PDF on the Frontlines in Paris Published on December 2, 2015

Two Peace Development Fund representatives, Teresa Juarez, president of PDF’s Board of Directors, and Lori Goodman, Board member, are currently in Paris for the 2015 United Nations Climate Change conference (COP21). They are both long-time environmental justice activists in New Mexico, Colorado and the Navajo region. Below is a brief report from Lori Goodman on November 30, just as COP21 began.

“We all arrived safe and sound in Paris on Saturday and spent yesterday to get acclimated to the time difference. Today was the first day of the COP21 conference that was limited to governments and head of states. Non Governmental Organizations were turned away today and we were told to come back tomorrow.

“Of course, nobody told us this, so most of us took the train out to Le Bouget only to be turned away. We didn’t know if it was because 150 World Dignitaries were there today or maybe it was because of the protest yesterday where over 200 protestors were arrested? It is hard for those of us not speaking French because we were given different information by the conference staff that we approached. The World Leaders most tied up traffic and had lots of security following them.

“We’ll be going back out tomorrow as we were told that the conference will be open to NGOs after 10:00 am. We did connect with some great people from the states. One was Eric Mann who has written the book, Katrina’s Legacy. It turned out Mildred McClain from Harambee House (a PDF grantee) was instrumental in assisting him with information and contact for the writing of his book. Mr. Mann is also writing Daily Blogs from the conference site for Huffington Post.”