As the international conference on climate change policies kicks off in Copenhagen today, it's interesting to note that among the  representatives from 192 countries meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark at The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 15), are at least 10 Oaklanders. Although the focus of the sessions is global--to gain concensus to determine  whether—and how—the world will take action to avoid climate change over the next half century, specifically by reducing the greenhouses  releasing into the atmosphere--there are a number of Oakland and East Bay environmental justice organizers attending the conference.

Among the groups--and individuals--heading to Copenhagen from our area are the following:


Jacqueline Patterson, a leader of the “New Voices on Climate Change” Global Justice Ecology Project Delegation, which she says grew out of WOCU’s participation in a Movement Generation Ecology Justice Retreat and its partnership with the Women's Environment and Development Organization on the From Katrina to Copenhagen Initiative.


Ellen Choy, lead organizer for the West Coast Mobilization for Climate Justice and Youth Engagement Coordinator for the Environmental Service Learning Initiative (ESLI), Choy heads to Copenhagen as the Adult Leader of the ESLI Youth Delegation to Copenhagen.

Jihan Gearon, Native Energy Organizer with the Indigenous Environmental Network,  Gearon serves on the Steering Committee of the Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative and the Coordinating Committee of the Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, and says that she works to build the capacity of communities throughout the U.S. and Canada who are impacted by energy development and climate change.

Nia Robinson, Director, Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative, and
Kari Fulton, Check the Weather:  Robinson, founder of the EJCC, and Fulton, climate change youth activist and consultant, are DC/Oakland-based leaders in the people of color Climate Change movement  and have coordinated much campus outreach.

Gopal Dayaneni, Movement Generation Justice and Ecology Project, International Accountability Project, Ruckus Society and Progressive Communicators Network.   Dayaneni says that he will speak in Copenhagen on the disproportionate impacts of climate disruption on communities in the US, the failure of the United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change, the importance of social movements, the role of the U.S. in promoting false solutions, and the intersections between climate, war, and corporate globalization. Dayaneni is leading a delegation that includes:

• Alicia Garza, Co-executive director, POWER (People Organized to Win Employment Rights),
• Mari Rose Taruc, State Organizing Director, APEN
• Kalila Barnett, Executive Director, Alliance for Climate Education
• José Bravo, Just Transition Alliance (GGJ);
• Diana Pei-Wu, Associate,  Movement Strategy Center

Mark Schapiro, Editorial Director, Center for Investigative Reporting. Focusing on climate change and cap and trade issues, Schapiro will be blogging from the conference.

Oakland Local will be tracking news and reporting from Bay area Copenhagen participants; stay turned for more updates.