Final KITG Declaration_Dec2015_ENGLISH [downloadable pdf]

December 2015

press conference 

Keep Fossil Fuels in the Ground:

A Declaration for the Health of Mother Earth

 

We come together, recognizing the rights of nature and our interdependent and spiritual relationship with Mother Earth.

 

We honor Indigenous peoples’ spiritual and sacred understanding of Mother Earth and their relationship with her.  We respect their leadership in restoring humanity’s sacred and healthy relationship with the natural world.

 

We recognize that the extraction, transportation, and consumption of fossil fuels has caused serious harm to the land, air, water, atmosphere and all forms of life, and is a major contributor to our climate crisis and mass extinction. These harms are disproportionately borne by those who do not profit from the economic and political systems that have caused them, bear no responsibility for the crisis, and lack adequate resources to adapt to our changing climate. This includes communities directly injured by the extraction and use of fossil fuels and those on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

 

We recognize that to avoid exacerbating the climate crisis and to return to a healthy relationship with Mother Earth, the vast majority of the world’s fossil fuels must remain in the ground. Governments must put the needs of people and communities above corporate profits by taking bold and immediate action to end fossil fuel extraction because the natural world can no longer wait. International forums such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s 21st Conference of the Parties in Paris provide important opportunities for world leaders to strengthen community energy by making ambitious progress towards keeping fossil fuels in the ground.

 

We strive for a world in which all people and our governments and institutions:

 

  • Respect the rights of nature, Indigenous peoples, immigrated communities and communities forced to migrate, women, frontline communities and future generations, including the internationally recognized rights of Indigenous peoples to free, prior and informed consent and their right to say “no” to extractive activities on their traditional lands;
  • Repair the damage caused by centuries of colonialism, racism, environmental genocide, and extractive economies;
  • Promote an economy that is based on interdependence with and responsibility towards Mother Earth, remains within ecological limits, and redefines wealth away from financial accumulation and towards sufficiency and well-being; and
  • Make a just transition to democratized, equitable, clean and 100% renewable energy for all.

 

 

To achieve this vision we demand:

 

  • Full recognition and support – including adequate and direct funding – of the rights of Indigenous, impacted and frontline communities, and their informed and effective leadership and participation in developing and implementing this vision;

 

  • Fossil fuels be kept in the ground by ending exploration and new extraction to protect Mother Earth and remain well in line with Indigenous knowledge and scientifically based climate limits;

 

  • An immediate end to public funding and other subsidization of fossil fuel exploration, extraction and infrastructure, and investment of the resources necessary to enact a just transition to a clean and renewable energy economy for all, prioritizing frontline communities;

 

  • An end to the fossil fuel industry’s stranglehold on our political and governance systems at all levels to ensure that energy policies follow climate policies based on equity and science, so that the real interests of all are protected.  To start, the undue influence of the fossil fuel industry in international and domestic policymaking must end, and industry must not be permitted to participate in international climate negotiations;

 

  • Rejection of false solutions that perpetuate or justify the extraction and use of fossil fuels, or that continue or create new harms to our air, water, lands, communities and climate;

 

  • Rejection of all market based mechanisms that increase inequality, violate human rights, expedite the destruction of ecosystems or allow polluters to avoid cutting pollution at the source;

 

  • Provision of adequate financial and other support to ensure that those individuals and communities most vulnerable to Mother Earth’s changing climate are able to adapt;

 

  • Divestment from activities that support the continued extraction of fossil fuels and the oppression of Indigenous and frontline communities, and investment in activities that empower communities to take control of their energy future; and

 

  • An immediate transition to a decentralized and democratized clean energy future powered 100 percent by renewable and sustainable energy sources.

 

 

 

May Boeve

Executive Director

350.org

United States

 

John Fish Kurmann

Lead Coordinator

350KC

United States

 

Laura Greco

Presidente

A Sud – Ecologia e Cooperazione

Italia

 

Esperanza Martínez

Directora Ejecutiva

Acción Ecológica

Ecuador

 

Hanns Moshammer

Vorsitzende

AerztInnen fuer eine gesunde Umwelt

Austria

 

Oscar Nascimento

Presidente

La Asociación Internacional por la Paz en Colombia y el Mundo (AIPAZCOMUN) Suiza

Suiza

 

Aroa de la Fuente López

Uno de los miembros fundadores

Alianza Mexicana contra el Fracking

México

 

Edgardo Benítez Maclin

Dirigente y Ecologista Indígena

AlianzaVerde

Honduras

Leila Salazar-López

Executive Director

Amazon Watch

United States

 

Natalia Salvatico

Coordinadora de la campaña de Agua y Sostenibilidad

Amigos de la Tierra Argentina

Argentina

 

