#Justice for Arctic 30: Updates from Warsaw

Climate change activism is neither piracy nor hooliganism. It is warning the world about climate change which can not only have serious implications on our present but can also devastate the fate of our future generations. It is about reminding the world time and again that unsustainable actions and ignorance of environment today can cumulatively make things worse in coming time.  It’s about fighting for a cause that hits people over of the world socially and economically no matter how who is the major contributor of emissions.

One of the key highlights here in COP 19, Warsaw amongst climate change negotiation debates has been the support for Arctic 30. Arctic 30, a group of 28 activists and 2 journalists from Greenpeaceprotested against Arctic oil drilling at a Gazprom oil platform off Russia’s northern coast and wereimprisoned in Russia for piracy and hooliganism. These activists have put their freedom at stake to raise a voice against oil drilling in Arctic. Put behind the bars and charged for piracy and hooliganism, these activists were peacefully protesting against oil rush, which poses serious threat to the Arctic environment.

Different civil society organizations gathered here in Warsaw raised their voices in support of Arctic 30 and used different opportunities to put their message across-Save the Arctic 30. An honour chain was formed by civil society organizations on November 14^th, 2013 to show their honour and support for the ones who have been detained for efforts to save the earth. One of the largest civil society networks in the world Climate Action Network also put the freedom of Arctic 30 as a prior issue in their speech in the opening session of COP 19 on November 11, 2013.

We hope that the efforts of people in Warsaw and other regions of the world protesting for the freedom of Arctic 30 are considered. We also hope for immediate justice for Arctic 30 who have sacrificed their freedom to save the world from vicious cycle of oil drilling and melting glaciers

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