Accelerating the development of alternatives to address the climate challenge
Despite the Paris agreement’s target to keep a global temperature rise below 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius this century, the sum of national voluntary commitments across the globe actually leads to a rise by 3.5 degrees Celsius, or even up to 6 degrees Celsius! Climate disruption, which is already devastating the lives of millions mainly in countries of the Global South, is about to get even worse and could threaten civilised human life around the world and even the survival of mankind. The pace at which the situation is degrading is such that it no longer concerns just future generations anymore, but also the kids born today. So, what can be done against it ?
From June 09 to October 06, 2018, the Alternatiba Tour will go on a 5,800-km journey on multi-seat tandem bicycles across 200 territories in France and in the neighbouring countries to spread a message of hope: yes, alternatives do exist, we can live differently, we can live better, and we can hinder climate disruption!
Alternatives exist across all our territories, and in all types of fields. The Alternatiba Tour will make a stop in all the territories it crosses, gathering everyone involved in alternatives to put them in the spotlight and bring them to a wider public.
Far from proposing false solutions, which are unfair, hazardous and inefficient, such as geoengineering, GMOs, biofuels or nuclear energy, far from the excesses of carbon trading, of useless and imposed large-scale infrastructure projects, of free-trade and investment agreements that only increase the power of global companies, thousands of substantial alternatives to the causes of climate disruption are already being used daily by millions of people, associations and communities.
Peasant and organic farming, sustainable consumption, short distribution channels, vegetarian and vegan diets, reshoring, distribution of wealth, work sharing, social and ecological conversion, climate jobs, ethical finance, common goods protection including water, land and forests, sustainable fishing, food sovereignty, solidarity and sharing, repairing and recycling, waste reduction, soft transport modes and sustainable mobility, eco-refurbishment, combatting urban sprawling and land degradation, preserving agricultural land, protecting biodiversity, energy sobriety and efficiency, renewable energies, transition towns and cities, environmental education, and so on – alternatives already exist. They are evolving and crossing paths, they create quality jobs, and they are desperate to gain strength, to grow and to multiply!
The Alternatiba Tour will leave on June 09, 2018 from Paris, where the Paris Agreement on climate change was signed. It will arrive on October 06, 2018 in Bayonne, where a great Alternative Village will be held just a few days after the publication of the next IPCC special report.
We cannot wait for the solution to come from higher ranks – we should take decisive actions from the base to achieve the successful transformation of our way of life and to change the system. We can bring a tangible change at our own level across our territories all the while exerting more pressure to force changes globally.
That’s why we will be there all along the Alternatiba Tour next summer, and why we are ultimately calling on all of you to join us.
The fight for climate justice is happening now, and we must act now!