Elenor Hodges

Executive Director

Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment

United States

 

Susana Tibaldi

Responsable legal

Asociación Ambientalista MAYU SUMAJ

Argentina

 

Claudia Patricia Martinez

Psicóloga

Asociación Civil Be Pe

Argentina

 

María Fernández Bennetti

Presidente

Asociación por la Justicia Ambiental

Argentina

 

Jorge More Portuguez

Director Ejecutivo

Asociación Regional Centroamericana para el Agua y el Ambiente

Costa Rica

 

Bladimir Moreno

Presidente

ASOU’WA

Colombia

Wilson Suárez

Activista Ecologista, Social

ASPCAPD

Ecuador

 

Lídia Lucaski

Vice-presidente

Associação de Defesa do Meio Ambiente de Araucária (AMAR)

Brasil

 

Jihan Gearon

Executive Director

Black Mesa Water Coalition

United States

 

Kiki Wood

National Director

Canadian Youth Climate Coalition

Canada

 

Marica Di Pierri

Director

Centro Documentazione Conflitti Ambientali (CDCA)

Italia

 

Tatiana Roa

Coordinadora

CENSAT Agua Vida

Colombia

 

Kieran Suckling

Executive Director

Center for Biological Diversity

United States

 

 

 

 

 

William Pace

Executive Director

Center for Development of International Law

United States

 

Carroll Muffett

President and CEO

Center for International Environmental Law

United States

 

Caroline Farrell

Executive Director

Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment

United States

 

Sofía Medellín Urquiaga

Coordinadora General

Centro de Investigación y Capacitación Rurual AC

México

 

Luis Guillermo Guerrero Guevara

Director General

Centro de Investigación y Educación Popular/ Programa por la Paz (CINEP/PPP)

Colombia

 

Silvia Quiroa

Directora Ejecutiva

El Centro Salvadoreño de Tecnología apropiada (CESTA)

El Salvador

 

Sanjeev Kumar

Founding Director and CEO

Change Partnership

Belgium

Nicodemus Siayi Soko

CEO

Christian Spiritual Youth Ministry (CSYM) Hudama Mtandao

Tanzania

 

Eréndira Cano

Presidenta

Centro de investigaciones interdisciplinarias para el patrimonio biocultural y la equidad A.C. (CIIPBIOCE A.C)

México
Tom VanHammen

Executive Director

Circle Pines Center

United States

 

Paul V. Ferrazzi

Executive Director

Citizens Coalition for a Safe Community

United States

 

Vera Scroggins

Director

Citizens for Clean Water

United States

 

Earl James

Executive Director

Citizens for Global Solutions

United States

 

Alejandra Porras

Coordinator

COECOCEIBA – Amigos de la Tierra Costa Rica

Costa Rica

 

 

Carmen Sosa

Organización Horizontal

Comisión Nacional en Defensa del Agua y la Vida

Uruguay

 

José Martin Velázquez Pérez

Coordinación Operativa

Comunidades Campesinas y Urbanas Solidarias (COMCAUSA)

México

 

Franco Viteri

Presidente

Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas de la Amazonia Ecuatoriana (CONFENIAE)

Ecuador

 

Pilar Trujillo Uribe

Directora Ejecutiva

Consejería en Proyectos

Colombia

 

Max Tukano

Coordinador General

Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (COAIB)

Brasil

 

Javier Marquez Valderrama

Antropólogo

Corporación ECOFONDO

Colombia

 

Amalia Cuervo Tafur

Directora General

Corporación Ecológica y Cultural Penca de Sábila

Colombia

Juan Carlos Alemán Mógenes

Director Ejecutivo

Corporación ITZEA

Colombia

 

Hernando Mejía Diez

Ingeniero Agrónomo

Corporación La Ceiba

Colombia

 

Miriam Jimenez Perez

Directora

Corporación para la Investigación y el Ecodesarrollo Regional (CIER)

Colombia

 

Laura Becerra Pozos

Directora Ejecutiva

DECA Equipo Pueblo, A.C.

