We were never modern enough

One of the biggest challenges against global warming is convincing people that everyone will be affected

XV Coloquio DH. Conectas. Formação de Alianças. Experiências no contexto das mudanças climáticas. Tessa Khan. Nancy Cardoso.

by Fidel Forato*

Global warming and its implications are important matters in question for the whole dominion of a country and its call for action, however, this topic hardly reaches within the context of common discourse of an ordinary Brazilian. “We were never modern. Modernity made promises and did not fulfill them, not to the majority.” argues pastor Nancy Cardoso of the Pastoral Land Commission.

In a lecture on climate change, held on Thursday, October 5, during the 15th International Colloquium on Human Rights, Cardoso develops that “we left behind the 19th century and arrived at the 20th century with promises of freedom, equality and brotherhood, yet the modernity that has been handed over to us is unequal, precarious and incapable of addressing the real problems of Brazilian people.”

Amid this noise and haste, expounding the real needs to debate such matter is a challenge. As per the pastor, some people still believe that climate anomaly is a Divine providence. “You have a large fraction of population that hovers on this imaginary tale, in this savage and gross imagery, that a hurricane is damnation by ‘finger of God’ against homosexuals or that an earthquake is God’s judgement against feminists.” At any rate no, the bottomline is that climate will change, abruptly, so does the way of life of thousands of Brazilians; nevertheless, this can be prevented.

Global warming, deliberate deforestation in the Amazon, and illegal fire clearing directly affect the climate. The course of rainfall, for example, is modified, or changed, and consequently, agriculture and energy sector are now in crisis. Evidently, price of food is soaring in the supermarkets and the power bill is skyrocketing for the consumers. This alarming situation definitely calls upon for sincere dialogue. “Only when we can unite the people and the territory we live in will be in peace, and the power to begin this process lies with the people,” Cardoso concludes.

While the topic of global warming has been debated in the public arena, its consequences are still “unknown” fact, however, it has already caused damages on the coastal countries. “Some people will experience the impact of climate change much earlier and in greater magnitude than others, especially women, children, traditional communities, and all those who depend on land and natural resources,” says Climate Advocate Tessa Khan of Litigation Network, also present in the lecture.

The lawyer points out that those who are less prepared with the changing situation will suffer the most. So, it is ironic that climate justice is “the recognition that the countries of the North are the most protected from climate change, but they are the most responsible for carbon emissions and global warming.”

According to her experiences in the light of her struggles to bring about changes in future, Khan shares one of the first lessons learned in dealing with social movements: “It is not lawyers, advocates or experts who make attitudes change or what the State fabricates about global warming, it is the movement itself that drives change.” Thus, the solution lies much more with the primary movement, in the people and in the capacity of this discourse to gain momentum.

About the Colloquium
Between October 2 and 6, 80 human rights activists from 31 countries are gathering in São Paulo for the 15th International Human Rights Colloquium. The objective of the event is to discuss the theme “Human rights: crisis or transition?”, share experiences and propose solutions to face setbacks at local, regional and global levels.

This year, Conectas organises the meeting with Forum Asia (Thailand), the Human Rights Centre of the University of Pretoria (South Africa) and Dejusticia (Colombia). The event is supported by Ford Foundation, OAK Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Channel Foundation and The Fund For Global Human Rights. We also thank the FGV (Fundação Getúlio Vargas), the Memorial of the Resistance, APAC (Associação Pinacoteca Arte e Cultura), the Immigration Museum and the government of the State of São Paulo, that generously provided with the venues for the meetings.

*Fidel Forato is a volunteer journalists from the coverage group of the 15th International Human Rights Colloquium. English translation by Partha Sarker, a refugee from Bangladesh.