World Youth raised stances to climate crisis at Peoples Summit

- Youth National Gathering on Climate Change questioned upheavals of global capitalism.

By Gisela Vargas

CP, 9 December, 2014.- The second day of the People's Summit on Climate Change was held today at the premises of the Parque de la Exposición in Lima with the massive participation of young people.

Coming from different peoples and countries, they presented their views on the climate crisis affecting the planet as a result of the "upheavals of capitalism."

They said that the world is dominated by the extractive model of production and consumption, which harms Mother Earth and tramples the rights of indigenous peoples.

Such position was released by the Encuentro Nacional de las Juventudes frente al Cambio Climático, which included the participation of young leaders from different regions of Peru and different countries.

The event was organized by the Youth Committee of the People's Summit, the Federation of Students of Peru, the National Agrarian Confederation (CNA) and the CGTP, among others.

Participants placed particular emphasis on the situation of indigenous peoples and peasants who are threatened by large extractive companies in each of their countries.

They also recognized the value of self-determination and self-government, food sovereignty and the need for a global change of the energy matrix and to abandon fossil fuels.

Young people from different countries formed working groups to discuss how to combat climate change and for the empowerment of youth as agents of social change.

Finally, they stressed the importance of articulating joint proposals based on the recognition of the different realities of climate change.

Later there was space for cultural exchange, and dancing. Everyone will participate of the March in Defense of Mother Earth.