Conflict, Pollution, and Climate Challenges for War-Torn Syria
Publisher: Heinrich Böll Stiftung
Author(s): Wim Zwijnenburg
Date: 2016
Topics: Climate Change, Governance, Programming, Weapons, Waste, and Pollution
Countries: Syrian Arab Republic
The Middle Eastern and Northern African (MENA) region, faced with tumultuous changes in the last five years, shows a picture of shrinking spaces for civil society activism. In contrast, ecological activism is growing and connecting the fight for climate justice to other demands for community and indigenous rights, gender equality, democracy and transparency. In recent negotiations based on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), international geopolitical power dynamics have been reproduced and economic lobby groups, although formally belonging to the group of civil society observers, have commanded a great deal of power. The influence of the rest of civil society on the negotiators has depended greatly on their ability to make themselves heard. This has been attempted by joining large coalitions, holding side events, exhibitions, mobilizations or whenever possible securing an invitation to join the official delegations of their governments.