México

 

Carol Davis

Coordinator

Diné Citizens Against Ruining Our Environment

United States

 

Bianca Sopoci-Belknap

Executive Director

Earth Care

United States

 

Trip Van Noppen

President

Earthjustice

United States

 

Jennifer Krill

Executive Director

Earthworks

United States

Devon Page

Executive Director

Ecojustice

Canada

 

Luis Tuninetti

Presidente

Eco Sitio

Argentina

 

Esperanza Cerón Villaquirán

Directora

Educar Consumidores

Colombia

 

Paul Severance

Chair

Elders Climate Action

United States

 

Sandy Kaptain

Chair

Elgin Green Groups 350

United States

 

Lydia Avila

Executive Director

Energy Action Coalition

United States

 

Rees Shearer

Chair

eNGR – Energizing Renewable Growth in Holston Valley

United States

 

Drew Hudson

Executive Director

Environmental Action

United States

 

Joy Bergey

Director

Environmental Justice Center at Chestnut Hill United Church

United States

 

Eric Goplerud

Executive Director

Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions

United States

 

Marcelo Calazans

Coordenador do Programa Regional

Federação de Órgãos para Assistência Social e Educacional (FASE)

Brasil

 

Luis Isarra Delgado

Secretario General

Federación Nacional de Trabajadores del Agua Potable (FENTAP)

Perú

 

Reverend Peggy Clarke

Minister

First Unitarian Society of Westchester

United States

 

Wenonah Hauter

Executive Director and Founder

Food & Water Watch

United States

 

Liz Kirkwood

Executive Director

For Love of Water (FLOW)

United States

 

 

 

 

Jim Roberts and Jesse Crow

Coordinators

Forest City 350 Climate Coalition

United States

 

Todd Paglia

Executive Director

ForestEthics

United States

 

Randy Hayes

Executive Director and Founder

Foundation Earth

United States

 

Mary Shesgreen

Chair

Fox Valley Citizens for Peace & Justice

United States

 

Nathalie Seguin

Directora Ejecutiva

Freshwater Action Network Mexico

Mexico

 

Susu Jeffrey

Founder

Friends of Coldwater

United States

 

Erich Pica

President

Friends of the Earth – U.S.

United States

 

Oscar Olivera

Director

Fundación Abril

Bolivia

 

 

 

Jean Carlos Jimenez

Director Ejecutivo

Fundación Red Colombiana Para la Defensa de los DD.HH., el Medio Ambiente y la Paz

Colombia

 

Haydée Pérez

Directora Ejecutiva

Fundar, Centro de Análisis e Investigación

México

 

Executive Committee

Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature

Global

 

Genie C. Stevens

Executive Director

Global Warming Express

United States

 

Joanna Kerr

Executive Director

Greenpeace Canada

Canada

 

Annie Leonard

Executive Director

Greenpeace USA

United States

 

Edgar Jaimes

Presidente

Grupo de Investigación de Suelo y Agua (GISA)

Venezuela

 

 

 

 

Mario Bolaños Méndez

Presidente del Consejo Directivo

Grupo Mesófilo A.C.

México

 

Colette Pichon Battle

Executive Director

Gulf Coast Center for Law & Policy

United States

 

Génon Jensen

Executive Director and Founder

Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL)

Belgium

 

Gary Cohen

President and Founder

Heath Care Without Harm

United States

 

Anuradha Vittachi

Founding Trustee

Hedgerley Wood Trust

United Kingdom

 

Mark Prain

Executive Director

Hillary Institute of International Leadership

New Zealand

 

Winona Laduke

Executive Director

Honor the Earth

United States

 

Tom Goldtooth

Executive Director

Indigenous Environmental Network

United States

Janet Redman

Climate Policy Program Director

Institute for Policy Studies, Climate Policy Program

United States

 

Valentin Bartra

Presidente

Instituto Andino y Amazónico de Derecho Ambiental (IAADA)

Perú

 

Elina Rojas

Directora

Instituto Experimental “José Witremundo Torrealba”

Venezuela

 

Heather Rosmarin

Executive Director

InterAmerican Clean Energy Institute

United States

 

Victor Menotti

Executive Director

International Forum on Globalization

United States

 

Terisa E. Turner

Co-Director

International Oil Working Group

Canada and United States

 

Cathey Falvo

Immediate Past President

International Society of Doctors for the Environment

Switzerland

 

 

 

Joel Segal; Reverend Lennox Yearwood and Russell Greene

National Director; Co-Chairs

Justice Action Mobilization Network

United States

 

Jesse Cardinal

Coordinator

Keepers of the Athabasca

Canada

 

Caleb Behn

Executive Director

Keepers of the Water

Canada

 

Felix Santi

Presidente

Kichwa community of Sarayaku

Ecuador

 

Kaganga John

Director

Kikandwa Environmental Association

Uganda

 

Manari Ushigua

President

Kiriniata Sapara (Sapara Peoples Organization)

Ecuador

 

Joe Uehlein

Executive Director and Founding President

Labor Network for Sustainability

United States

 

 

 

 

 

Kjell Kühne

Founder

Leave it in the Ground Initiative (LINGO)

Mexico

 

Julie Ann Edgar

Organizer

Lehigh Valley Gas Truth

United States

 

Jean Cloutier

Président du conseil d’administration

Les AmiEs de la Terre de Québec

Canada

 

Marco Ribera Arismendi

Coordinador Nacional del Programa de Investigación y Monitoreo Ambiental

Liga en Defensa del Medio Ambiente (LIDEMA)

Bolivia

 

Jeremy Lent

Founder and President

Liology Institute

United States

 

Shannon Biggs

Director

Movement Rights

United States

 

Jim Warren

Executive Director

NC WARN

United States

 

 

 

 

Mariel Nanasi

Executive Director

New Energy Economy

United States

 

Diego di Risio

Coordinador Regional

Observatorio Petrolero Sur

Argentina

 

Dick Sellán B.

