Abeer Al-Butmeh, PENGON coordinator is participating together with Friends of the Earth International and hundreds from around the world, to unite in a giant message of freedom, standing with the people of Paris and calling for 100% renewable energy during the United Nations COP21 Climate Summit.

Friends of the Earth is also making some noise for rich countries to do their fair share, if rich countries are serious about keeping global temperatures below 1.5 degrees, their words are empty unless they demonstrate much more ambition and much more solidarity.

No temperature rise is safe or justifiable because lives are already being lost. Here in Paris, rich countries must commit to keeping global average temperatures under 1.5 degrees but we demand that they go beyond words and actually take action to do their fair share. Developed countries have a legal and moral obligation to act, to completely transform their societies, and to support developing countries in avoiding fossil fuel pathways.

Our current Civil Society Review of the voluntary pledges they have made to reduce emissions (INDCs) show that the developed country pledges are far below their fair share and will not keep warming under 1.5 degrees. Developed countries like Germany, France and Australia must walk the walk and not just talk the talk.

A temperature target of 1.5 degrees must not be used as a way to divide southern countries or shift responsibility for the climate crisis away from the global north.