The failure of governments meeting in the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen to conclude a strong and just deal for global climate action brought widespread disappointment. Dissatisfied with the official process, thousands of climate and social movement activists met 19-22 April 2010 at Cochabamba, Bolivia in an alternative people’s summit to discuss real solutions to climate change.

The summit, called Conferencia Mundial de los Pueblos sobre el Cambio Climatico y los Derechos de la Madre Tierra (CMPCC), was convened by Bolivian President Evo Morales.

The CMPCC brought together civil society and indigenous peoples’ organizations, scientists, and government delegations from more than 100 countries. It was intended to give voice to the South and the world’s poor, whose plight and solutions were largely ignored in Copenhagen. The summit also sought to influence the next UN climate conference, to be held in Cancun, Mexico in December 2010.

Among the summit’s participants was the Peoples’ Movement on Climate Change (PMCC), a network of CSOs advancing people-centered solutions to the climate crisis. On 19 April, the PMCC, together with Asia-Pacific Research Network (APRN), Plataforma Boliviana Frente al Cambio Climatico, and Union Nacional de Instituciones para el Trabajo de Accion Social (UNITAS), held a very successful side event at Sala Cultura in Univalle, Cochabamba. The event, entitled “Peoples’ Assembly and Speak Out on Climate Change”, was attended by some 200 participants coming from different organizations present for the alternative summit. Also on 21 April, another side event titled “Encuentro intercontinental sobre crisis climatica y visiones alternativas de las sociedad civil de America Latina, Asia, Africa y Europa” was held to provide a space for sharing experiences of struggle for climate justice.

Among the presenters were indigenous leaders from Bolivia, who spoke of the impacts of mining activities in a number of indigenous communities as well as their struggle to push for laws and policies that would protect them and Pachamama (Mother Earth).

Also present was Ms. Joan Carling of the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact. Carling spoke of how indigenous communities are the most vulnerable in the face of climate change, and how they are in fact living solutions of sustainable, and simple lifestyles.

Ms. Tetet Lauron of the APRN stressed that at the root of the climate crisis is the fundamental unequal relations that resulted from exploitation by colonialism and neo-colonialism. As such, struggles for climate justice should also be combined with other struggles for social transformation.

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Reileen Dulay is a Program Assistant with the Asia Pacific Research Network.