RISE

UP FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE RALLY

9/24/15

TALK by Moderator Lynda Schneekloth

THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND The Earth is our Common Home

Yes, this land is your land. The Earth belongs to all of us. It is, as Pope Francis says, our common
home. We rise up to protect it from the ravages of climate change.
Welcome to everyone and thank you for coming. My name is Lynda Schneekloth, Chair of the
Sierra Club Niagara Group. And with me is Roger Cook, Convener of the Interfaith Climate
Justice Community. These two groups and many partners and individuals have brought you this
rally and the upcoming three month campaign leading up to the UN Paris Climate Talks at the
end of this year. You will hear from many of them today!
So why have we gathered? Because we are called. We are the first generation that is seeing
the lasting impacts of the climate crisis but may be the last generation that has the chance to
do anything about it.
We know that the Earth has a fever as a result of the burning of greenhouse gases coal, oil,
methane; and we, we know what to do. Keep them in the ground and transform our energy
systems to the basics: solar, wind, hydro, geothermal. We can do this right now! Let no one
tell you that it is not both financially and technically feasible!
And we must. For the warming of this globe is killing life on earth. You know this -- droughts,
fires, floods, death of the oceans, food shortages, wars, mass extinctions, human migrations,
and melting ice.
INTRODUCE JANE, granddaughter age 7 and she acts out the story I read.

This is what Jane wants me to tell you.

Think about the polar bears. There is not enough ice. All the ice they can find just breaks
under their feet. Then they have to keep swimming and swimming but they cannot swim
forever. And they cant see any land. The bears will drown sometimes. We have to help the
polar bears.

We hear these stories every day in the news. And to further the injustice, many of these
disasters are happening to people who have contributed so little to global warming: like the
people who live on drowning islands and sinking tundra and the very poor of all nations. And
just imagine the world we might be leaving to our children, grandchildren and all future
generations. Fifty years from now, when they look back at us in 2015, what will they say about
this generation? Will they be angry and perplexed or will they thank us for taking action?
Pope Francis asks us: isn't humanity committing suicide with this indiscriminate and tyrannical
use of nature? We have created an economic system based on the exploitation of nature

and of labor. It is time to judge this system against moral principles, not profits and to ask, does
it serve the public interests? Does it protect the commons?
Today, we rise up for climate justice. We ask the world leaders of 195 nations who are
gathering in Paris to sign a comprehensive and legally binding global climate change
agreement to prevent catastrophic climate change, with provisions for the poorest and most
vulnerable protecting the rights of local communities and Indigenous people.

For this RISE UP FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE campaign, we are asking for three things from each of
us. The first is to call on President Obama to lead, to have the courage to speak truth to power.
End subsidies for fossil fuels; invest in renewables; ensure a just transition for impacted
communities. You do this President Obama, and we will stand with you.
And second, closer to home, lets ask our elected officials to sign the Climate Justice Pledge and
work with them to advance policies and strategies to transform our energy systems while
protecting the vulnerable. Lets work with our churches, synagogues and organizations to
secure healthy, sustainable communities that provide good jobs and safe neighborhoods.
And third, its up to us, each one of us, every day, lets make choices that build a just world!!
Rise up for Climate Justice!

INTRODUCE SPEAKERS
CLOSING REMARKS
SUBHASHNI Reminds us that we are all in this together all of us across the face of the earth.
And our Billionaire, Eric Gallion, reminds us that the forces that oppose the climate justice
agenda are very powerful and have lots of money. They are right now trying to manipulate and
disrupt the UN Paris Climate Talks. Do not underestimate those who benefit from the burning
of fossil fuels.
And the unions and churches remind us that we have power to stand up to these forces and
demand climate action actions at the talks in Paris, actions within our country, actions in our
region, and individual actions.
Remember, we may be the first generation to see the impacts of the climate crisis, but we may
also be the last generation that can do something about it. LET US RISE UP FOR CLIMATE
JUSTICE! We will leave a secure a future for our children!!!
SING WE SHALL OVER COME
Thank you for coming today. Well be in touch shortly about how everyone can be involved.