Since the beginning of the international climate meeting, Naomi Klein,  Canadian journalist and spokeswoman for a different world, never stopped repeating: “The real solutions are not on the agenda in the official negotiations”.  It is only when you stroll up and down the streets around the Bella Conference Centre that you run into activists who have come from all over the world to testify and speak of a different brand of local and global solutions.

 As an example I would like to quote the words of Henry Saragih, General Co-ordinator of Via Campesina, in his speech on December 7^th in Copenhagen .

• “Tonight is a very special night for those of us who have gathered for the opening of the assembly of social movements and civil society organisations here at the Klimaforum. We, the international peasant farmers’ movement Via Campesina, have come to Copenhagen from all the five corners of the world, leaving our farms, our animals, our forests and also our families in the hamlets and villages at home, to join  all of you here.

• Why is it so important for us to come all this long way? There are several reasons. First of all we want to let you know that climate change already has had serious effects on us. It has caused floods, drought and the outbreak of disease which has done great harm to our crops. I want to emphasise that it is not the farmers who have caused these problems. On the contrary, it is the polluters responsible for gas emissions which have destroyed the natural cycles. That is why we, the small agricultural producers, have come here to say that we will not pay for their mistakes. We demand that those who are the cause of these emissions face up to their responsibilities.