For this reason, approximately two years ago, the main networks of activists from different parts of the world stated the need to establish a climate justice tribunal to respond to this new reality where climate is at risk.

Real World Radio interviewed Elizabeth Peredo, Solon Foundation´s Director, and Tom Kucharz, Agroecology and Food Sovereignty Coordinator at Ecologistas en Accion, at the end of a workshop on the need to establish a Climate justice Tribunal, held in the Climate Dialogue in Cancun.

“We used to talk about climate and the weather when we wanted to speak lightly about something”, said Peredo in the interview with Real World Radio, and she added: “But now, talking about this has become a political issue and we think it is crucial to create a space, mainly because the UN Framework Convention is not a legally binding institution to control, punish and prevent what we can refer to nowadays as climate crimes”.

In addition, Peredo said that establishing a tribunal was necessary to give visibility to the impacts of climate change and the people responsible for it.

Meanwhile, Kucharz said: “We are discussing a proposal in the framework of International Law. We think it is important to look for mechanisms to give visibility to this impunity, both of private actors (companies) and governments, which have promised to reduce their emissions and they are not complying, or are showing false reductions”.

The activist said an example of this is the European Union, because even though formally they are complying with their reduction goals by 2012, they are not taking into account the emissions produced by the bloc in other parts of the world. Also, Kucharz said he was concerned about the fact that the current crisis is making governments to focus on economic growth, leaving the issue of climate change aside.

“Therefore, we need legal spaces –even in the current global framework – to try public actors, governments and private actors. We have to clearly state that if there is a genocide, a crime against humanity committed by private or state actors, they have to be held accountable. Currently there are different international legal processes against private actors or governments, but these are not supported enough in order to be implemented effectively. So, we believe that a Peoples´ Tribunal can be a tool to demand and support the accountability of the ones responsible for climate change, and for the victims to become plaintiffs”, said Kucharz, and added that this could give way to the first cases and become a reference for future claims.

Photo: Real World Radio