Copenhagen is a turning point for the movement

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On Saturday, Dec. 12, 100,000 demonstrated in the streets of Copenhagen outside the COP 15 summit demanding urgent action against global warming—more than double the numbers that organizers had predicted or even dared expect. While of course a high percentage of demonstrators came from Denmark itself and from neighboring countries Sweden and Germany (where there is somewhat of a tradition of mobilizing for each other’s events), this was a truly international demonstration.

One of the biggest delegations from outside Denmark was the 850-strong special train organized by the Belgian group, Climate Social Justice. It brought activists not only from Belgium but from France and Britain too, in an epic journey that took more than 12 hours each way but facilitated a broader participation—and more international discussion—than would otherwise have been possible.

While the delegations from the countries from the global South were necessarily smaller than those from Europe, their presence was warmly welcomed. The popular slogan of “Climate justice now!” was clearly seen by most protesters as meaning the leaders of the rich countries needed to listen to the demands of the global South—and was also seen as one of the essential demands of the day.

Indeed, the radicality of the slogans that dominated a mobilization that involved most of the large non-governmental organizations as well as more radical sections of the climate justice movement was noteworthy. The dominant placards on the march were those distributed by Greenpeace—though they didn’t carry that organization’s logo or reflect their politics! The organization conducted an unusual experiment and asked people to suggest slogans via their website and then produced the most popular. These included: “Nature does not coma form that will ensure the rights of life and dignity of all peoples and deliver a more fertile planet and more fulfilling lives to future generations.” It takes a stance against market mechanisms such as carbon trading and offsetting and for at least a 40% reduction in emissions by the developed countries by 2020.

Inside the Bella Center, Hugo Chavez from Venezuela echoed much of what has been raised by the activists and saluted them for being on the streets. “If the climate were a bank, they would have bailed it out already” was one of his most pertinent comments, in a long and powerful speech that drew applause from many who heard it. The Bolivian delegation also made a strong and powerful intervention from the inside.

But it is what happened on Dec. 12 that sums up the real step change for the movement for climate justice. That mobilization itself was of course preceded by significant demonstrations in many individual cities and Attila Kisbenedke / AFP / Getty Images (Left) Rally in Copenhagen, Dec. 12, to demand world leaders take necessary action to deal with climate change.

countries across the globe as the summit began on Dec. 5. But certainly the number of demonstrators on the streets of Copenhagen is a proof positive that it is possible to develop mass mobilizations on the issue of global warming.

Given that it was the largest demonstration on any question in Denmark for more than 20 years, it will undoubtedly give a massive boost to what has been up until now a relatively weak movement on the question of climate change in that country. Other demonstrations on this question have only involved a few hundred people. But beyond this, at an international level it shows that there is a new movement being born and radicalized across the globe.

Naomi Klein, in an article for The Nation on Dec. 12 entitled “Copenhagen: Seattle Grows Up,” makes many comparisons between the movement for climate justice and the battles against free trade symbolized by Seattle and what came after. But she also makes the crucial point that what weakened that movement was that while it was clear what it was against it was less sure what it was for. She is right. Climate justice activists are clear—there is an alternative and we are determined to build it! n This article is excerpted from International Viewpoint (IV) magazine. Terry Conway is an IV editor and a leading member of Socialist Resistance, British section of the Fourth International. Thomas Eisler is a leader of SAP, Danish section of the Fourth International.