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Blog Action Day: 10 Videos on Climate Change + Human Rights

By: Masha Medvedkov, Posted: Oct 15 09

Regions: Global

Issues: Environment, Sustainable development, Water

Tags: carbon emissions, carbon footprint, climate change, environmental rights, human rights


It's Blog Action Day 2009 and 13000 bloggers (and the number keeps growing) from 155 countries are joining forces to spark a global conversation about climate change.  We're participating by highlighting 10 videos that help illustrate the connection between the climate crisis and human rights.  Watch, and then get involved.  The United Nations Climate Change Conference is quickly approaching and groups like TckTckTck and 350.org are helping organize events around the world to pressure global leaders to take decisive action at the meeting in December.  You can take part too - the next major event is the International Day of Climate Action on October 24: display the number 350 in an iconic place in your community and make your voice heard (350 is the number many scientists believe represents the safe upper limit to carbon dioxide in the atmosphere). 

And now, onto the videos - please share your own favorites in the comments field below! 


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1: ALASKA, UNITED STATES
Kivalina - an 8-mile barrier reef off the coast of Alaska - is home to 400 native Alaskan Inupiat residents. Their homes - along with their school, post office, health clinic, grocery store, laundry, and churches - are slowly sinking into the Chukchi Sea due to rising sea levels.  In 2008, the community filed a lawsuit against oil giant Exxon Mobil and more than 20 other companies whose greenhouse emissions helped cause the changes in climate that are now forcing the residents of Kivalina to relocate to a new home - a move that could cost up to $400 million. In this video, Jerry Norton, a native of Kivalina, shows us how global warming is threatening the community's livelihood.  
ONEWorldTV on YouTube

 

 

 

 

2: PIACENZA, ITALY
Giuseppe Miranti, a 26-year old beekeeper from Italy, talks about the effects of  warmer temperatures on his livelihood: "Climate changes are deeply affecting beekeeping and honey production. In the wintertime, due to higher temperatures, bees cannot have their normal rest period. In summertime, due to water scarcity, they fall ill more frequently..."
climatewitness on YouTube

 

 

 

3: BANKE DISTRICT, NEPAL
Children experiencing the impact of climate change in poor areas in Nepal come together to tell the story about how climate change is affecting their lives. "As children living in a poor country like Nepal, we have done the least to cause this but we are often the most affected by it. Any yet, our voices are rarely heard in climate change policy debates…"
ActionAid on TheHub

 


 

 

 

4: IBNAT, ETHIOPIA
"When we were born, there were forests and wild animals…nowadays, deforestation has increased and drought has become more frequent and destroyed the pasture. Wild animals have disappeared." In this video, several farm workers from rural Ethiopia attest to how climate change has caused changes in rain patterns, affected their harvest, and diminished the local animal populations.

 

ifrc on YouTube

 

 

 

 

 

5: GABROVO, BULGARIA
"For the last 15 years we've seen an odd increase of temperatures, but the summer of 2007 was truly unique. The source of Yantra river, which we’d never seen with so low water level, completely dried out. There was no water coming from the source itself." This video features Balgarka Nature Park Director, Maya Radeva, talking about some of the evidence of climate change in Bulgaria. 
climatewitness on YouTube

 

 

 

 

6: THE CARTERET ISLANDS, ASIA PACIFIC
An Island elder shares his story: "When I was a small boy, this island was big. As I grew older the island got smaller. As you can see, the island has broken and it’s now in 2 pieces.." In this video, people of The Carteret Islands talk about how the sea is eating away their lands and causing food shortages.
ecatny on TheHub

 

 

 

 

7: LADAKH, INDIA
"Change is real and is here today. It touches all: skys, lands, people, and bio-diversity. While some adapt and evolve, some nearly parish without being noticed at all..."  This video features firsthand testimonies from witnesses of a changing Himalayan ecosystem.

climatewitness on YouTube

 

 

8: PARÁ, BRAZIL
Marlene Rocha lives in the Igarapé do Costa village on the margins of the Amazonas River in the state of Pará, northern Brazil.  Along with the other 80 families that live in the village, Marlene is dealing with the impact of a shifting climate as the seasons bring increased flooding, droughts, and fewer fish.  Marlene shares her story in this video. If you're wondering what the Igarapé do Costa community is doing to find solutions to these problems, watch this video of a workshop they organized in partnership with local and international NGOs (in Portuguese only).
climatewitness on YouTube

 

 

 

9: WEST COAST, USA
Cam and Sage are two brothers ages 8 and 10 who are trying to do their part to reduce carbon emissions and fight the climate crisis. In this video, Sage makes a plea to those that still aren't convinced about the urgency of climate change. Watch more webisodes from this series - The Green Prodigies - here. Also check out our interview with expert Tim Ream - a law student specializing in environmental law and planning on traveling to Copenhagen for December's global meeting.

 

 

10: GLOBAL - THE HUMAN IMPACT REPORT

This playlist by the Global Humanitarian Forum showcases the voices and stories of people affected by climate change around the world. Check out the full report for a comprehensive list of resources and indicators about the global impact of the climate crisis.

 

 

 

 

 


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LEARN MORE & TAKE ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE:

* TckTckTck.org - a global alliance of civil society organizations, trade unions, faith groups, and citizens calling for a fair, ambitious and binding climate change agreement in Copenhagen

* Global Campaign for Climate Action - a coalition of global organizations from more than 30 countries,including Oxfam, Greenpeace, Avaaz, and Global Call to Action Against Poverty

* 350.org - an international campaign dedicated to building a movement to support solutions to the climate crisis

* Climate Change and Human Rights, A Rough Guide by the International Council on Human Rights Policy  

* The Humanitarian Impact of Climate Change - Resource Page by Change.org

* Counting the Human Cost - Anatomy of a Silent Crisis - Global Humanitarian Forum

* Climate Change and Displacement - Resource Page by Forced Migration Online 

* From The Hub, videos & blog posts on climate change

*Friends of the Earth International: Community video testimonies from Africa, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Europe


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Ensuring women contribute to and benefit from equitable climate

By Your name on Oct 23 09

A comprehensive resource kit from UNFPA and WEDO on gender, population and climate change. Learn how gender equality can reduce vulnerability to climate change impacts and how women are uniquely positioned to help curb the harmful consequences of a changing climate.

http://www.wedo.org/act/climate-change-toolkit/climate-change-connection...


Innovative approach from the Maldives

By Dan Verderosa on Oct 20 09

Check out this video from The Guardian. The president of the Maldives held an underwater cabinet meeting to sign an SOS memo to raise awareness of rising sea levels:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2009/oct/19/maldives-governm...