At the end of summer European Grandparents for Climate member organizations sent an update of their organizations and activities.
Finland
The Finnish Climate Grandparents are back on the steps on the House of Parliament for their Friday demonstrations
Summer 2024 (including May and September) was the hottest in Finland in the measurement history. There were more than 70 hot days (over 25 degrees C), while the previous average for the years 1991 – 2022 is 36. Almost doubled!
The Climate change begins to show here too.So here we are on the steps of our parliament reminding MPs to take climate action and pass laws for a better climate and future.
And since the majority of Finns are more or less worried about climate change, we remind them:
Don’t give up, there is still hope!
And for information: the current and most probably also the new EU Commissioner for Climate Mr. Wobke Hoekstra visited Finland on June 13. You can see here a TikTok video of his answer to our question during that visit.
Belgium
The Grands Parents pour le Climat in the French speaking part of Belgium let us know that they will be joining the Global Climate Strike in Brussels (and other cities) on 20th September, organized by youth4climate and Rise for Climate.
Also, at their General Assembly Meeting (GAM) on 15th June members of GPC (Grands Parents pour le Climat) in Belgium elected a new board of 11 members. Thérèse Snoy left the board and all members at the GAM congratulated her for her remarkable commitment during all the years she was President of GPC. The board elected Martine Van Dooren as the new President of GPC. Martine and Thérèse, along with Graham Keen, will continue to be members of EGC.
The Grootouders voor het Klimaat in the Dutch speaking part will also join the Global Climate Strike. Furthermore, they are concentrating on the upcoming local elections of October 13 with many regional and local actions.
And it doesn’t end there. On September 22 they will participate in the Parade van het Groot Verzet (Parade of the Great Resistance) organized by an alliance of Climate organizations, trade unions and civil society organizations. And on October 5 the Grandparents will organize a big event in Antwerp.
Switzerland
Our Swiss member Grands-Parents pour Climat/Klima-Grosseltern sent an overview of their state of play:
On the 2nd of November 2024 we will celebrate our 10th anniversary in Fribourg!
We have 7 local groups in German speaking Switzerland and 8 groups in the French speaking part of the country. They are working in their communities, cities and cantons on all levels. Together we are more or less 2500 members. The whole structure of the organization and its strategy will be reviewed at the beginning of 2025. All groups organized actions at Overshoot Day in the last two years and this will also be the case in May 2025. Currently we are preparing a climate policy project, probably about nutrition, “Cooking for Climate”. We closely co-operate with other organizations such as Klima Schutz Schweiz, Allianz für das Klima Switzerland, Greenpeace and Fridays for future. We participate in their demonstrations here in Berne with our banners. See also our website
On a policy level there is good and bad news from Switzerland. We had a positive vote in June on a citizen initiative about getting Switzerland CO2 neutral by 2050. But since our parliament is dominated by right wing parties, it is trying to delay and dilute the transposition of the initiative into law.
And very important is the current discussion about nuclear power plants. In 2017, the Swiss population voted against all new nuclear power plants. But Mr Rösti, the Minister of Energy and Environment pushes to change the law in order to build new plants. He is from the right-wing party SVP/UDC, the biggest party in Switzerland. With his initiative he is also blocking renewable energy activities.
Norway
Limits to growth – encouraging an important debate in Norway
The Norwegian Grandparents Climate Campaign, GCC, has just published a report called Vekstens pris, which in English would be The price we pay for growth.
The report, a compilation of more than 16 scholarly contributions was launched during Norway’s annual democracy week in the coastal town of Arendal. Arendalsuka as it is called, is the largest political event in Norway, held annually since 2012. The event’s mission is clear: strengthen the belief in political empowerment and democracy through open debate and involvement. The Norwegian Grandparents Climate Campaign has for several years been a visible participant with a permanent stand during the week, and we partake in various debates.
And each year we publish a new report. This time around we wanted to address the fact that the earth sets limits to growth. But growth just goes on and on, and we are overstretching nature’s own capacity, as many UN reports show us.
How can we restart this important debate about our economic system?
Today, everyone is in favour of a “circular economy”, where most resources can be reused. But is it enough? The “doughnut economy” shows us the connection between ecology, economy and the social dimension. Ecological economics has reduced resource use as a guideline. Common to both directions is the need for a fair distribution of limited resources, a goal that we endorse. Our report has already generated a lively debate internally in our organization, and we hope to follow up in local papers, via local meetings and directly with members of the parliament.
The Netherlands
The Dutch Grootouders voor het Klimaat held their 134st public square meeting which they organize every two weeks. They now handed over the Future Chair to Ms. Ingrid Thijssen, chairperson of the major employers union VNO-NCW.
Breaking News: The Hague has become the first city in the world to pass a law banning advertisements promoting fossil fuel products and climate-busting services. Legislation passed on Thursday 12 September spells the end of publicly and privately funded advertising for petrol and diesel, aviation and cruise ships in the streets of the Dutch city, including on billboards and bus shelters. It takes effect from the start of next year. The decision follows a call by the UN chief, António Guterres, earlier this year for governments and media to enact such bans, as they have done with tobacco.
Sweden
We, Gretas Oldies in Sweden (founded in 2019), have arranged one big march to the Houses of Parliament in Stockholm (11 September) in grievance of the decision concerning the climate made by the Government. They are leading us the wrong way.
This Autumn we are having several local actions to get in touch with people locally and raise the awareness through regular discussion meetings. We do also co-operate with other organizations, with schools and shop owners to “think globally and act locally” on food waste, transport, buying clothes…
Might we also proudly add, that our organisation “Gretas Gamlingar” was awarded a very prestigious prize from the City Council of Solna – “the 2024 Environment Prize for Great achievement in raising the awareness on the climate issues”. We are organized in 14 local networks all over Sweden, each one acting on its own initiative. Every Friday you will find us outdoors in a square or outside a supermarket, singing, distributing flyers and having talks with individuals – come rain or sunshine (and in our case soon snow). Twice a year we have national meetings to give our groups input and exchange ideas.