350 Global Day of Climate Action on October 24th

23 October 2009

CAN member 350.org, in close collaboration with a large number of partners, has organized close to 5000 actions in over 180 countries around the world on Saturday, October 24th, calling for immediate and aggressive climate action.  It figures to be one of the largest global days of action of all time, on any issue, and looks to provide a boost of momentum in the lead up to Copenhagen.

In the buildup to the event, the USA Today published a column by former  Anglican archbishop of Cape Town and Nobel Laureate Desmond Tutu, endorsing the event and its goals.  In it, Tutu writes, “In South Africa, we showed that if we act on the side of justice, we have the power to turn tides. Worldwide, we have a chance to start turning the tide of climate change with just such a concerted effort today.”

Bill McKibben, Founder and Director of 350.org, published an op-ed in the Boston Globe on Friday, as US President Barack Obama prepared to deliver remarks in Boston at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  McKibben reminds readers, “Global warming is different from almost every other problem we face. The negotiation that really counts is not between Republicans and Democrats or industry and the greens, or even between the United States andChina. The real bargaining is happening between human beings and physics and chemistry, and that’s a tough negotiation.”

For more information on the Global Day of Action, visit the 350.org website, where you can find an activity in your area.