‘A global call for a sustainable world society – before it’s too late’

Socialist International 

‘‘A global call for a sustainable world society – before it’s too late’

Despite the efforts of the United Nations and many governments, international organizations and civil society movements against climate change, recent data prove that if we don’t intensify our action it will be too late. 

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), at its most recent meeting, stated that there is only a dozen years for global warming to be kept to a maximum of 1.5C, beyond which even half a degree will significantly worsen the risks of drought, floods, extreme heat and poverty for hundreds of millions of people. Urgent and unprecedented changes are needed to reach the target, which is affordable and feasible. 

On the eve of the forthcoming COP24, which opens at the beginning of December, we, leaders of the largest global progressive political family, the Socialist International, are launching an appeal to increase multilateral cooperation on this crucial challenge for humankind, and to deploy more intensive action at all levels. 

The Socialist International has for years been active in identifying the multi-faceted dimension of the fight against climate change. Through the work of its 'Commission for a Sustainable World Society' the SI has also outlined needed policies, such as a global tax on CO2 (and other greenhouse gases). 

We are committed and active in bringing about a revolution in thinking, policies and lifestyles, to address these new challenges. Creating a new paradigm in how we act, how we produce, and how we consume. This mind-shift requires the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to become part of our basic education curriculum, professional training and R&D, as well as our policy decisions. 

It is crucial the SDGs be implemented if we are to fight poverty and illiteracy, secure peace, protect human rights, manage population movements, and guarantee just, sustainable societies for generations to come.

Key to the success of this sea-change is social justice, equality and a healthy, cohesive, participative society which respects the dignity of all. 

We deplore conservative and populist circles around the world who systematically undermine the efforts to combat climate change. Their motives coincide with the powerful oil and gas industries that vehemently lobby against any regulation that might undercut their profits while protecting the environment. We call on all to oppose conscious efforts to distort scientific facts and minimize the catastrophic risks of global warming.

The Sustainable Development Goals are a cornerstone for a wider Global Social Contract. A Social Contract that can unite our planet’s governments and peoples at a time of heightened discord, through common goals that promote responsible cooperation and regulation.  

The social impacts of Climate change are associated with a great number of risks, amongst them, financial risks which need to be assessed in future investment. 

Social partners, civil society and citizens need to rise to the challenge of social responsibility, integrating the efforts for low carbon societies into their daily lives. 

We call on social partners and civil society to unite in our common efforts to implement the SDGs.

We are committed to be front runners in the fight for a more humane, sustainable planet! 

30 November 2018

 

Signatories  
(In alphabetical order)

 
H.E. Mahmoud Abbas President of Palestine, Chairman of Fatah

Hon. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, Ghana

Araz Alizade Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Azerbaijan, SDPA

Isabel Allende Vice-President of the SI, Senator, Socialist Party, PS, Chile

Almazbek Atambaev Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan, SDPK

Colette Avital Vice-President of the SI, Meretz, Israel

Luis Ayala Secretary General of the Socialist International

Omar Barboza President of the National Assembly, President of A New Era, UNT, Venezuela

Sükhbaatar Batbold Vice-President of the SI, former Prime Minister of Mongolia, Mongolian People’s Party, MPP

Mustafa Barghouti Leader of the Palestinian National Initiative, PNI

Mohamed Bazoum President of the Party for Democracy and Socialism of Niger, PNDS-Tarayya

Mustafa Ben Jaafar Honorary President of the SI, Ettakatol, Tunisia

Victor Benoit President of the Social Democrat Assembly for the Progress of Haiti, Rasanbleman, Vice-President of the SI

Davor Bernardić President of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Croatia

Rubén Berríos President of the Puerto Rican Independence Party, PIP, Puerto Rico, Honorary President of the SI

Jorge Bom Jesus President of the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe/Social Democratic Party, MLSTP/PSD

Yury Buzdugan Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Ukraine, SDPU

Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas Honorary President of the SI, Mexico

Carlos César President of the Socialist Party, PS, Portugal, Vice-President of the SI

Ousainou Darboe Leader of the United Democratic Party, UDP, Vice-President of The Gambia

Ahmed Ould Daddah President of the Assembly of Democratic Forces, RFD, Mauritania, Vice-President of the SI

Sher Bahadur Deuba President of the Nepali Congress Party, former Prime Minister of Nepal

Elio Di Rupo President of the Socialist Party, PS, Belgium, Vice-President of the SI, former Prime Minister

Ousmane Tanor Dieng Secretary General of the Socialist Party, PS, Senegal, Vice-President of the SI

Samuel Doria Medina President of the National Unity Party, Bolivia

Mohamed Hadj Djilani First Secretary of the Socialist Forces Front, FFS, Algeria

Colum Eastwood Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, SDLP, Northern Ireland

Álvaro Elizalde President of the Socialist Party, PS, Chile

Turfan Erhürman Leader of the Republican Turkish Party, CTP, Cyprus

Andres Esono Ondo Secretary General of the Convergence for Social Democracy, CPDS, Equatorial Guinea

Elsa Espinoza Vice-President of the SI, Institutional Revolutionary Party, PRI, Mexico

