June 3, 2017
Contact: Svitlana Romanko, [email protected], +38 (050) 2738909
Liza Degtiarenko, [email protected], +38 (063) 7073974
Message : ”There are positive climate solutions, we demand a long term commitment from the government to implement them. From words to actions! ”
Cities for Life Days of Action is a series of local events, held at the beginning of June in 15 cities of EECCA region: 11 cities in Ukraine (including Kyiv), Mogilev (Belarus) and St.Petersburg (Russia), Kutaisi (Georgia) and Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan Days of Actions is the initiative within the Cities for Life campaign of 350.org.
The aim (in short) is to mobilise people around climate change issue. We are striving to draw the attention of local residents to the problems of climate change, as well as to show the need for real practical joint actions to prevent climate change in cities right now.
Svitlana Romanko, 350.org Climate Change Solutions Campaigner in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia said : “The statement made by the US President Donald Trump to withdraw from the Paris agreement coincided with the Regional Days of Action within the Cities for Life campaign, initiated by 350.org jointly with organizations and activists in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia.
The main aim of the Days of Action, happening on the 3rd of June in 15 cities across the region, is to create inspiring cases of local activism and to showcase the implementation of positive climate solutions on the local level.
Activists are seeking to prove that, despite temporary setbacks in the climate policy caused by populist campaign promises and odious character of the US president Donald Trump, the right for justice remains a fundamental human right. The government, as well as the planet belongs to the people. So even when Trump, having the power, shows his contempt for one of the most important global climate agreement, it can’t stop the onset of climate justice, which millions of people stand together for.
We believe that strong leadership within local communities can and should be a catalyst for positive climate change in cities, as well as a beginning of the transparent and honest cooperation between active citizens and authorities in fighting the global climate crisis.
That is why as part of the global climate movement 350.org, we take the US withdrawal from the Paris agreement as a massive push to initiate change from the local level – our cities and communities – to the global one. And today we are moving forward, from words to actions!
There will be the events of different kinds:
Kyiv
In Kyiv, on June 3rd our local team with all the partners within 24 hours will revitalize the space with the help of “green” technologies and principles. It is planned to install a solar panel (for supplying electricity), install a mechanism for collecting and cleaning rainwater, containers for separate collection of waste, planting a garden, treating old trees growing on the territory. There will also be the open presentations and workshops about the solutions and technologies used for the city’s residents will be held.
In Ukraine, the Days of Action will also be held in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Nikolaev, Khmelnitsky, Vinnitsa, Rivne, Yuzhnoukrainsk, Ternopil, Slavske, Odessa, Lutsk. The events will include city picnic with open air climate conversations (lectures), open discussions with representatives of local authorities, movie screenings and so on.
St. Petersburg
In St. Petersburg, the Days of Action have already begun – the first events took place in April 2017 in the format of University master classes on planning the urban environment. Also on April 27, the team hosted the Day of Safe Energy and Climate Solutions.
The most ambitious of the upcoming events here is the “Revitalise the Beach” action. It will be on the the coast 30 kilometers away from St. Petersburg on June 3.. At the moment the beach is under threat of flooding as a result of the effects of climate change. Activists together with local residents will create a recreational zone in the beach area than would like to draw the state’s attention to the territory, and initiate joint actions to preserve the coast.
Mogilev
In Mogilev in Belarus local residents and representatives of city NGOs and grassroot communities on June 3-4, plan actions at the territory of Pechersky forest park – a unique historical green zone, which is currently under threat of development. The main goal is to show the residents of the city the value of green zones, to inspire further actions, and to unite urban activists for further actions within the framework of the “Cities for Life” campaign and “problem” areas in the city.
Kutaisi
In Kutaisi (Georgia), on June 3-4, there will be a forum for residents of the city in the open air, and an action for planting trees. The goal of the Days of Action in Georgia is to introduce city residents to the problem of climate change, and to show the availability and accessibility of a number of climate solutions.
Bishkek
In the city of Bishkek (Kirgizstan) ,on June 3, there is an urgent need to improve the irrigation system, or in other words, the complex of irrigation canals of the city. In this regard, the activists are planning to hold an action in the city botanical garden, with the goal of uniting the active citizens, to show the importance of small joint actions and talk about the potential of a stable urban climate policy.
The Days of Action for EECCA region is a turning point which will highlight that there are enough solutions to implement, and there is a pull of people who demand it to be incorporated into a long term strategy and action plan which the government commits to. We demand climate justice in the cities !
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Spokespeople available for interview:
- Svitlana Romanko, 350.org – [email protected]
- Inna Indutna, 350.org – [email protected]
- Valentyn Nyzkovolosov, 350.org, Ukrainian Youth Climate Association [email protected]
- Helen Angelova, Ukrainian Youth Climate Association, Ukraine, [email protected]
- Ekaterina Uspenskaya, Friends of Baltic, Russia, [email protected]
- Olga Senova, Friends of Baltic, Russia, [email protected]
- Maria Falaleeva, ECOPROEKT, Belarus, [email protected]
- Irina Usava, ECOPROEKT, Belarus, [email protected]
- Maria Kolesnikova, MoveGreen, Kirgizstan, [email protected]
- Nugzar Kokhreidze, 350.org Georgia, RICDOG, nkokhreidze @yahoo.com
Global website: 350.org
Official website (in Ukrainian and Russian): cityforlife.org
Our pages : https://www.facebook.com/350.org/?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/Russian350org/?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/350ukraine/?fref=tst
Twitter : @Russian350org
Hashtag : #daysofaction