Director Ejecutivo

Observatorio Sociolaboral y del Diálogo Social en el Ecuador

Ecuador

 

Steve Kretzmann

Executive Director and Founder

Oil Change International

United States

 

Hernán Scandizzo

Coordinador Regional

OilWatch Latinoamérica

Latinoamérica

 

Aniceto Arce

Representante

Organización de Inquilinos de Cochabamba (OINCO)

Bolivia

 

Gustavo Castro Soto

Director

Otros Mundos, A.C.

México

 

 

 

 

Arul Rathinam

Pasumai Thaayagam Foundation

India

 

Javier Dalmas

Coordinador

Paysandu Libre de Fracking

Uruguay

 

Jenny Lisak

Co-director

Pennsylvania Alliance for Clean Water and Air

United States

 

Catherine Thomasson

Executive Director

Physicians for Social Responsibility

United States

 

Sara Larrain

Directora Ejecutiva

Programa Chile Sustentable

Chile

 

Luis Lafferriere

Director

Programa extensión Por una nueva economía Carrera Comunicación Social Univ. Nac. Entre Ríos Argentina

Argentina

 

Conor Boylan

Executive Director

Progressive Democrats for America

United States

 

Pedro Pozas Terrados

Director Ejecutivo

Proyecto Gran Simio

España

Javier Márquez

Public and Community Partnerships of the Americas

International

 

Bob Musil

President

Rachel Carson Council

United States

 

José Ignacio López Vigil

Radialistas Apasionadas y Apasionados

Ecuador

 

Lindsey Allen

Executive Director

Rainforest Action Network

United States

 

Andrés Mora

Oficial de Comunicaciones

Red Centroamericana de Acción del Agua

Costa Rica

 

Marcela Olivera

Coordinadora

Red Vigilancia Interamericana para la Defensa y Derecho al Agua (Red VIDA)

Las Américas

 

George Matthis

President

River Guardian Foundation

United States

 

Dan Becker

Director

Safe Climate Campaign

United States

 

 

 

Carolyn Raffensperger

Executive Director

Science & Environmental Health Network

United States

 

Deborah Thomas

Executive Director

Shale Test

United States

 

Michael Brune

Executive Director

Sierra Club

United States

 

Bob Peart

Executive Director

Sierra Club British Columbia

Canada

 

Diane Beckett

Interim Executive Director

Sierra Club Canada Foundation

Canada

 

Rick Keller

Chair

Sierra Club, VA Chapter, Mt. Vernon Group

United States

 

Elías Diaz Peña

Coordinador General

SOBREVIVENCIA, Amigos de la Tierra Paraguay

Paraguay

 

 

 

 

Alan Journet

Co-founder and Co-facilitator

Southern Oregon Climate Action Now

United States

 

Stop the Frack Attack Advisory Council

Stop the Frack Attack Network

United States

 

Abid Qaiyum SuleriExecutive Director

Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI)

Pakistan

 

Daphne Wysham

Director

Sustainable Energy and Economy Network

United States

 

Adam Hasz

Executive Coordinator

SustainUS

United States

 

Ben West

Executive Director

Tanker Free BC

Canada

 

Belen Paez

Directora

Terra Mater – Pachamama Alliance

Ecuador

 

Juan Parras

Director

Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services (T.e.j.a.s.)

United States

Peggy Salazar

The Southeast Environmental Task Force

United States

 

Zuleica Nycz

Diretora Geral

Toxisphera Associação de Saúde Ambiental

Brasil

 

María Espinosa

Directora

Trópico Verde

Guatemala

 

Rafael Colmenares Faccini

Coordinador

Unión Libre Ambiental

Colombia

 

Evan Weber

Executive Director

U.S. Climate Plan

United States

 

Jesus A. Garay Vega

Executive Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors

U.S. Green Building Council – U.S. Caribbean Chapter

Puerto Rico

 

Allison Akootchook Warden

Executive Director

Uyalunaq

United States

 

Yolima Salazar Higuera

Directora Ejecutiva

Vicaría del sur – Diócesis de Florencia

Colombia