Khelil Ezzaouia President of ETTAKATOL, Tunisia

Olivier Faure First Secretary of the Socialist Party, PS, France

Robert Fico Leader of the Social Democracy Party, SMER, Former Prime Minister of Slovakia

Rafael Filizzola Leader of the Progressive Democratic Party, PDP, Paraguay 

Mizuho Fukushima Vice-President of the SI, Social Democratic Party, SDP, Japan

Fofi Gennimata President of the Movement for Change, Greece

Gerardo Giovagnoli Secretary of the Party of Socialists and Democrats, PSD, San Marino

Pedro Miguel González Secretary General of the Democratic Revolutionary Party, PRD, Panama

Ouafa Hajji President of the Socialist International Women

Tarja Halonen Honorary President of the SI, Former President of Finland

Eero Heinäluoma Vice-President of the SI, Finnish Social Democratic Party, SDP, Finland

Janira Hopffer Almada Leader of the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde, PAICV, Vice-President of the SI

Brendan Howlin Leader of the Labour Party, Ireland

Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana Vice-President of the SI, SWAPO Party, Namibia

Bernal Jiménez Vice-President of the SI, National Liberation Party, PLN, Costa Rica

Walid Jumblatt Leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, PSP, Lebanon

H.E. Roch Marc Christian Kaboré President of Burkina Faso, Leader of the People’s Movement for Progress, MPP

Chantal Kambiwa Vice-President of the SI, Social Democratic Front, SDF, Cameroon

H.E. Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta President of Mali

Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh Prime Minister of Mongolia, Chairman of the Mongolian People’s Party, MPP

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu Leader of the Republican People’s Party, CHP, Turkey

Albin Kurti Leader of the Movement for Self-Determination, Vetëvendosje, Kosovo

Driss Lachguar First Secretary of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces, USFP Morocco

Ricardo Lagos Former President of Chile, former Special United Nations Envoy on Climate Change, Chair of the SI Commission for a Sustainable World Society

Rasim Ljajić Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Serbia, SDPS

Pia Locatelli Vice-President of the SI, Italian Socialist Party, PSI, Italy

Pere López Leader of the Social Democratic Party, PS, Andorra

Carlos Lupi President of the Democratic Labour Party, PDT, Brazil, Vice-President of the SI

Ahmed Majdalani Leader of the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front, Palestine

Carlos Maldonado President of the Radical Party, PR, Chile

Hrant Markarian Chairman of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, ARF, Armenia

Shazia Marri Vice-President of the SI, Pakistan People’s Party, PPP

Seiji Mataichi President of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Japan

Julião Mateus Paulo Vice-President of the SI, MPLA, Angola

Mustafa Mauludi Secretary General of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran

Attila Mesterhazy Vice-President of the SI, Hungarian Socialist Party, MSzP, Hungary

Rafael Michelini President of New Space, PNE, Uruguay, Vice-President of the SI

Heraldo Muñoz President of the Party for Democracy, PPD, Chile

Mario Nalpatian Vice-President of the SI, Armenian Revolutionary Federation, ARF, Armenia

Riccardo Nencini Secretary General of the Italian Socialist Party, PSI, Italy

Nermin Nikšić President of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Johnson Asiedu Nketiah Vice-President of the SI, National Democratic Congress, NDC, Ghana

Julia Ojiambo Leader of the Labour Party of Kenya

Cemal Özyiğit Leader of the Social Democracy Party, TDP, Cyprus 

George Papandreou President of the Socialist International, former Prime Minister of Greece

Peter Phillips Leader of the People’s National Party, PNP, Jamaica

Vlad Plahotniuc Chairman of the Democratic Party of Moldova, Vice-President of the SI

Henry Ramos Secretary General of the Democratic Action Party, Venezuela, SI Vice-President

Antti Rinne Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Finland

Jesús Rodríguez Vice-President of the SI, Radical Civic Union, UCR, Argentina

Pedro Sánchez President of the Spanish Government, Secretary General of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party, PSOE, Spain, Vice-President of the SI

Tiémoko Sangaré President of African Party for Solidarity and Justice, Adema-PASJ, Mali

Nabeel Shaath Vice-President of the SI, Fatah, Palestine 

Jan J. Sithole President of the Swazi Democratic Party, SWADEPA, Swaziland

Mikalai Statkevich Leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Hramada), BSDP, Belarus

Sandra Torres Leader of the National Unity for Hope, UNE, Guatemala, Vice-President of the SI

Bokary Treta President of the Assembly for Mali, RPM, Vice-President of the SI

Zharmakhan Tuyakbay Chairman of the Nationwide Social Democratic Party, OSDP, Kazakhstan

Miguel Vargas President of the Dominican Revolutionary Party, PRD, Dominican Republic, Vice-President of the SI

Faysal Ali Warabe Leader of the Justice and Welfare Party, Somaliland

Svetlina Yolcheva President of the Bulgarian Social Democrats, PBSD, Bulgaria

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Chair of the People’s Pakistan Party, PPP

Martin Ziguélé President of the Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People, MPLC, Central African Republic

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