While EYFA has focused a lot of its projects on climate justice throughout its history 2009 has seen climate change as one of the main priorities for our network. Because of this we share below a mini-update on EYFA's own plans during the COP15 in Copenhagen. This will be followed up in November with further details on the wider mobilisation and practical details for all those planning to travel to Denmark in December to take part in the actions/demonstrations.

On the 6th December, 2009 the governments of the world will come to Copenhagen for the 15th UN Climate Conference (COP-15). This will be the biggest summit on climate change ever to have taken place. But the UN climate talks will not solve the climate crisis. We are no closer to reducing greenhouse gas emissions than we were when international negotiations began 15 years ago: emissions are rising faster than ever, while carbon trading allows climate criminals to pollute and profit. The talks are legitimising a new colonialism that carves up the world’s remaining resources. Faced with the profound crisis of our civilisation, all we get is a political circus playing to the interests of corporations.

In response to this madness, global grassroots movements are mobilising against the COP15 summit, linking social struggles and climate activism based on an anti-capitalist analysis. The aim is to mobilise tens of thousands of people across the world to take action during the summit. As part of this mobilisation, EYFA is coordinating a project which will support young activists from across Europe - with a focus on Eastern Europe and the Balkans - to come to Copenhagen and take part in our event and in the wider mobilisation.

EYFA is preparing an international exchange between the 9th and 18th of December. Within the framework of the project people can decide themselves to take part in the variety of actions that are planned throughout the COP15, as well as attending the alternative 'civil society' forum with many workshops and presentations.

For more information about participating in the project please email cop15 AT eyfa DOT org. EYFA is also part of the visa support group for the greater COP15 mobilisation so please get in touch with us if you need any further information on that.

CJA is a new global network of people and groups committed to take the urgent actions needed to avoid catastrophic climate change. Since September 2008 EYFA has been part of this network. The full list of groups is accessible here: http://www.climate-justice-action.org/about/organizations/

The network is open to individuals and groups that agree with the Network Goals, Principles for Working Together and Call to Action.

The CJA network goals are:

• To promote and strengthen the rights and voices of indigenous and affected peoples (including workers) in confronting the climate crisis. To support reparations and the repayment of ecological debt to the Global South by industrialised rich countries

• To build a global movement for climate justice that encourages urgent action to avoid catastrophic climate change.

• To highlight the critical role of biodiversity in weathering the climate crisis, and to defend the existence of all species.

• To expose the roles of false and market-based climate “solutions” as well as corporate domination of climate negotiations in worsening the climate crisis.

• To advance alternatives that can provide real and just solutions to the climate crisis.

• To both sharpen our understanding of, and to address, the root social, ecological, political and economic causes of the climate crisis toward a total systemic transformation of our society.

The agreed principles for working together are:

UnityWe are stronger together. We will use our common platform to coordinate our efforts and work together whilst recognising our diversity. We are an international movement and will practice solidarity.RespectThe network is made up of groups with diverse opinions and tactics. We will respect this diversity. No members of the network will use the network to criticise or disassociate themselves from other members of the network.TrustThe network will only make public statements that have been agreed by the network. Members for the network will not use the actions of other members to further their own aims withmobilout previous agreement.

Further information is available here : http://www.climate-justice-action.org/

Klimaforum09 is the global civil society alternative to the official UN conference in the Bella Center. It is organized by a broad coalition of Danish and international environmental movements and civil society organizations. The idea behind Klimaforum09 is to create an open space, where people, movements and organisations can develop constructive solutions to the climate crisis.

It is open and free to all between the 7th and 18th of December. The program will feature international guest speakers, over 150 open debates, 60 exhibitions, music, film and art. The full program is accessible here: http://www.klimaforum09.org/All-events

Klimaforum09 takes place in DGI-byen, a huge conference complex in the centre of Copenhagen just 50 metres from the central station. For further details and practical information visit: http://www.klimaforum09.org/?lang=en