THINK GLOBAL Act locally with the World Development Movement

lNovember 2014

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Contents

Letter from the activism team

Action checklist

Campaign update: food sovereignty

Campaign update: climate and energy justice

Reluanch update

Campaign update: trade justice

Events

Groups update

Current materials

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Brighton WDM’s stunt on the TTIP day of action

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Letter from the activism team

Dear group members,

These are exciting times for WDM. We’ve just had a hugely busy October, the centrepiece of which has been the campaigning on TTIP, which has taken place across the country and contributed to the gathering of over 750,000 signatures across Europe. Groups have been energised and active and there’s been some great campaigning going on. We’re also seeing some encouraging new developments – a new group is emerging in Bristol, an area where a WDM presence has been sorely lacking for several years, and there has been some increasing youth engagement with our work as well, something group members have been keen to see take place. For example, Unite the Youth, a group of inner city young people from London, have been involved in some of our activism around TTIP, and I’m writing these words shortly before I go to deliver a workshop at a youth centre in Croydon.

This is also, of course, a significant time for WDM groups as they prepare for their own relaunch, as part of the relaunch of the entire organisation in the new year. In the relaunch update section you’ll see some detailed information about practical aspects of the relaunch for groups. The relaunch is also a good opportunity for reflection and renewal, and to consider if there any changes you would like to make to how you operate, how you might be able to draw in new people, and if you’d like to see changes across the organisation as well – there is an ongoing conversation about all these issues. Do contact me if you want to discuss ideas or plans.

Also, just to let you know that the next Think Global will be a joint December-January issue and will be out in mid-December. It will also include some relaunch materials.

Happy campaigning!

Ed Lewis

• Briefing on coal mining in Indonesia (groups only)

Inserts

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Action checklist

Food sovereignty

Promote the e-action about Ghana’s seed law

Lobby your MP: try to get them to pressure Justine Greening to withdraw the UK from the New Alliance

Trade justice

Promote the European Citizens’ Initiative through a stall or online

Make links with other local groups to build a coalition against TTIP to strengthen the campaign

Energy justice

Get signatures for the Energy Bill of Rights from individuals and other groups and use as a basis for a letter to the local press

Family farmers united vs Agribusiness FC stunt in Parliament Sq for World Food Day. The farmers won, no thanks to DEFRA

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Campaign update: Food sovereignty

Ghana’s seedsThis month, Ghana’s parliament will be discussing a proposed legislation (Plant Breeders Bill) which would restrict farmers from freely saving, swapping and breeding seeds they rely on. This new law would mean small scale farmers are pushed into buying protected seed varieties from big seed companies or face criminalisation for saving and exchanging these seeds. These seed law changes are part of Ghana’s New Alliance policy commitments. You may have seen our urgent e-action if you are WDM’s email list and on our website: please help promote this. You could even use the text from the e-action to start a local petition in solidarity with Ghanaian small scale food producers.

Policy update: Committee for World Food Security (CFS)The Committee for World Food Security and Nutrition (CFS) is a unique UN body which has gained a reputation in the last five years as the most inclusive platform on global food policy allowing civil society groups equal representation alongside multinational companies.

However, in October the CFS approved a set of principles around agricultural investment which has aroused global civil society opposition. The principles that have been approved prioritises the investments of multinational corporations, creating for them a conducive environment for market expansion and control. Meanwhile, the needs of millions of small-scale producers have been ignored and marginalised. There is no support for their own investments to grow healthy food for local communities and no role for public policy to step in and make sure markets work for the most vulnerable. But the most shocking part of the principles is the subordination of the right to food to global trade deals.

Heidi, our agribusiness campaigner, attended the CFS meeting where this was approved and has been working with other groups around the world to challenge these principles. We will continue

to support efforts by international civil society groups to push for food sovereignty at a global level.

New posterIn May we launched a series of infographics looking at the parallels between the original colonisation of Africa in the nineteenth century and the current agribusiness scramble of Africa. We have converted the information and the story from these infographics into a poster that we are hoping will be useful for local groups to use on stalls. If you want to order one of these posters, please contact the office.

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Energy justice campaign developmentWe continue to work on the new phase of our energy justice campaign.

Hopefully you will have had chance to read the ‘power to the people’ summary of our new energy justice campaign or even the longer ‘towards a just energy system’ campaign briefing that was included in the last issue of Think Global. If not, or if you’d like extra copies, please contact Sam at the office on 020 7820 4900 or sam.lund-harket@wdm.org.uk and we can send some.

These materials explain the way in which we plan to broaden our climate and energy work around the idea of energy justice. This recognises that corporate control of energy both fails to ensure everyone has access to the energy they need and destroys communities and the planet. Instead we are calling for energy systems that are socially just and sustainable, which means taking control ourselves, whether through public ownership and management or structures like cooperatives.

