Is Democracy Failing in Copenhagen? Protesters Demand Climate Justice, Are Met with Violence; NGOs Selectively Barred from Climate Negotiations

Dramatic Protests for Climate Justice Are Met with Violence
NGOs Selectively Barred from Climate Negotiations

Dramatic protests erupted inside and outside the climate summit in Copenhagen today. Non-profit organizations are being severely restricted from the talks, and several groups that have been most critical of the negotiating process were selectively denied access en masse.

Outside the hall thousands of protesters led by social movements from the global South began a permitted march to the Bella Center only to be met with violence on the part of the Danish police. Over 200 delegates inside the summit broke out in chants this morning in solidarity with those outside and those denied entrance, demanding “Climate justice now!” The delegates, including government representatives from Bolivia, left the negotiations to join a “People’s Assembly” to discuss real solutions to climate change held by protesters on the outside. This group was met with violence as well, all of which was live streamed onto Danish television. Reports of tear gas, even on protesters who have already been detained, billy clubs, and dogs are emerging from the demonstrators.

Halfway in between the inside and outside protests, Friends of the Earth is staging a sit-in near the registration area of the Bella Center. Representatives from La Via Campesina, Avaaz, TckTckTck and Friends of the Earth were denied entry from the conference center this morning, despite having proper credentials.

"The surgical removal of non governmental organizations underscores the lack of democracy inherent in these negotiations,” said a spokesman of the group Climate Justice Now! responsible for the protest inside the Bella Center this morning. “The United Nations process has systematically failed the world's marginalized countries and consistently excludes those that would dare support and fight on behalf of those countries."

Later in the day inside the negotiations delegates broke into chant in the plenary session, echoing the call of protesters demanding a deal for climate justice. Indigenous protesters took to the hallways to demand the inclusion of indigenous rights into the REDD anti-deforestation/carbon offsetting scheme.

Tomorrow, as planned only 1000 representatives from civil society and industry groups will be allowed into the Bella Center. Many key issues including the targets themselves, any possible funding mechanism, and who might control that money, are yet to be decided. Many developing country delegations have been depending on civil society groups to fill their ranks. As civil society is systematically excluded, the power balance is shifting further and further in favor of developed countries in the global North.