For Immediate Release 1 December, 2008

As UN Climate Change Meeting Begins New Voices on Climate Change Initiative Launched

Poznan, Poland. As the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meeting begins today, Global Justice Ecology Project is launching New Voices on Climate Change, a new initiative, the goal of which is to broaden the climate debate by amplifying the voices of peoples around the world who are already being impacted by climate change. This is an effort to bring in people that have historically been mostly excluded from climate discussions: especially Indigenous Peoples, women, and non-corporate interests.

New Voices participant, Hubertus Samangun, of ICTI - Ikatan Cendekiawan Tanimbar Indonesia, states: ?As an Indigenous person, I know that the climate change is not just a scientific or political issue, but is a reality and it is happening now and will be worsening in the future. Our planting and harvesting system in our communities is changing as well as many traditional ways of life regarding the climate is very different now comparing to the old condition. People living in big cities with all the expanded technology, do not have the experience about these changes, but we, Indigenous Peoples and other marginalized peoples who are very close to nature are experiencing these changes.

New Voices on Climate Change includes the following components:
- An aggressive media campaign to connect mainstream and alternative media with individuals representing communities impacted by climate change
- Production of a speakers' directory of these New Voices that will be distributed to environmental and climate organizations worldwide to encourage inclusion of New Voices speakers in climate-related events, and available on the Global Justice Ecology Project New Voices webpage.
- A U.S. speaking tour in the fall of 2009

Global Justice Ecology Project Co-director and Global Forest Coalition Media Coordinator Orin Langelle says of New Voices: ?As the international financial crisis intensifies, the majority of official bodies dealing with climate change, especially at the UN level, continue to promote market-based approaches to solve the climate crisis. New Voices was created because it is highly important to hear new perspectives from people who have a different message. Life on Earth is being threatened by climate chaos and we must not allow life to be commodified or let the market decide the fate of this planet.

New Voices on Climate Change currently has participants from Aotearoa (New Zealand), Brazil, Canada, India, Indonesia, Paraguay, the Philippines, South Africa and the U.S.

CONTACT:
Colette Oesterle, Global Justice Ecology Project, Media and Campaigns,
Ph: +1 802 482 2689, Mobile +1 517 449 3978 Email: newvoices@globaljusticeecology.org [English and Spanish]
Orin Langelle, Global Justice Ecology Project, GFC Media Coordinator in Poznan, Poland, Mobile +48 696 723 046 (30 November - 13 December 2008) [English]