We hope that the idea of energy justice will help us to reframe the climate debate with a strong social justice dimension and build a global movement that rejects corporate control of energy.

PrivatisationWe are currently working on a new campaign strand as part of the energy justice work which will expose and challenge the UK government’s support for corporate control of energy through privatisation. This will include showing how aid money has been used to support energy privatisation in countries like Nigeria, where it has led to higher electricity prices, reducing access for poor citizens.

New materials will be out in time for the relaunch.

Campaign update: Climate and energy justice

Carbon Capital: banks out of coal

The work we have been doing to expose and challenge the UK financial sector’s role in financing destructive energy projects will also be an element of the new energy justice campaign.

You may also have spotted that a number of other organisations, including Oxfam, Move Your Money and 350.org have recently started working on the issue of fossil fuel financing. It’s great that the topic is getting the critical attention it deserves, and we’re proud to have been one of the first organisations to have brought it onto the public agenda. However, it also means that we now feel it will be more useful to divert some of the resources we have been putting into this issue into the wider energy justice and privatisation work described above.

However, that doesn’t mean we’ll be abandoning this aspect of the campaign. We know that some groups have got plans to continue working on this issue, and we encourage you to continue with this and support you where we can. All the recent ‘banks out of coal’ materials we have produced are still relevant and extra copies can be ordered from the office by contacting Sam at the office on 020 7820 4900 or sam.lund-harket@wdm.org.uk.

In addition, we will continue to be involved in solidarity work on this element of the work. For example, last month we welcomed campaigners from communities in Colombia and Indonesia affected by coal mining by the world’s biggest mining company, BHP Billiton, who have come to the UK to protest outside BHP Billiton’s AGM and to tour the country to speak on these issues. Many thanks to the groups who have supported these activities.

Also, included in this Think Global is a copy of a joint briefing we have produced with allies about coal mining in Indonesia. BHP Billiton is building a series of mines in Borneo which overlap some of the world’s last pristine rainforests. Local indigenous people there rely on it for their

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“As a social movement of people across the Asia and pacific people, we support Fuel Poverty Action’s Energy Bill of Rights. Access to affordable energy that is in the hands of the people and produced without pushing the world towards climate chaos is a right for all people. This is the case wherever you are from, be that people freezing in their homes in the UK or children unable to light their schools in Bangladesh. Corporate controlled energy systems will never enable people to access their energy needs.”

We’ll be discussing with allies like Lidy more about how we can build these links going forward, but in the meantime your group can sign up to the Energy Bill of Rights (included in last month’s Think Global) and encourage other local groups (for example, Transition Town or pensioners groups) to support it. If anyone wants more individual sign on sheets to use for stall or events, please contact Sam at the office on 020 7820 4900 or sam.lund-harket@wdm.org.uk

livelihoods and consider it to be their land, to be used for hunting, fishing and small-scale rubber tapping, not mining. The company has taken some of this rainforest and given just 100 rupiah (about half a UK penny) per square metre in compensation.

We’ve joined forces with allies from Indonesia, Australia and the UK to fight this terrible project and we put a petition up online which called on BHP Billiton to pull out. We will continue to work together with our allies to support the struggle for justice for the people of Borneo.

Making the links with the UKAs part of our work to link energy justice issues in the UK and globally, at the end of October, WDM staff members attended the launch of Fuel Poverty Action’s Energy Bill of Rights in parliament. WDM energy and climate campaigner Kirsty Wright spoke about WDM’s energy justice work and shared the following statement of solidarity from Lidy Nacpil from Jubilee South Asia Pacific Movement on Debt and Development:

Relaunch update

‘Take Back Our World’ – National relaunch conference *Date for your diaries*

To mark the relaunch of our organisation as Global Justice Now there will be a national conference, ‘Take Back Our World’, on Saturday 21 February at Rich Mix in London. This promises to be an exciting day of political discussion, culture and celebration, with speakers and activists from across the globe.

New materialsAll group contacts should have received an order form for materials which will be part of their relaunch pack. We need these back by Friday 14 November at the latest, because there is then

a fairly time-consuming production process to follow, especially as we’re producing bespoke banners for each group.

Each banner will be multi-purpose, having both eyelets and sleeves down each side to allow it to be used on protests or for hanging up in meetings or when doing stalls. It will include both a local group logo (or just the overall organisational logo if you prefer) and a slogan. The default slogan is “Another world is possible”, but there are three others to choose from if you prefer, which all fit reasonably well into the space available:

• For people and planet, not profit• Stop the corporate takeover• Fighting poverty and injustice

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If you don’t state clearly that you would like another one of these, your banner will say ‘Another world is possible’.

Those groups who have joined our network but which existed prior to doing so, such as Wirral Trade Justice, and are keeping their existing name should feel free to contact the activism team about what materials we can provide you with – including potentially a banner.

