Climate Adaptation Proceeds in Ethiopia

As part of an effort to bring about coordinated and urgent action on global warming, Ethiopia hosted its first National Climate Change Conference earlier this week.

Oxfam America sponsored the historic event in Addis Ababa, which brought together about 400 participants from the government, non-governmental organizations, businesses, and the UN. Each discussed how best to work together to articulate, document, and share the responsibilities around developing Ethiopia’s national policy on climate change.

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, called on all organizations in the country to join the National Climate Change Forum, which Oxfam helped establish to coordinate institutions in addressing droughts, floods, reduced crops, and an increase in illnesses like malaria and HIV/AIDS.

"However unjust it might be we have to adapt or die. We can only succeed to adapt to climate change if we fight poverty effectively and generate the resources needed for the purpose,” Zenawi said.

“Here is the painful reality: Even if we completely stopped all harmful emission of greenhouse gas pollutants tomorrow, the damage from the emissions already up in the atmosphere will run its course for the next 50 years or more ... we must move forward on adaptation,” said Janet McKinley, chairwoman of Oxfam America. “Oxfam is fighting hard to ensure that the poorest nations have the necessary funding and technology to do so.”

You can show your support for a pro-poor solution to climate change by signing Oxfam International's petition or by joining an Oxfam Action Corps near you.

Get Out the Vote!

Remember to vote on Tuesday, November 4th! We have the power to influence the decisions of our leaders by choosing the next President, one of our Iowa Senators and our House Representative. Regardless of whether your candidate is chosen, your vote sends a strong signal to your politicians that you are engaged in the political process. Our next leaders will be more likely to fight against poverty and climate change if they know that we want action and that we vote. For more information about voting in Iowa: visit the state elections website. Also take a look at Oxfam America's youth voter guide. Oxfam America does not endorse any candidates, but we do want you to exercise your right to vote!

Helping Farmers Cope with Climate Change

According to a recent article in the Des Moines Register, climate change is expected to make Iowa even more important as a breadbasket for the world- primarily by reducing agricultural production in poorer countires during a time when global food demand is rapidly increasing. This situation presents many opportunities for Iowans, especially farmers and agricultural researchers, to be a part of the solution. But what about those farmers in poor countries? Without access to the resources of the USDA and private agribusiness, how will they cope?

One solution would be through a climate change adaptation program that would provide training and resources to help poor farmers find solutions to maintain productivity. Such a program is being advocated by Oxfam America and others as a way to reduce poverty, promote national security, and cope with climate change. Climate change adaptation programs could work with current United States international programs and could be funded using some of the proceeds from a carbon cap-and-trade system. Variations of cap-and-trade have been endorsed by both candidates for President, and will likely come before Congress next year.

In the meantime, Iowans can act by signing the climate change petition, or by reading the article and emailing a letter to the editor highlighting the need to help all farmers adapt.

Climate Change Hurts Women, You Can Help

Oxfam America has released a new documentary called "Sisters on the Planet" and we would like to have it screened as widely as possible. Through the stories of four inspirational women, "Sisters" introduces viewers to the connection between gender, poverty, and environment and calls on each of us to take action for climate jusitce. You can order a copy at www.oxfamamerica.org/sisters

You can see "Sisters on the Planet" at our next meeting at the Ingersoll Caribou Coffee this Tuesday, September 16th at 7:30pm. After the movie, we'll have a short discussion and plan some additional screenings around Des Moines. Please join us on September 16th and add your voice to those of women around the world who are demanding equity and justice in the face of climate change.

Iowa Screening of "Sisters on the Planet"

For the first time in the state of Iowa you can view and discuss "Sisters on the Planet". The premiere will be begin at 7 pm at the Ames Public Library on Wednesday Sept. 10.

"Sisters on the Planet" is a documentary portraying four inspirational women and how they are fighting back against climate change.

The film will leave you inspired and ready to take action. Come meet others and learn what we can do here locally.

Sound Cimate Policies: a Step Towards Racial Equality

Sound climate policies are urgently needed to help save lives and promote social justice. Policies that reduce harmful emissions and help poor and disadvantaged communities adapt to climate change are not only smart, but essential to building a world with liberty, equality, and justice for all.

In fact, the Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative (EJCC) recently released a report analyzing the ways in which African Americans will be disproportionately affected by global warming. The report finds that:

-global warming amplifies nearly all existing inequalities

-sound global warming policy is also economic and racial justice policy

-climate policies that best serve African Americans also best serve a just and strong United States

-climate policies that best serve African Americans and other disproportionately affected communities also best serve global economic and environmental justice

Don't "Go it Alone", Come to Our Meetings!

Solving our poverty and climate crises isn't easy. Fortunately, nobody has to do it alone. The Iowa Oxfam Action Corps meets every month in Ames and in Des Moines. Meetings are where we plan our next actions, review the vision for our organization, and support each other in our efforts to make the world a better place. Our next meeting will be in Ames on August 19th. The next meeting in Des Moines will be during the third week of September.

A summary of our recent meeting in Des Moines follows:

Vision: We envision ourselves as an organization that draws connections between poverty and the injustice of climate change. We want to focus on education and empowerment of Iowans to take action for climate justice, and we will advocate for the rights of those who are disempowered.

Online Tools: We like the flexibility of setameeting.com for scheduling our meetings. We want to use a zoho group for online conversation between meetings. Email us if you would like an invitation to join.

Upcoming Events:
1) We are scheduling a meeting with the staff of both of our Iowa senators during the last week of August or the first week of September.
2)There will be an opportunity to help run a table at the Downtown Farmers' Market on September 27th. (See our previous post)
3)There is a big event being planned with the League of Women Voters on November 13th. We will show our new movie: "Sisters on the Planet" and bring in a speaker who has been to Bangladesh.