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September 10, 2012 Contact: Maddy Ryle
For Immediate Release Email: [email protected]
‘GETTING ACTION ON CLIMATE’ SHOWS HOW CITIZENS FROM CALIFORNIA TO KOSOVO ARE TAKING ACTION ON CLIMATE ISSUES AND WINNING
The Democracy Center has just released a new series of investigations looking up close at seven citizen action campaigns from around the world that take aim at the climate change crisis. Titled ‘Getting Action on Climate‘ the seven in-depth investigations cover campaigns from California to Kosovo, from Bulgaria to Thailand. They reveal the strategies and tactics behind successful efforts to halt new coal power stations, stop fracking in its tracks and establish widespread renewables infrastructure, amongst others.
Today no issue is more in need of urgent action than the crisis of global climate change. This summer the Arctic sea ice cover reached a new record low and the U.S. has been in the grip of a record drought. As international summits routinely fail to produce results, and governments turn away from the agenda in tough economic times, it is left to citizens to step up and confront the crisis themselves.
‘Getting Action on Climate’ demonstrates that this is happening, and that grassroots activism on climate-related issues is having a real impact – for example in defeating attempts by oil interests to weaken state climate legislation. The series also reveals how these battles are being organized and fought, and why they are winning. They tell us that focusing on local impacts to health and livelihoods is much more likely to generate the necessary public support, for instance. The campaign profiles offer a wealth of analysis and shared thinking on strategy to inspire others and help make the real action on climate change – citizen action – more effective.
The campaign profiles, and a summary of some of the key lessons to be taken from the series, can all be found on the Democracy Center website.
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