Website(s) updateThere has been some delay with the launch of the new-look main website, and we’re now expecting it to happen in the second half of November. Delays like this in major projects are often to be expected, but we’re still well within the ‘buffer zone’ of having a new website before the actual relaunch.

The new social network tool (to be known as Common Ground) which we’re developing has started progressing and we’ve seen an early version. The basic structure has something in common with Facebook, which hopefully makes it something lots of people will be familiar with using – you will be able to create events; start and join groups based on geography, areas of interest or a particular action taking place; and start general discussions by posting a question or update in the newsfeed. We started developing this site in response to requests for an online discussion forum which came via the area reps forum. Hopefully Common Ground can cover this function but be of wider use for organising and drawing in new people.

We’re going to seek comments from a selection of group members at the next stage of development. Hopefully the whole thing will be ready to go live around the time of the relaunch in January.

As far as local group websites go, the first step after we switch to the new website is for each group in the network to get a static page on the main site with some basic description and contact details. This will include a prominent link to the group’s actual website. However, any groups whose website is only used for displaying contact details and maybe a few local links have the option to just have this page on the main site.

Those groups who update their own website with posts etc will continue to use it. From January, we will make two alterations. Firstly the website address will change from http://groups.wdm.org.uk/yourtown to http://groups.globaljustice.org.uk/yourtown. Secondly, the design name on the site will change.

Group bank accountsIf your group has a bank account, you will need to change the name on the account. This doesn’t need to be done until January, but it is worth getting hold of the paperwork soon so all the necessary signatories can be got hold of in good time. However, if there is some delay it’s also not a major problem.

Any standing orders going into your account will be unaffected by the name change. Banks also normally allow a changeover period where any cheques written out to the old name will still be able to be paid in.

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Campaign update: Trade justice

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) has been a hot topic in the last month.

MPs and MEPs have been discussing it. Activists have been out on the streets about it for the European Day of Action on 11 October. Even the national media is now reporting it. WDM is playing a key role in supporting and building the coalition to stop this aggressive free trade deal, as well as raising awareness among the public about the treat from TTIP.

Watch a video of MEPs protesting here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUSd1fGhuNM

Self-Organised European Citizen’s Initiative (ECI)Last month, we reported that attempts to launch a Europe-wide Citizen’s Initiative on TTIP had been rejected on technicalities. If an ECI gets more than one million signatures, it can result in a hearing on the issue at the European parliament. This would be a useful tool in the campaign to stop TTIP.

Organisations including WDM are contesting this rejection through legal channels, but at the same time we have launched a self-organised ECI. The demands are the same and we are collecting signature with addresses in the same way to give the petition as much legitimacy as possible. In less than a month, we expect to have one million signatures. This is a phenomenal achievement and shows the strength of opposition to TTIP.

If you haven’t signed it yourself, you can sign it here. Please share it with everyone you know.

www.wdm.org/ttip

How to lobby your MP and MEP on TTIP (re-scheduled) *Date for your diaries*

Convincing your MP and MEPs that TTIP is not good for the UK or the global south is crucial to the campaign to stop TTIP. We are organising a workshop in parliament between 6pm and 9pm on 1 December (NOT 10 November as previously advertised) with leading MPs from several political parties who will explain how to lobby an MP or MEP from their party on TTIP. We expect this event to be heavily oversubscribed.

Contact activism@wdm.org.uk if your group is interested in sending a representative.

TTIP materialsWe will shortly have available a handy A5 leaflet explaining TTIP. Ideal for stalls and events. We are also producing a PowerPoint talk which you can use in your group meetings or for other local meetings.

Worthing WDM stall on the TTIP day of action

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lEventslLeeds for Change presents Summat NewAs mentioned in the last Think Global, Leeds for Change is a new organisation that aims to support groups working for progressive social change, helping them work together and draw in new people. Its launch event, Summat New, is a day-long activist gatherings with a wide range of workshops and opportunities for learning and networking with other groups.

WDM is holding a workshop on TTIP, which will feature our new trade campaigner Guy Taylor, at the and the Leeds group will have a stall. We’re really hoping that groups and activists from across the north-east will be able to attend to meet, share ideas and experiences and plan future action.

Where: Leeds University Union, University Square, LS2 9JZ

When: 8 November, 9am - 10pm

See www.leedsforchange.org.uk for more info on the event and to register.

TTIP lobbying trainingSee the trade justice campaigns update for info on this event, which should provide some valuable skills, knowledge and contact with activists from other organisations such as 38 Degrees.

Where: London (venue tbc)

Building a Movement – Edinburgh skillshareAn afternoon of workshops and action planning, as local groups working on a range of campaigns across Scotland come together to meet and share their skills. For seasoned campaigners, or those just starting out, all are welcome to come along to meet like-minded folk and reinvigorate their campaigns to change the world!

