PBI-Canada observes the Global Climate Strike march in Ottawa

Photo: This Decolonial Solidarity banner at the Ottawa march drew attention to the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) financing the Coastal GasLink fracked gas pipeline being built without free, prior and informed consent on Wet’suwet’en territory.

Yesterday, September 23, a Global Climate Strike organized by Fridays for Future saw mobilizations in Bogota, Tegucigalpa, Ciudad de Mexico, Nairobi, Jakarta and numerous other cities around the world including Madrid, Munich, Hamburg and Berlin.

A map of global actions can be found here.

In Mexico City, @futuroindigena (Indigenous Futures) gathered at the Angel of Independence and remembered Indigenous land defenders who have been killed including Samir Flores of the PBI-Mexico accompanied the People’s Front in Defense of Land and Water (FPDTA).

Photo: Indigenous land defenders remembered at Global Climate Strike mobilization on the steps of the Angel of Independence monument in Mexico City.

Their statement concluded: “Samir lives, the fight continues! The Isthmus is Ours, not to the trans-isthmus! Yes to life, no to mining! Boycott Bonafont! Water yes, Thermo no! No to genocide on rails, long live to the jungle! Justice for Ayotzinapa!”

PBI-Canada observed the Global Climate Strike march in Ottawa.

At that mobilization, Decolonial Solidarity highlighted the ongoing struggle against Wet’suwet’en land defenders who are being harassed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and criminalized for their opposition to the Coastal GasLink fracked gas pipeline being built on their territory without free, prior and informed consent.

The Ottawa Citizen reports that hundreds of people gathered at Confederation Park in Ottawa and across the river at Maison du Citoyen in Gatineau, Quebec, then converged on Parliament Hill for speeches and music.

More than 227 land and environmental defenders were murdered in 2020 for defending their land and the planet.  Global Witness highlights: “At least 30 per cent of recorded attacks were reportedly linked to resource exploitation – across logging, hydroelectric dams and other infrastructure, mining, and large-scale agribusiness.”

125 of the defenders were killed in Colombia, Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala – all countries where PBI accompanied at-risk defenders.

This is part of an ongoing pattern. Four defenders have been killed every week since the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement in December 2015.

Peace Brigades International will be highlighting the need for security guarantees for land and environmental defenders on the frontlines of stopping the climate crisis when the UN COP27 climate summit takes place this coming November 6-18.

Photo: Global Climate Strike mobilization in Mexico City

Photo: Nairobi

Photo: Madrid

Photo: Munich

Photo: Hamburg

Photo: Jakarta

Photo: Ottawa