The ebbing year was tremendously significant for us at HOMEF. We had a moment to look at the ten years that have rolled by since our commencement as an ecological think tank and advocacy organisation. That moment was loaded with gratitude as we recalled milestones of deep acceptance by the broad spectrum of communities, networks and alliances we have interacted with.
COP28 confirmed our reading that serious climate action will be driven from below and not from multilateral spaces deeply captured by corporate interests. Highlights of the COP included the operationalizing of the Loss and Damage Fund and the grudging acknowledgement that the world must transit from burning of fossil fuels for energy. But we cannot rest easy knowing that the need to rein in fossil fuel extraction and burning goes beyond the climate question. It is about protecting the Rights of Nature and of the peoples and communities that suffer from havoc wreaked by extractivism.
In a referendum held in August 2023 the people of Ecuador voted massively to halt extraction of crude oil in the Yasuni ITT oil field. It was a victory for the people who had doggedly pushed for this for over a decade. The vote to keep the oil in the ground at Yasuni also signifies that people power can help end the destructive addiction to fossil fuels and also promote real climate action.
We bring you some poems in this edition and also articles and reports underscoring the urgency of tackling the pervasive multiple crises. You will find reports highlighting the need to build the capacity of smallholder farmers to enable them to continue producing safe, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food while confronting the hunger and climate crises. We also share reports on artisanal fishers, fish processors, maritime workers and other critical stakeholders as human rights defenders who play critical socio-economic roles in our society .
We produced a video documentary on the Ororo-1 oil well that exploded and has been burning since May 2020. See here. Both the oil companies and the government have kept a blind eye to the atrocious incident and remain deaf to the cries of the impacted communities. The truth is that we are all impacted! We invite you to sign our petition calling on government to stop this menace with utmost urgency. Sign the petition here.
We love hearing from you. Do drop us a line or share feedback, stories, articles, poems or photos at [email protected].
Have a happy and fulfilling season and see you all in 2024.
Until Victory!
Download and read Eco-Insitgator #42 here.
