Occupy Vancouver, Unceded Coast Salish Territory, Vancouver, December 1, 2011 — Occupy Vancouver participants will return in force to the Vancouver Art gallery this Saturday, December 3rd at 12:00 noon to rally for systemic change that will deeply reduce carbon emissions, and to condemn Canada’s role in derailing progress in the International Climate Change negotiations.

“The slogan ‘System change not climate change’ is well known in Europe,” Says Eric Doherty of Council of Canadians Vancouver Chapter. “It’s becoming a central rallying cry in the growing global movement for climate justice, and Occupy Vancouver is stepping up the fight for real action on climate change by introducing this concept to BC.”

World leaders are currently meeting in Durban, South Africa to address the threat of global warming and the associated impacts of drought, flooding and extreme weather, but the CBC reported on Monday that Canada may already be preparing to abandon international agreements on climate change.

The report suggest that while Canada has been meeting with world leaders for the past six years and committing to work out a binding agreement for the second phase of the Kyoto Protocol, the Canadian government had no intention of honouring the agreement and had, in fact, planned to abandon it shortly after the UN climate change summit in Durban.

Under the Harper Government, Canada has become one of the primary obstacles to progress on Climate Change being negotiated at the international level; Canada has won the Colossal Fossil of the Year Award three years straight (an award recognizing the country that does the most to sabotage UN climate negotiations.)

“Experts such as David Suzuki and Bill McKibben have already spoken to Occupy Vancouver about the need for deep systemic change, including the need to question the endless growth in consumption and production that is driving up carbon emissions,” says Sarah Beuhler of Occupy Vancouver. “The rally on Saturday will once again bring this important issue to the forefront with talks from prominent climate change experts.”

System Change Not Climate Change speakers will include:
Tria Donaldson (wilderness Committee)
Rex Weyler (Writer and Greenpeace International Co-founder)
Matt Horne (Pembina)
George Heyman (Sierra Club)
Eric Doherty (Council of Canadians, Vancouver Chapter)


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If you would like more information or would like to schedule an interview, please contact: Occupy Vancouver Communications Committee communications@occupyvancouver.com