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Both Fundación Pachamama and The Pachamama Alliance were well represented at the recent COP16 (The United Nations Conference for Climate Change in Cancun). María Belén Páez and Natalia Greene from Fundación Pachamama attended the conference to promote Rights of Nature, and to follow the climate change negotiations, especially the REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) negotiations, lobbying for the inclusion of indigenous rights and guarantee of their territories in the negotiating texts. Key volunteers from Awakening the Dreamer and FOUR YEARS. GO. delivered symposiums and invited participation in these programs.
Belén Paez, as part of the ACCRA Caucus, especially followed the REDD+ negotiations, lobbying not only with the Ecuadorian delegation, but with European delegations that were key to guarantee that the new mechanisms to protect the forests will include and protect indigenous rights and their territories, and will drive away, or at least look for alternatives to, market-based solutions.
Natalia Greene attended the conference especially to promote the Rights of Nature. Together with Global Exchange and the Council of Canadians, she delivered a conference and a workshop at the Espacio Mexicano about Rights of Nature, and used the short publication “Does Nature Have Rights?” to promote the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature and the importance of the recognition and guarantee of nature as a subject of rights.
The Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream Symposium also had a space in Cancun at the Villa de Cambio Climático, where a group of Mexican facilitators led by Ingrid Castrejon delivered the symposium to a very committed group of people. 4YG volunteers gave out the 4YG video to many groups of people, and many campaign allies were giving out information to delegates and special key people, explaining the campaign and giving out declaration cards and pins for people to take a stand, get involved with 4YG.
