[sust-mar] Important resources & events war & peace: Pan-Canadian ceasefire rallies Dec 17, Tamara's report back Dec. 19 etc.

[Tamara Lorincz]

Hello Sust-Mar,

Tomorrow, Sunday, December 17, is the Pan-Canadian Day of Action calling for a ceasefire and to end Israel’s violence in Gaza and the West Bank, please find a rally near you: https://ceasefirenow.ca/find-a-local-event

Breaking! The US Congress just passed the massive almost 3,100-page National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 2024: https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/fy24_ndaa_conference_report1.pdf
The 63rd annual NDAA increases military spending to $883.7 billion in fiscal year 2024. Note, the Defense Department just failed its 6th consecutive audit: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/pentagon-fails-audit-sixth-year-row-2023-11-16/

*There is virtually nothing in the NDAA 2024 on climate change and security. However, there is a provision to PROHIBIT required disclosure by Department of Defense contractors of information relating to greenhouse gas emissions. Defense contractors will NOT have to disclose their carbon emissions in contracts with the US DOD / government. (see page 2417, sec. 318).

*The NDAA also terminates the US Climate Security Advisory Council on December 31, 2025. (see page 2163, sec. 7319)

*The NDAA states that the “foreign adversaries are: China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, North Korea and Venezuela” (page 527). The NDAA also requires an update to warfighting requirements for confronting Russia in Europe (page 26).

*The WSW’s analysis of the NDAA declares “In bipartisan vote, US Congress authorizes record Pentagon budget: A blueprint for global war”: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2023/12/16/pqnx-d16.html

US defense policy greatly influences Canada. Canadian government just announced that it is dangerously boosting its military presence in Latvia on Russia’s border, Canada’s is leading and expanding a NATO brigade at its base outside of Riga: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2023/12/minister-blair-announces-measures-to-strengthen-canadas-military-presence-in-latvia.html

Please find below important resources and report backs on the climate summit.

RESOURCES & EVENTS

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IMPORTANT RESOURCES FROM COP 28
You can read the final text of the Global Stocktake negotiated at COP 28:
https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/cma5_auv_4_gst.pdf

Overview of the climate summit in Dubai by the UNFCCC, news release “COP28 Agreement Signals “Beginning of the End” of the Fossil Fuel Era”: https://unfccc.int/news/cop28-agreement-signals-beginning-of-the-end-of-the-fossil-fuel-era

UNFCCC Secretariat Simon Stiell’s closing speech at COP 28 “"We didn’t turn the page on the fossil fuel era, but this outcome is the beginning of the end": UN Climate Change Executive Secretary at COP 28 Closing”: https://unfccc.int/news/we-didn-t-turn-the-page-on-the-fossil-fuel-era-but-this-outcome-is-the-beginning-of-the-end-un-0

Climate Action Network International (Civil Society)’s analysis of final decisions at COP 28 “COP28: New Path To Transition Away From Fossil Fuels Marred By Lack of Finance and Loopholes”: https://climatenetwork.org/2023/12/13/new-path-to-transition-away-from-fossil-fuels-marred-by-lack-of-finance-and-loopholes/

Indigenous Environmental Network’s press release on outcomes at COP 28 “Climate Criminals Put Profits over Humanity at COP28”:
https://www.ienearth.org/climate-criminals-put-profits-over-humanity-at-cop28/

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CROSS-CANADA CEASEFIRE NOW RALLIES! Sunday, December 17
On Sunday, December 17, join the next pan-Canadian day of action for a permanent #CeasefireNow!
Find a rally near you: https://tinyurl.com/yc7uzbbw
Political leaders are feeling the pressure. The recent temporary pause of Israel’s military assault on Gaza is the direct result of mass protests across Canada and around the world.
But it’s not enough. We need a permanent ceasefire now.
On Sunday, December 17, show your support for human rights for all people of the region, and let your MP know that #CeasefireNow is an election issue.
Join us: https://tinyurl.com/yc7uzbbw

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IMPORTANT ARTICLE & INTERVIEW: GAZA IS A WEAPONS LAB FOR THE ISRAELI ARMS INDUSTRY
I would like to highly encourage you to read/watch this important Chris Hedge’s interview of Antony Loewenstein on “The Weapons Israel Tests On Palestinians Will Be Used Against All Of Us”, read: https://therealnews.com/the-weapons-israel-tests-on-palestinians-will-be-used-against-all-of-us or watch the interview here: “Gaza is a weapons lab for the arms industry”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PEWDLunejA
Based on Antony Loewenstein’s book: “The Palestine Laboratory:
How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World”: https://www.versobooks.com/en-ca/products/2684-the-palestine-laboratory

