ACT NOW - empower yourself

During the UNFCCC intersessional in Bonn in June 50 young activists came together for a "train the trainer” seminar by Young Friends of the Earth. In different groups (media, action and policy) they were trained to train other young people. In regional groups they organized their own conferences for October 8^th to 11^th.

In Berlin 55 young people from Germany and central and eastern Europe gathered to share their experience and visions. In talks they got the basics of climate change politics and worked in workgroups on policy, media and action. On Friday they were joined by politicians from the EU parliament, the german Ministry of Environment and the UK embassy to discuss with them. They young activists got the chance to lobby the politicians and get an insight impression on how politics is working to tackle climate change.

But only talking doesn’t change anything. So the action group started to plan their own little action to go onto the streets and wake up the people.

So we have been out on the streets of Berlin on Saturday. A big ticking clock symbolized time running out. Different subjects and dangerous effects of climate change were announced while politicians in suits and lobbyist groups like the industry just stood around the giant clock just doing useless BlaBlaBla-talk. They just watched time ticking away securing their cut and doing nothing. At 5 minutes to high noon all people on the street were asked to ACT NOW and take action.

On the crowded streets this action draw a lot of attention and a lot of flyers were given out to inform on the upcoming negotiations in Copenhagen. The people were very interested and a lot of discussions were started.

The conference ended with a lot of newly engaged activists spreading the word in their towns and countries. The goal is clear – we demand a strong, fair and binding treaty in Copenhagen.

No more time for useless talk – Time is up to ACT NOW!

Action during the Act now regional conference in Berlin (if you have problems with the HD-video just turn off the HD)