the agreement is that it’s made up of these nationally determined plans. So every country was able to bring their best efforts to the table, right? And so, the centerpiece of the U.S.'s efforts was Obama's Clean Power Plan. If you added up all of the best efforts, it didn’t lead to that target of 1.5 to 2 degrees. It led to a pathway to twice that level of warming. So, basically, what the world community said was, “We know what we have to do, and we’re willing to do roughly half that.”

Third - Read this brief announcement about implementation of the first Gender Action Plan at COP in recognition of “the importance of the equitable involvement of women in sustainable development and the implementation of climate policies, including the Gender Action Plan.”

By Martha Spiess, Maine branch

Honoring the occasion of the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, The Japan Council Against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (Gensuikyo) called for a global Peace Wave. The Maine branch joined this Peace Wave on September 26, coincidently the International Day for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons!

In solidarity, we had a daytime opener on the Green in Brunswick, Maine, with white balloons, Pete Seeger’s “Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream,” commentary, and members also joining from Maine Veterans for Peace, Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space, PeaceWorks, and Peace Action Maine. Our opener video clip is posted on YouTube.

We had an evening event, motivated by the Drone Quilt Project, now on exhibit at the Brunswick Public Library. After previewing the National Bird, discussion followed regarding two recent  troubling articles in the New York Times: The first article described the Trump Administration's loosening of restrictions on drone warfare, so that lethal drones would be operated by the CIA more often, could be controlled by local commanders and low level targets added. Already, there has been a drastic escalation of drone warfare since January.

The second article is even more alarming and describes how ISIS is now also using drone warfare, killing and wounding people. The article notes that the US military, so far, has found no effective defenses. Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, former Chief of Staff to Colin Powell, warns that the unrestrained proliferation of lethal drones, even by non-state actors, means the danger of them being used in the US is growing.

That will be the day the drones come home to roost.

Left to right: Cindy Domingo, Bob Guild/Co-coordinator of RESPECT, Caridad Morales/Issues Committee Member, Walter Turner/Co-Coordinator of Respect.

By Cindy Domingo, Chair – Cuba and the Bolivarian Alliance Issues Committee

The inaugural meeting of RESPECT, an association of travel agents, tour operators, non-profits and other travel service providers to Cuba, took place in Havana, Cuba on September 29-30 in the midst of new announcements by the Trump administration that are a major setback for US-Cuba relations.  RESPECT (Responsible and Ethical Cuba Travel) is the most organized entity of its type, with over 150 members, and is dedicated to practicing and promoting ethical and socially responsible travel to Cuba. 

The meeting was attended by 70 US participants and many Cuban representatives from an array of Cuban government agencies and organizations.  WILPF joined RESPECT last year during its public launch and was represented at the Havana conference by members of WILPF’s Cuba and the Bolivarian Alliance Issues Committee.  RESPECT’s statement in opposition to the US State Department’s position encouraged US peoples to continue traveling to Cuba and not to be deterred by the recent US efforts to discourage travel.  RESPECT emphasized that it is still legal to travel to Cuba under the 12 categories as designated by our government.  US airlines including United, Delta and Jet Blue, who have carried over 500,000 visitors from the US to Cuba this year, also announced they will continue flights as scheduled.

US Statement Department Rolls Back Relations

The September 29th US State Department release announced the following measures:

1.  60% of non-emergency staff from the US Embassy in Havana are being withdrawn
2.  Effective immediately, the US will suspend issuing US visas to Cubans indefinitely
3.  Advising US citizens to avoid travel to Cuba claiming concern about the health of US citizens who travel there

After the announcement, the State Department also expelled 15 Cuban diplomats from their embassy in Washington, DC, claiming that the US had reduced their diplomatic staffing levels in Havana and that the Cuban government had failed to prevent “attacks” against the US staff in Havana.

In response, Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs cautioned the US from taking hasty steps that will affect bilateral relations on many issues that the countries are working on.  In addition, Barbara Stephenson, President of the US Foreign Service Association, the union that represents US diplomats around the world, expressed opposition to any decision to withdraw US diplomats from Cuba and stated, “We have to remain on the field and in the game.”

The justification for the State Department’s announcement is unexplained health problems that 21 Havana-based US diplomats have reported. The Cuban government points out that the claims of US embassy employees stemmed back from during the Obama administration when the Cuban government pledged full cooperation in the investigation.  In a press statement by Josefina Vidal, General Director for the US at Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she stated, “I would like to reiterate Cuba’s willingness to continue active cooperation between authorities of our two countries, to fully clarify these events, which requires more efficient involvement on the part of the United States.”

