Favianna Rodriguez

On April 19, 2010, the World People’s Conference On Climate Change and the Rights Of Mother Earth gathered in South America as a fresh alternative to the Copenhagen Climate Change conference. Evo Morales, President of Bolivia, opened the conference by shouting “Planeta o Muerte!” (Planet or Death). I named this piece after his words. This is exactly what we are facing, a choice between saving Mother Earth, our Pachamama, or dying. The detrimental consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly familiar to all of us. We are witnessing rising sea levels, severe and unpredictable weather, frequent storms and droughts, and less reliable water supplies. Toxic waste is poisoning our land, air, and water. Climate change is not only an issue of environmental policy, it’s an issue of justice and human rights. The most affected by the climate crisis in the world are people of color, indigenous peoples, and low-income communities. Global warming is a direct consequence of a capitalist system that has caused exploitation, abuse and contamination, destruction, degradation and disruption of Mother Earth, putting life as we know it today at risk. This piece is about Pachamama’s fight against patriarchical Capitalism.