“Why are we here in Cancun? To give hope to the peoples of the world. We are here to determine how we will cool down the temperatures.
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The earth is injured, wounded, and in recent years we have felt the convulsions of our earth. We have a responsibility to nature, to Mother Earth, We are here to find a response - to what we can say to the peoples of the world...we find a repetition of what was said in Copenhagen. The failures are not of the peoples of the world but of the powers of the world.
We need to cool down the temperatures. But each and every one of us... We must live up to the hopes of the millions of families who are victims of global warming.
Let us make history here in Cancun. Let us give hope to the peoples of the world.
What is responsible? What are the root causes. For the last two or three years, there has been a debate about capitalism. Reflected in several crises - the financial crisis, food crisis, energy crisis and climate.
Let us live up to our responsibility to our children and our children's children. We have to change our policies. We have to tackle the root cuases of global warming. The effects are important, but the cause is important.
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We must find a way to comply to a second commitment period of Kyoto. Our current temp is 0.8 centigrade and it has to be reduced.
For a family with no water, and because of acid rain, trees no longer offer shade to the family. If we here in Cancun throw out the Kyoto protocol we will be responsible for eco-cide which is equivlent to genocide.
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We have an obligation to listen to the urgent demands of our peoples. We cannot here behind closed doors find ways to impose texts that do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of our peoples.
The best way to eradicate and reduce poverty is by reducing the temperature of the earth. The first world conference of peoples on Global warming and the rIghts of Mother Earth. (Cochabamba).
Imagine what the world would be like at 2 degrees C or 4 degrees, when at 0.8 degrees we are already experiencing serious impacts.
We must defend the rights of Mother Earth. The human being cannot live with Mother Earth, without the planet. But the planet can very well live without us.
The planet, the forests, have rights.
Years ago, the UN gave us the universal declaration of human rights, then labour rights, civil rights and finally for the rights of indegenous peoples. Now is the time to turn to the rights of Mother Earth.
It is time to have an international tribunal to establish climate justice. ...we need to defend the rights of the planet.
We are here to save the world. We are not here to turn nature into an asset. The forests are sacred to the peoples of the world. We are not here to save capitalism.
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I am persuaded that if governments fail to do so, then it will be the peoples who take necessary actions. We must offer hope for future generations.
We must take on our responsibilities. It is the people who are important, not the businesses.
We must protect mankind by protecting the earth.”