Co-creating a Deal for Climate & Social Justice in Spain inspired by the Green New Deal (itd-UPM, Madrid, 4-5 April 2019)

Participating organizations and groups: SIC4Change, itd–UPM (Innovation and Technology for Development Center – Polytechnic University of Madrid), Youth For Climate Spain (Y4C) / Fridays for Future Madrid (FFFM), Comisión 8M Madrid (coordination group of Madrid’s feminist strike on March 8) and Feminismos Ingobernables, I Vote for Climate, Extinction Rebellion, Climate Reality Spain

International participants: Sunrise Movement and New Consensus

Dates: April 4-5, 2019

Venue: Itd – Polytechnic University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain

More info and registration:
http://pactoclimayjusticia.org/eng/

Context and leitmotiv

In Spain, the multi-electoral period (general elections on April 28, municipal, regional and European on May 26) in which we are immersed, is a phenomenal opportunity to bring to the forefront of the social and political debate the most important issues such as the climate & inequalities crises, as well as the fast and just socio-economic transition needed to address them effectively. In our country, after the 15M cycle (Spanish Revolution of May 15, 2011), the most transformative and transversal movement today is feminism, with high participation and empowerment of young women, and with remarkable social impact, especially thanks to the lever of the strike for gender equality, shared care, and responsible consumption taking place on March 8th (8M). Likewise, young organic movements such as “Youth for Climate” (Y4C)  are emerging around the issue of intergenerational climate justice, propelled by the current wave of “school strikes for the climate” or “Fridays For Future” (FFF), which are rapidly expanding across the entire planet, converging towards a massive global climate strike on March 15.

In the US, in addition to the feminist movement (#MeToo, Women’s March) and “Fridays for Future” in full expansion as well, another youth-led movement is taking the next step: the “Sunrise Movement”. Thanks in part to its courageous leadership, a large political space has been generated, paving the way for an extensive and honest conversation about the solutions to this civilizational crisis. In other words, they have managed to begin this proactive phase prior to the actual action on the ground, first in the form of legislation and then implementation in the field. We are talking about the “Green New Deal“, recently presented as a resolution by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Ed Markey, and which is reaching tremendous relevance in the current social and political debate in the country, and becoming a litmus test for candidates for the 2020 presidential elections. To date, it constitutes one of the most ambitious calls to action launched at this level, proposing an unprecedented social mobilization for a deep and rapid transformation of the economy, in line with the most advanced climate science, and social justice to reverse the growing inequalities. The “GND” has been co-created by a diversity of groups and organizations, including a pioneering think tank on the subject: New Consensus. The main purpose of these panels are therefore to build bridges for mutual inspiration, cross-pollination and cooperation between actors and movements of both countries, in order to take advantage of this historic opportunity and finally rise to the challenge of the climate & inequalities crises.

Objectives

1. To strengthen the collective leadership of young people and women within a global movement for climate, intergenerational and feminist justice.
2. To animate the social and political debate in Spain on the urgency and magnitude of the climate emergency, as well as the scale and ambition of the necessary solutions at both the political and economic level; as seen from the window of opportunity of the current multiple electoral process in Spain, all through an open and inclusive conversation.
3. To shape the ideal standard (“benchmark”) for public policies to catalyze the socio-economic transformation required by science and social justice, and assess to that end the US Green New Deal.
4. To boost international cooperation for the common good, according to goal N of the GND itself: “(N)  promoting the international exchange of technology,  expertise, products, funding, and services, […] and to   help other countries achieve a Green New Deal”
5. To generate a work process, perhaps through an ad hoc platform, that crystallizes the debate into concrete proposals and documents, as the basis for mobilizing public policies in the mid term, within the framework of a broad Deal for Climate and Social Justice, inspired by the Green New Deal, and that jointly materializes all the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with special attention to #5 (gender equality), #8 (decent work), #10 (reduction of inequalities), #11 (sustainable cities and communities), #13 (climate action) and #17 (partnerships).

Format, contents and participants

Panel with open debate. Facilitation by SIC4Change.

Day 1 – The drive of social movements (Thursday April 4, 12:30 pm – 2:40 pm EST)

• Context and introduction: UPM, SIC4Change
• Sunrise Movement & Green New Deal in the US: Sunrise Movement (via Skype)
• Social movements and economic transformation in Spain:
  • The SDGs framework: UPM
  • Climate leadership: Climate Reality Spain
  • The climate emergency: Extinction Rebellion
  • The feminist struggle: Comisión 8M Madrid and Feminismos Ingobernables
  • The rise of the Youth for the Climate: Y4C & FFF, I Vote for Climate
• Open debate and wrap-up

Day 2 – Science, social justice and international cooperation (Friday April 5, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm EST)

• Recap of Day 1, link with and introduction to Day 2: UPM, SIC4Change
• Design and architecture of the US Green New Deal: New Consensus (via Skype)
• Ingredients, actors and process towards a Deal for Climate & Social Justice in Spain:
  • Climate science: UPM
  • International cooperation: Climate Reality Spain
  • Social justice: Comisión 8M Madrid and Feminismos Ingobernables, Y4C &FFF, Extinction Rebellion
• Open debate
• Conclusions and next steps: creation of an ad hoc platform for the follow-up co-creation process