About this project

Hey Folks!

Wondering what sort of debauchery is going down at the international climate talks? Got a craving for some juicy climate policy gossip?  Haven't gotten enough news about street protests, massive debt, and suspect financial institutions?

ooh boy...well, step right up.

We are...

The GEAR Youth Media Project is heading to Durban, South Africa for the 2012 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference. Reporting live from the negotiations, we'll be bringing comprehensive coverage and commentary straight to your desktop.

We are a media collective called the Global Economic Accountability Research (GEAR) Youth Media Project (http://gearsofchange.org/). From the streets to the plenary hall, we employ emerging multimedia technologies to bring you the most up-to-date information on new trends in global ecological finance and policy.

GEAR believes that current proposals for a ‘green capitalism’ represent neocolonialism, the commodification of nature, and the corporate take-over of the environmental debate. Instead, we advocate for a rights-based approach to current environmental concerns, which recognizes and builds from human rights, community/indigenous peoples' rights, and the rights of nature.

Our focus in Durban...

• Politics of the Green Climate Fund(GCF):                                                          We'll be covering the continued development of the Green Climate Fund (GCF)- a multilateral financial institution spawned last year in Cancun, and charged with equitably distributing tens of billions of dollars of finance for climate change mitigation and adaptation.  Specifically, we'll be following the World Bank in its bid to be the long-term trustee of the fund, as well as investigating the proposed role of private-sector finance within the GCF.

• World Bank and Carbon Trading:                                                                      We'll be compiling research on the World Bank's role as one of the primary catalysts for the development of environmental market schemes, and standing with social movements and civil society groups in asserting that carbon trading, offset schemes, and market mechanisms such as REDD+ are false solutions to the climate crisis. 
  

• Climate Debt and the Movement for Climate Justice:                                   We are seeking to amplify global voices calling for an acknowledgement of a climate 'debt' owed by rich countries to the countries in the Global South who are being hit hardest by the effects of the climate crisis, despite having contributed the least to its causes.  Lastly, we see ourselves as one piece of a growing movement to address the root, systemic causes of the climate crisis- what is being called a global mobilization for climate justice.

We're already on our way towards meeting our goal to raise $5,000...

We've already bought plane tickets to Durban....on credit. So, in the spirit of big bail-outs, we're asking for a little financial assistance.

But we'll need your help in getting there.  Your contribution will be helping to cover airfare to/from South Africa, as well as transportation, food and housing in Durban.  In addition, we'll be may divert some of these donations towards helping to cover the costs of additional audio and video recording equipment for the GEAR team (such as hand-held Flip video cameras!!), as well as extra bandwidth for the website.

Our Big Rewards...

With a wink and a smile, we're offering an exciting array of rewards for your donations as part of our "Climate Activist Offset Fund."  We've been inspired by websites and businesses which offer consumers the opportunity to "offset" their carbon emissions by contributing money to finance a "carbon reduction" project (such as erecting wind turbines, or planting trees in a developing country).  And so, while much of our research and reporting will be taking a critical eye at the politics of carbon offsets and the market schemes they are a part of, we would like to launch (in jest) a "carbon offset" reward package as a thank you for donations.

Concerned about your ecological footprint and want to get the most bang for your buck in a 'carbon offset' investment?  With our "Climate Activist Offset Fund," you'll be investing directly into a group of spirited young folks eager to offset any eco-woes by leveraging their weight towards achieving a fair, ambitious, and binding global climate treaty in Durban, as well as by bringing news and commentary back from the frontlines of the global climate process and straight to your desktop.

All it takes is hitting the donate button...

And with your donation, you'll be getting back more than just the peace of mind knowing that your money is 'doing well' in the world.  From hand-written notes to on-the-ground photo collections, you'll feel like you're along for the ride with the GEAR team in South Africa!