SEARCH–Post-Election Environmental Justice Forum

When:–Sunday August 7, 1pm – 4pm.

Where:–University of Technology Sydney 

Rm 470, Level 2, Building 10

Speakers

• Sean Sweeney (Trade Unions for Energy Democracy)
• Mark Ogge (Australia Institute),
• Moira Williams (350.org),
• Vicki Findlay (Lock the Gate)
• Amy Gordon (AYCC and SEED)

The crisis facing humanity and the planet from climate change and other environmental threats is only going to become more acute following the election, irrespective of which major party forms government.

Each major party is locked into policies that perpetuate untenable exploitation of people and nature, and a growth-addicted capitalist economy. Climate change is driving destruction of habitats and collapse of ecological systems on which all life depends causing food and water insecurity and natural disasters, with billions more facing ever-increasing levels of social, economic and safety threats.  We can’t stand by and let this happen. We need to build grassroots community action and campaigns.

Grassroots action for environmental justice

The SEARCH Environmental Justice Working Group is organising a national forum to provide an opportunity for SEARCH members and friends to share insights into the challenges we face post-election. We want to identify opportunities to build the environmental justice movement in our communities and in workplaces. We’ll be focusing on some key issues such as climate change and challenging the power of mining and fossil fuel companies, building democratic, equitable and ecologically sustainable energy systems and communities, and to learn from and contribute to each other’s’ work post-election.

Environmental justice is a useful frame for democratic ecological socialist and progressive politics as it links campaigns around ecology, class, race and gender. Environmental justice campaigns are about ’justice in the environment’ and focus on both the distributional and procedural inequity in environment hazards and risks. Unlike NIMBYism (the Not In My Back Yard)  where wealthy and powerful groups oppose developments in their localities only to support them being located elsewhere, environmental justice campaigns also focus on eradicating environmental hazards altogether by removing the underlying causes of environmental threats.

While held in Sydney people across the country can participate via video link and invitees include activists from union, youth, Aboriginal and environmental organisations from urban and rural communities.