You’re going to Paris on Monday. What are your aims and message for COP21?

Since 2008, CIDSE has been working to unite the the understanding of climate change within that of a deeper global crisis regarding social justice and equity. At the moment, global distribution of emissions is very unbalanced, with a small elite using most of the world’s resources. Not only that, but the exploitation of natural resources is also heavily linked to human rights violations.

Our aim for Paris is to make this link clear, and to place climate justice within its larger global picture. Worldwide, we need to work on creating well being under the motto of “less is more”.

Demonstrations in Paris on both the 29th November and 12th December have been banned, due to the terrorist threat. What strategy are CIDSE and civil society at large implementing, in order to make their voices heard?

We have a three-point strategy. Firstly, we have what is termed “inside strategy”: we have around 20 partners who will be inside the talks, actively lobbying during the negotiations. CIDSE will be working in to support the Vatican, who is sending a 12 person delegation. Then we have the “outside strategy”, which was supposed to be the mobilization in the streets. In Brussels and Paris, we cannot demonstrate. However, the 29th November was always supposed to be a time for worldwide demonstrations: in other capitals and cities across the world, demonstrations will go ahead. For example, just this morning I was informed that over 50 cities in the Philippines will be holding street demonstrations on November 29th. NGOs are looking into creating a human chain in Paris, however they have to work very closely with the police, so it is still not sure if even this symbolic gesture will go ahead.

Our last tactic involves social media campaigns. Nowadays, many politicians are on social media. We at CIDSE have launched a campaign entitled “Change for the planet - Care for the people”, and the online platform “4 steps for the planet” . Many NGOs have done the same thing, and are launching their campaigns on social media in order to make sure their voices are heard by politicians.

However, one of our core messages is that we do not have to wait for the politicians to save us. People can make lifestyle changes themselves, based on the concept of less is more, in order to create a global force combating climate change.

You’ve produced a policy paper called “Paris, for the People and the Planet”, which sets out CIDSE’s vision for the COP21 summit. What are the key points you’d like to highlight?

For us, one of the most important outcomes would be a binding commitment to decarbonise by 2050. This would mean no more fossil fuel emissions in 35 years, rather than the G7 commitment to decarbonise by the end of the century, which we believe is putting the world at great risk.

Another key outcome that we want to see is a pledge by countries to not rise the global temperature by more than 2°C. Above 2°C creates a serious risk to coastal areas, which would be entirely submerged. In the case of Bangladesh, where would 100 million people go? They’re walled in, and the borders are closed.

What we’re going to Paris with is not enough for many island states. For them to agree to the Paris terms would be to sign the end of the nation. What we at CIDSE are aiming for is for countries to make binding pledges to keep the global temperature below 2°C, which they will remain accountable for.