Greenbelt: Hands up for climate justice

Young Greenbelt Climate Justice supporter speaks with his hands [CAFOD]

Indie-rock heavyweights Athlete, award-winning Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, and Israeli peace-activist Jeff Halper, joined hundreds of others at the Greenbelt Festival this August bank holiday weekend in putting their hands up for climate justice

We were at the Greenbelt Festival asking individuals to sign up to our Climate Justice campaign and to make their mark on a wall of blue handprints and climate-related messages.

More than 1,000 people signed cards calling on the government to put the needs of poor communities at the heart of a global deal on climate change at the United Nations talks in Copenhagen this December.

Save our world's future

The band Athlete, after their final night mainstage performance, met with campaigners and signed postcards asking the Prime Minister to take action to help protect the world and its people.

In support of climate justice, campaigners dipped their hands into blue paint and printed them onto a Wave Wall at our stall in the G-Source tent. Campaigners of all ages got stuck in, with the youngest handprint coming from eight-month-old Lily.

Her mother Sonia Boyd said: “We need a fair and global deal on climate change and we need it urgently. It is future generations such as my baby daughter who will truly see and feel the impacts of climate change in the years to come."

People also had the chance to write their name and a climate-related message to the government next to their handprint. Messages included “Gordon, give us a hand”, “Save our world’s future” and “Stop pretending, start DO-ing”. Enthusiastic festival-goers even had blue hands painted onto their cheeks!

CAFOD's Christina Kelling said: “The response we’ve had to our Climate Justice campaign at Greenbelt has been overwhelming. It’s so encouraging to see others share my passion in demanding a fair deal for the poor at the UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen in December.”

Shortly before these talks, tens of thousands of people will join The Wave - the UK’s biggest ever rally on climate change on December 5 in London.

The event is organised by the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition , made up of 100 well-known charities and environmental groups including CAFOD.

“2009 is a crucial year for a global deal on climate change," Christina added. "On 5 December, we want to give world leaders a send-off to the crucial Copenhagen conference that they can’t ignore.

"We all have a part to play in making this happen – please join us in taking action now."

take action for climate change

The job is not done. Act now for climate justice Please email Prime Minister Gordon Brown today to call for tougher EU emissions cuts. World leaders must act boldly. They’ll only act if they feel the pressure

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