Activists Surprise Dam Lobbyists at Barcelona Climate Talks
Activists from corporate and climate watch groups, including our climate scientist Payal Parekh, "greeted" officials from the International Hydropower Association (IHA) at an official dinner hosted by IHA to, as the protestors claim, lobby climate negotiators.
According to Olivier Hoedeman from lobbying watchdog Corporate Europe Observatory, "From Washington DC to Ottawa, Brussels to Tokyo, the most influential governments in the climate negotiations are facing an unprecedented corporate lobbying offensive, aiming to weaken greenhouse gas reduction targets."
Among these are dam companies, represented by corporate lobbyists such as IHA, that are receiving billions of dollars through the offseting scheme, the Clean Development Mechanism, at the expense of dam-affected communities and our climate.
At the dinner, IHA officials were met by fiery local protestors -- drumming with pots and pans, chanting "Our climate is not for sale - No dams, no lobbies," and carrying signs like "Lobbying with Our Future."
Click here to read the translation of the Press Release sent out about the action.
