What is the Climate Summit in Paris?

2015 is on track to be the hottest year in recorded history, and this December hundreds of world governments will meet in Paris to try to strike a global climate agreement. It will be the biggest gathering of its kind since 2009, and it’s a big moment for the global climate movement.

So far, however, commitments from world governments just aren’t adding up. This has the makings of a global failure of ambition — and at a moment when renewable energy is becoming a revolutionary economic force that could power a just transition away from fossil fuels.

On the other hand, this could be a turning point — a shift in power away from the industries causing the climate crisis and toward people fighting for climate justice.

But only if we push for it.

Why take action at the end of the summit?

This is not the only mass mobilization happening during the COP. All sorts of marches, actions and activities will be happening over the course of the climate talks, but this one is special — it will show that the climate movement is marching forward, no matter what our leaders have accomplished at the talks. We’ll be amplifying the voices of  the most impacted countries at a key moment of the negotiation, making clear the last word on climate change will not belong to politicians, but to us.

What are the legal implications of joining these actions?

We know that taking action involves taking risks. But with climate change, the stakes couldn’t be higher: our governments have waited too long while climate disaster is at our doorstep. We will keep you updated if there are any legal risks involved with the actions planned for 12 December.

Who is coordinating all this?

350.org is part of the Coalition Climat 21 (CC21), a French coalition comprised of over a hundred organisations and movements, that is coordinating the mass mobilisation on 12th December. The CC21 is a diverse group ranging from trade unions to environmental organisations, faith groups to youth groups, feminist movements to economic justice movements, and more. They have come together because they know if we don’t act together for climate, nobody else will. Check the full list of organizations here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. When should I arrive?

We’re encouraging people to be in Paris from Monday Dec 7th onwards to have enough time to engage in trainings for the action and to help with final preparations in case you wish to get more involved.

If you can’t be in Paris that early then please aim to arrive no later than 12 noon on December 11, from this moment on we’ll need to be ready to act. We’ll send out details via SMS of our convergence point — join us once you receive our signal. Sign up above to make sure you don’t miss out.

Q. Why do you need my contact details?

We need your contact details to:

• To give us an idea of number of people to expect in order to coordinate effectively.
• To keep you up to date with developments as we get them and help you plan your involvement.

Please note that you don’t have to use your real name and we will not share your details with anyone else. Your details will not be visible on the website.

Q: What is a red line?

Red line = A minimal necessity for a just and livable planet. More specifically. Sustainable energy transformation / Justice for impacted people / The right to food and water.

In order to avoid dangerous climate change we know we must keep at least 80% of known fossil fuel reserves in the ground. We must completely decarbonise our economy before 2050, with a peak in emissions by 2020. Keeping these fuels in the ground is our movement’s red line. A minimal necessity for a just and livable planet.

We know that even if a Paris agreement sends a clear signal that the world is turning away from fossil fuels, our politicians aren’t going to do the job for us. No treaty in Paris will be enough. We need to show that people are ready to take matters into their own hands. We need to show that our movement is committed to take direct action to turn off the fossil fuel industry.

Q: Aren’t you disrupting incredibly important talks? 

No. Negotiators can still talk. Our intention is not to disrupt them, but to create space for an alternative story to be told. To re-focus the public’s attention away from the brackets and commas of the negotiating halls and on to people taking committed action now and leading the real charge to stop the climate crisis. If all goes to plan it will create a sense of tension inside the talks, possibly helping to support delegations from the most vulnerable countries.

Q: What do we want to achieve?

At the last major climate summit in Copenhagen in 2009 the only thing that world governments managed to agree upon was that warming must be limited to 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels. We need to at least hold them to this while pushing for more.  Key to achieving this target is to ensure that at least 80% of fossil fuels stay in the ground. By completely decarbonising our economy by 2050 at the latest.  It’s clear even now that any deal coming out of Paris will fall way short of catalysing the action needed to ensure that happens, so it’s up to us as a movement to take the lead.

We also know that the French government (and others taking part in the talks) will want to present any outcome as a resounding success. It’s an important diplomatic moment for countries to be showing to the world how they’re helping tackle the climate crisis.