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ONLINE MEETING: COP 28 Climate Summit in Dubai Report Back with Tamara Lorincz
“Climate, war and peace at COP 28” Dec 19
*RESCHEDULED to Tuesday, December 19 from 7:00-8:30 pm ET | 4:00-5:30 pm PT
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83181322650?pwd=and3d2pQbXdnaDY4N0RPdFhjS0J0Zz09
Meeting ID: 831 8132 2650
Passcode: 278437
Co-hosted by WILPF Canada and the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace
Let’s talk about the latest climate summit COP 28 in Dubai, its outcomes and what’s civil society should do next to respond. Tamara will also share her experiences advocating for peace for climate justice, cutting military spending for climate justice, transparently reporting military emissions, resisting NATO’s presence at the COP and cancelling the F-35 warplanes, demilitarization for decarbonization. She was a delegate on the Climate Action Network Canada delegation representing VOW & WILPF-Canada and a participant with the Women Gender Constituency. Tamara will give a short presentation with most of the meeting to be an open discussion.
*This meeting is rescheduled because of the rallies for Gaza and calling for a ceasefire taking place on Dec. 17. Climate discussion will now be Tuesday, December 19: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83181322650?pwd=and3d2pQbXdnaDY4N0RPdFhjS0J0Zz09

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WEBINAR: WILPF International Delegation reports back–Putting Demilitarisation for Gender and Climate Justice on the UN Climate Talk’s Agenda on Dec 20
20 December from 6PM CET/ 12PM ET/9PM GST
Moderated by Katrin Geyer with Michelle Benzing (WILPF Germany), Nesmah Mansour Ali (WILPF-Yemen), Olla Alsakkaf (WILPF Yemen), Rula Asad (Syrian Female Journalists Network)
Register here: https://eu01web.zoom.us/meeting/register/u5Mud-ivrjosG9Jz_F-ubJCJ2J_NQ6dZmCzZ#/registration
Interpretation: French confirmed. For Arabic and Spanish, please indicate when registering by 17 December.
Background
COP28 has been a COP of many firsts. It is the first COP that finally has recognised that fossil fuels are the root cause of the climate crisis, and that the world needs to “transition away” from them. It is also the first COP that had a thematic day of peace as part of the “Health, Relief, Recovery, and Peace” Day on 3 December, and COP28 saw unprecedented and persistent calls by the climate justice movement for peace and demilitarisation, with a genocide underway just a few thousand kilometres from the world’s largest climate summit.
While some are touting COP28’s outcome as “historic,” and “the beginning of the end of fossil fuels,” the agreements open the door to dangerous distractions such as carbon capture and storage, nuclear energy, and other false and neo-colonial solutions and loopholes. The failure to agree to a phase-out of fossil fuels also means a continued free ride for fossil-fuel powered militarisation. WILPF participated at COP28 with a delegation of five feminist peace activists– and worked hard to put the topic of demilitarisation and peace on the agenda of COP28. Join us for this one-hour webinar, where delegates will reflect on the achievements and challenges in centring calls for demilitarisation for gender and climate justice at COP28. Find out more: https://tinyurl.com/5864m59t

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ICYMI: Recording of the recent webinar “Climate & Militarism: Decarbonize, decolonize, demilitarize” that featured renowned Nigerian activist & author Nnimmo Bassey, University of Toronto Professor Emily Gilbert, Transnational Institute Researcher Nick Buxton & Canadian Voice of Women for Peace & WILPF-Canada’s Tamara Lorincz to discuss the connections between the existential threats of climate change and militarism.
The webinar was hosted by the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute: https://www.facebook.com/canadapolicy/videos/209044765580990

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TAKE ACTION:  Please sign and share the statement with the Prime Minister, Environment & Climate Change Minister Guilbeault and Foreign Affairs Minister Joly: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/declaration-on-peace-for-climate-justice

In solidarity to end fossil fuel and end war for climate justice,

Tamara

VOW Peace & WILPF resources for COP 28: https://vowpeace.org/vowcop28/
CAN-Rac: https://climateactionnetwork.ca/
Climate Action Network International: https://climatenetwork.org/
Women Gender Constituency: https://womengenderclimate.org/
WILPF at COP 28 and demilitarization: http://tinyurl.com/4buk4xvd
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