History of RESPECT

RESPECT was formed last December 16 on the one year historic announcement by the Obama administration that opened up relations between the US and Cuba governments and re-established both their Embassies.  (Prior to the reopening, both governments had Interests Sections sponsored by the government of Switzerland.)  Members of RESPECT agree to uphold 17 principles in organizing travel to Cuba that were framed by the internationally agreed-upon UN Sustainable Development Goals and respect for Cuba’s path to sustainable development as determined by the Cubans themselves.  The Havana RESPECT meeting was held during the UN’s declared week of Sustainable Tourism.

RESPECT conference organizers worked closely with ICAP (Cuban Institute for Friendship) to construct a program that reflected the commitment of the Cuban government to sustainable tourism, especially in light of recovery from the devastating hurricane Irma and the continued impact of climate change that has brought on an increase of progressively stronger hurricanes over the last 20 years. 

Top ranking officials of the Cuban Civil Defense reviewed the history of the intensity and damage of hurricanes to the Cuban economy and livelihood, especially in the last 10 years.  Cuba’s response to hurricanes has been embedded in the entire Cuban society, in order to reduce the impact of these disasters.  These steps include:

1. National education and preparedness at all levels of Cuban society with detailed plans in both the urban and rural areas.  In fact, last May 2017, the entire country went through a dress rehearsal in response to a hurricane making it the 31st time the country has done this exercise.
2. Implementing an early notice system which is important to safeguarding of peoples, lands, crops, animals and water.  The issue of water is particularly important, given that Cuba has experienced a drought since 2014.  Cuba’s ability to create a more comprehensive aquaduct system throughout Cuba has enabled the country to have its reservoirs at 68.4% capacity, as a result of the torrential rainfall brought on by hurricanes. 
3. Complete up-to-date information before, during and after hurricanes is provided to the population.   Because of the organized integrated preparedness system of Cuban society, information flows smoothly from top to bottom in light of these disasters.  Using radio systems, Cubans have access to information at every moment as the hurricane approaches and moves through Cuba. 
4. Lastly, Cuba’s policy of universal access to healthcare, education and social programs allows for countrywide preparedness and recovery for all.

Of course, even with Cuba’s organized response to hurricanes, severe damage occurred. Because of Irma, ten lives were lost, mainly due to collapsed buildings, bringing the total to 54 deaths in the last 10 years and $31 million in damages over the last 20 years as a result to hurricanes passing through Cuba. A total of 40,000 tourists and 12,000 domestic workers were evacuated to safety in preparation for Irma, with 45,000 of those people located in the northern coast. This was the first time Cuba has done an evacuation of this magnitude in the northern part of Cuba utilized highly by the tourist industry.

The Civil Defense speakers emphasized that recovery from Irma will continue, but 100% of all communications in the country has been reestablished in less than three weeks after the hurricane and all the hotels damaged in the northern coast should be open by the start of the high tourist season beginning at the end of November.

Other presentations that day focused on the need for the protection of Cuba’s art and culture and the environment and the steps the Cuban government is taking to do so. The presentation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was cancelled due to the US State Department announcement as Cuban officials worked to focus on the repercussions of the policies.

RESPECT’s Work

The second day of the conference was spent with participants discussing the strategy and plans to institutionalize the work of RESPECT.  Most important to RESPECT is expanding its membership to include other travel providers who are bringing the over 500,000 US visitors to Cuba since Obama opened up relations with Cuba.  This expanded association can play an important role in further opening up travel to Cuba, as well as bringing in continued needed dollars to the Cuban economy. 

For more information on RESPECT and its work or to share ideas about expanding RESPECT’s membership, please contact Cindy Domingo at cindydomingo@gmail.com or RESPECT Co-founder Bob Guild at respect@respectassociation.org  Please feel free to share this article.

Walk to Hull House. Credit Martha Spiess

By Chris Wilbeck, WILPF US 2017 Congress Coordinator

Those who attended the WILPF-US 33^rd Triennial Congress were asked to take a short survey to rate their experience.  Approximately half of those who attended Congress (44 of 90 attendees) completed the survey and provided feedback on what went well and what could be improved.

Congress attendees were very satisfied!

Asked for their overall satisfaction with their experience with Congress (using a 4 point rating scale to force non-neutral positions), 75% were very satisfied and 95% were satisfied+very satisfied.

Comments included:

“This was my first time to attend.  It was informative and inspiring.”
“It was my first Congress and I loved it: excellent speakers and WILPF leaders present and engaged!”
“The Congress was more focused than earlier Congresses.”
“It was the first Congress I've been to (where) there was a more positive and encouraging atmosphere among the attendees.”
“I appreciated the feel that was created for the event.  Whether in the lobby or either of the conference large rooms, I felt WILPF around me.”

Complete Summary Recap

For the complete summary, including ratings for Overall Program, Schedule, Panel Nights, Workshops,  and other aspects of Congress evaluated, go here.