It’s clear however that even before the talks begin that they will fall short of what is needed based on the realities of science and justice. It’s therefore important for us to tell an alternative story, one with people power at its core.

Q: But I’m not in Paris

We need as many people in Paris as possible, so please do come if you are based in Europe. You’ll need to get there as early as possible, by Friday 11 December, noon at the latest. It’s going to be an historic moment that you don’t want to miss out on. If you can’t come to Paris though you can use the red lines concept at home. You can highlight a local struggle or resistance effort against a project that can’t go ahead in a 2 degree world and lay down a mark that says we will come back in spring 2016.

After the talks, whatever is decided, we’re all going to have to work together to avoid those red lines being crossed. By clearly stating what is required, and using the action to bring together social movements, one key aspect to activities in Paris this year is to prepare the ground for meaningful action post-COP21, through 2016.

Q: Are the redlines demands?

No. The redlines are not demands. They are simply minimal requirements for a just and livable planet that we need to both work towards and stop others crossing in order to have a safe and just future.

Q. Will we have enough people for the action ?

Yes. But to make it a success we’ll need all of the support we can get so please help us mobilise by hosting a meet-up and/or This Changes Everything screening. The more we are the better chance we have of success, but total number of participants isn’t everything. We believe a well coordinated action of a few thousand people will be enough to shift the focus away from the negotiators and onto the movement.

Q. Will there be guidance about how we should act while on the action?

All groups/individuals participating in actions at Le Bourget D12 and wanting solidarity from others, will need to respect and adhere to the ‘Action Consensus‘. This is a document has been co-written by many of the actors/organisations taking part in an act of disobedience which outlines the modes of action that are planned to take place and which have to be agreed upon by participants. The purpose of this consensus is to enable mass participation from a diversity of people, calls for determined disciplined disobedience, no property destruction and rules out tactics which provoke escalation by police. Police violence cannot be ruled out of course, but we are clear from the start that it won’t be us causing it.

Accommodation and Travel

Accommodation

For many months, the climate coalition has been negotiating with the authorities to host the many thousands of people coming to Paris this December. The City of Paris and the French government are now refusing to offer enough accommodation for our needs, but we will keep pushing (and thank you to everyone who signed our petition to the Mayor of Paris).

At the moment there are no guarantees, so it’s a good idea to find and book your own independent accommodation if you can. 

Here are some suggestions:

350.org Tent Village.  We have reserved 150 beds in a secure, insulated tent village in Central Paris for divestment campaigners wishing to stay together in one space. €72 for the week

PLACE TO B is offering dorm, double and twin rooms for either the 1st or 2nd week (or both) of the COP, starting from €268 per week per person.

HUMAN HOTEL is matching climate activists with Parisians opening up their homes for up to 3 nights per person from 4-7 and 10-13 Dec, for a donation of €40.

MODERATELY PRICED HOTELS AND YOUTH HOSTELS – Coalition Climat 21 has produced this list of establishments in Paris whose prices are below €30 Euros a night.

COUCHSURFING or AIR B’n’B could also be options to look at.

For more information please see the Coalition’s accommodation page too.

Travel

From the Netherlands: the Fossil Free network are organising a bus trip (5 days) and Friends of the Earth Netherlands are organising buses and a cycle trip (2 days). More detailed info in Dutch here.

From the UK: Time to Cycle are cycling to Paris, and Reclaim the Power and People & Planet are organising coaches. You can also organise your own travel by train or bus. More detailed info here.

From Germany:  A range of groups are organising coaches to Paris. For November 29 Global Climate March buses leave from: Düren, Berlin and Prague (via Frankfurt). For December 12, buses go from: Berlin, Leipzig & Frankfurt , Wendland, Nürnberg and Regensburg, and Hannover.  New buses just announced: from Köln to Paris (11 Dec), from Dresden and Leipzig to Paris on 10 December and a bus from Erfurt to Paris.

From all over Europe: if you’re planning on joining the Climate Games there are 20+ buses planned from all over Europe by Climate Express, plus a train from Brussels. Climate Express are also listing independent groups organising cycle, hike and even kayak trips.

We’ll be adding to this list over the next few days, including buses from Sweden and Denmark. If you’re aware of other transport options we could share here, please get in touch.