Workshops will include:

• Building confidence in your campaigning • Fundraising for local groups and projects• Using local press and social media to get your

message out

Lunch will be provided and if travel costs are a barrier, please get in touch and we’ll see what we can do.

Where: City of Edinburgh Methodist Church, 25 Nicolson Square

When: Sunday 23 November, 12:30-17:00

If you are interested in attending, tickets are available through Eventbrite: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/building-a-movement-tickets-13555740585?aff=eorg.

When: 1 December, 6-9pm

lGroups updatelGroups have been very active over the past month, most notably around the European-wide TTIP day of action on 10 October, but a range of other things as well.

TTIPOften linking with supporters of 38 Degrees, WDM groups participated in over 20 actions across the country, as part of a tapestry of over 400 actions

across Europe. Groups worked to promote the European Citizen’s Initiative which, at the time of writing, has had over 750,000 signatures.

A selection of actions:Groups in Leeds and Bristol (where a new group started to form just in September) organised No TTIP tours of their cities, visiting sites relevant to the threat multi-faceted threat posed by TTIP, such

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as NHS buildings, supermarkets and town halls, given TTIP’s threat to local democracy.

• Glasgow mobilised around 70 people to take action, using street theatre to illustrate the way in which TTIP threatens greater corporate control of society, and collectged over 200 signatures for the ECI.

• In London over 1,000 people came to a rally and banner drop, as well as a bike-based action – No T-Trip – organised by North and East London.

• There were also stalls organised by other groups across the country, with hundreds of copies of the No TTIP Times given out and the ECI promoted widely.

• In London over 1,000 people came to a rally and banner drop, as well as a bike-based action – No TTrip – organised by North and East London WDM.

Reclaim Power weekNot content with mobilising en masse for TTIP, the Glasgow group also organised a bankrolling coal tour, declaring ‘climate crime’ scenes at the banks who have been financing climate change – Barclays, Lloyds and others.

Local eventsSeveral groups have been organising public meetings and talks. Birmingham Jubilee Debt Campaign (now part of the WDM network too) organised a public meeting on TTIP at which Nick Dearden spoke.

South East London organised a public meeting, ‘Halt the Corporate Power Grab’, with speakers from the GMB union and the Pan African Taskforce for International Dialogue.

Reading organised an evening of films and discussion as part of the Reading International Festival week.

Dirty coal tourSeveral groups have also supported the Dirty Coal tour, ongoing at the time of writing, organised by the London Mining Network and featuring representatives of Colombian civil society. Groups in Sheffield, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Oxford have used the events to support the bankrolling coal campaign.

Merseyside WDM’s Bankers’ Day Out action

Current materials

Food campaign materials• REPORT: Carving up a continent • BRIEFING: A new wave of colonialism• STUNT PACK: Stop the corporate takeover of African food • BOOKLET: Stop the corporate takeover of African food• BRIEFING: Questions and Answers• ACTION CARD: Stop corporations from slicing up Africa• BRIEFING: MP talking points • ACTION GUIDE: World food day

Food sovereignty• BRIEFING: Collective solutions to changing food prices.• BRIEFING: Food sovereignty• BRIEFING: Food sovereignty tricky questions• FILM PACK: Whose food? Our food! Includes discussion guide• DVD: Growing Change plus promotional leaflet• DVD: Seeds of Freedom• DVD: Best Before

Carbon Capital• ACTION CARD: Stop bankrolling coal • LEAFLET: Stop bankrolling coal • REPORT: Banking while Borneo Burns• CAMPAIGN BOOKLET: Carbon Capital• LEAFLET: Injustice in Indonesia• LEAFLET: Mapping dirty finance• FILM PACK: Carbon Capital film pack, includes WDM’s film about mining in Indonesia• ACTION PACK: Bringing the extraction back to the banks• BRIEFING: Energy justice introduction • LEAFLET: Energy Justice ‘campaign in a nutshell’ (individual and group versions) • SIGN-ON STATEMENT: Energy Bill of Rights (Fuel Poverty Action) • BRIEFING: Coalmining in Indonesia• Trade• BRIEFING: Profiting from people and the planet: How new trade deals threaten democracy,

development, public services and the environment• ACTION CARD: Stop the corporate takeover• LEAFLET: Stop the corporate takeover• BOOKLET: ‘Rough Trade’ - a collection of articles on the new trade deals published in Red Pepper• GUIDE: Building a Europe for people not profit - lobbying pack for WDM activists around the European

elections • NEWSPAPER: The #NoTTIP Times, second edition

General materials• DVD: Making Another World Possible: Talking alternatives at the World Social Forum (made by WDM)• LEAFLET: Join a local group leaflet (can be overprinted with groups’ contact details)• BOOKLET: Fighting the cuts, lessons from around the world