Climate Camp Open Meeting

national | environment | event notice Tuesday February 11, 2020 11:11 by Climate Camp - (TBC) climatecampireland2019 at gmail dot com Teachers Club, 36 Parnell Square West, Dublin 1

Not Just a Climate Crisis: Organising for the End of Capitalism

Who are we?
We are a new group, emerging loosely from the tradition of climate camps. We are building a movement on the island of Ireland to resist climate change and its driving force, capitalism. Capitalism is a system built on oppression and exploitation and it is causing climate and environmental collapse. We target the powerful interests that are causing the climate crisis and profiting from the current economic system. We are organising for the transformation of our communities and world into one based on equality and solidarity.

What is happening?
We are having a meeting on the 22nd February in Dublin. Please come along. Together, we will discuss how to stop some of the destructive industrial projects under way in Ireland. This summer, we plan to target the proposed Shannon Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) processing plant and the construction of a second runway at Dublin Airport.

What can we do?
We learn from others who have organised radical resistance to capitalism and ecological devastation in Ireland and around the world. Diverse tactics will be needed to resist and transform the current system, including direct action. We cannot count on the intervention of states, NGOs or on the support and promises of political parties running for elections.

Join us
Come to the open meeting on 22nd February, as we explore the first active steps we will take as a group. If you cannot come to the meeting but would like to get involved please contact [email protected]

What do we believe in?
We believe in the power of self organised communities to create the new systems we need. We need to take urgent strategic action to resist climate and ecological destruction.

We have three aims:
- To create spaces for education, for ourselves and our wider communities.
- To build a radical climate movement on the island of Ireland.
- To act to end capitalist control of people and the earth

At the start of a new decade, we are facing not just ecological destruction but also rising tides of racism and fascism. We are coming together now to collectively resist these threats and to organise in a way that
builds the world we want to see.

We challenge authoritarianism in all its forms. We recognise that sexism, racism, colonialism, ableism and class hierarchies, as well as environmental exploitation are all built into the current economic system. The
state will not change this system - the transformation will come from social movements.

Our Principles
Our Principles*
1. We believe capitalism has no role in fixing the social and ecological crisis.
2. We strive to offer solidarity to communities resisting climate and ecological destruction.
3. We aim to provide a welcoming space to everyone regardless of age, ethnic background, gender, faith, class, sexuality and / or ability.
4. We believe that power should be shared equally in a group. This is more effective, sustainable and empowering for everyone. We do not have leaders or bosses. Everyone has an equal say. Roles will be shared and rotated.
5. We use consensus as a collective decision making process. We try to reach decisions that are acceptable to all. We try to include everyone’s opinions and concerns.
6. We make our own decisions and are independent of local authority, political parties, government, NGOs, church, business, or any other controlling body.
7. People get involved in different ways. We support each other through the ups and downs and make organising as fun and rewarding as possible.
8. We strive to minimise our environmental impact and promote responsible use of resources. We believe, however, these efforts are just one small part of the transition towards a better world.
9. We believe we are always learning and are open to listening to suggestions about how to improve.

*These are an initial and living set of aims and principles. We will collectively edit on an ongoing basis and are open to suggestions.

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