Code Red in the Amsterdam harbour. This time not because of the hot weather but because of the presence of a large coal terminal. Because of this Amsterdam is still contributing excessively to the emission of greenhouse gasses. To stop this around 350 activists entered the plant and occupied the marshalling yard and four huge cranes. Also people from ASEED joined and below you can find a short report. Because climate change is not stopped yet we have listed some more action camps, bike tours and other activities so you can spend you summer in a meaningful way. We wish you a lot of action pleasure!
In September some new EVS-ers (European exchange volunteers) will start a project at ASEED. This will result in some extra liveliness in the office with probably as result that you will more often hear something from us. The coming two month will be mainly used for overdue paperwork and planning new events for Reclaim the Seeds and the Monsanto Tribunal. You will hear from us!
— Reports —
A Note from the Food Autonomy Festival
On May 6, ASEED organised the Food Autonomy Festival (FAF) in Bajesdorp in Amsterdam. With this festival we wanted to increase the attention for the many existing ways to improve the current large scale and polluting food system. The direct reason to organise this event was the publication of a new brochure about climate change and agriculture. The industrial meat and dairy production are especially problematic and it was discussed during the FAF. We showed that there are many alternatives possible and that we can do without this industry and its products. There was also time to focus on protests against large infrastructural projects, seed swapping, food waste,off-grid urban farming and much more! Together with some good food and music, this resulted in a successful day.
Find here a longer report: https://aseed.net/a-note-from-the-food-autonomy-festival-faf
Monsanto’s impact on basic human rights
After several months of work following the hearings of witnesses and experts (The Hague, Oct. 2016), the five judges of the Monsanto Tribunal have delivered their conclusions in a 60-pages legal advisory opinion. What did they conclude?
In a nutshell, they stated that Monsanto’s activities have a negative impact on basic human rights. Besides, better regulations are needed to protect the victims of multinational corporations. Eventually, international law should be improved for better protection of the environment and include the crime of ecocide (the links to advisory opinion in several languages are at the end of this article). Unlike other civil society initiatives, the results of the Monsanto Tribunal are based on legal consideration and grounded in international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
Continue reading on https://aseed.net/en-monsantos-impact-on-basic-human-rights
Code Rood
The Coal Bulk Terminal in the Amsterdam harbour (OBA), the harbour company and the municipality of Amsterdam are still allowing that over 15% of the Dutch greenhouse gas emissions are caused by Amsterdam coal. Those companies and institutions are for this reason co-responsible for the consequences of of climate change, including many victims. It is clear that something has to change very soon. For this reason Code Rood occupied on June 24 with around 350 people the coal harbour in Amsterdam. Four huge cranes have been taken over and the marshalling yard has been blocked. All work has been stopped that day (and probably the full weekend). At the end of the day the largest part of the protesters left the terrain without any problems. This mass civil-disobedience action against fossil fuels was a big success!
Have a look at a gallery with pictures made by somebody from ASEED: https://aseed.net/portfolio/code-rood-bij-de-amsterdamse-kolenoverslag/
— Announcements —
Cycle Ende Gelände 2017
From August 16 till 22 activists will be cycling from London via Hoek van Holland to the climate camp in the Rhineland to take international action against climate injustice!
This summer, people from all over Europe will be heading to the Climate Camp to join the Ende Gelände actions of mass civil disobedience and shut down the lignite coal mines in the Rhineland, in western Germany. We invite you to join us making that journey by bike. In a community spirit, sharing our stories, visiting inspiring projects, organising workshops, having fun and building a movement for climate justice!
Continue reading: https://aseed.net/en/cycle-ende-gelande-2017
Climate action camps, bike tours and other social and sustainable activties for the summer
Climate Camps are the core of the climate movement in Europe. They are places where people gather to get to know people and to expand their network, to educate each other, the plan and prepare actions and campaigns and practise with alternatives. Trainings, discussions, workshops, music and other entertaining activities take place during camps. In an action camp participants take everything in their own hands, from doing the dishes to overthrowing the system. Many camps use the message of the red line: until here and no further – it’s up to us to mark the end of destruction!
Find an overview of summer action camps here: https://aseed.net/en/climate-camps-summer-2017
— Other relevant updates —
The European Patent Office forbids patents on plants (but not really)
The European Patent Office had a meeting on June 29 about patenting plants and animals. This is part of a process that is already going on for almost a year. ASEED has often written about this process and the need to stop patenting plants, plant material and animals in the EU. And the result of the meeting depends on who you ask. For example the headers of the press release from the network No Patents on Seeds are very critical: “Still no solution regarding patents on plants and animals – Despite strengthening of prohibitions: Patents on conventional breeding still not ended in Europe”.
Continue reading: https://aseed.net/en/the-european-patent-office-forbids-patents-on-plants-but-not-really
Update 15th Garden
Since the Reclaim the Seeds festival last March (2017) ASEED is in good contact with The 15th Garden, a network for Food Sovereignty in Syria containing urban gardens in besieged cities and neighbourhoods and in refugee camps. Several groups in Europe are trying to support this network. In the Netherlands, we are also trying to set up a support group. Time for an update about bread, seeds and bombs.
Continue reading: https://aseed.net/en/update-15th-garden-and-syria
— Good reads —
A good way for you to enjoy summer is laying down on the grass while eating cherry tomatoes (ideally self produced with seeds from the Reclaim the Seeds seed swap) and having a good time reading, ASEED has also something for you. Two members of the team did some solid research and recently published articles with a global perspective and a critical eye. One answers the question ‘How Industrial Livestock Production is Causing Climate Change and how to Organise Against it‘?. The second looks critical into ‘saving’ the rainforest by putting a price on nature: ‘Rainforest Conservation and Natural Capital: Putting a Price on Life with the Complicity of “Progressives”‘.
— Support ASEED —
To be able to continue our work we are also dependent on support from our network. Here you can find out how to donate: https://aseed.net/en/donate/. But also some not too old computers to make us work faster and more reliable.
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