Thread by @PLAASuwc

Day 2 of the Climate Change and Agrarian Justice Conference kicks off now. We will be bringing you all of today's important discussions. The theme is Diverse Impacts and Responses to Climate Change in the Rural World. #AfricanClimateJustice

We're starting off the conference with the opening plenary which is chaired by @RuthHallPLAAS. Speaking during this plenary are: Natacha Bruna, Jason Moore (@oikeios) and Amita Baviskar.

Speaking first is Natacha Bruna, a researcher from Mozambique. She discusses the different aspects of climate change seen in her country.

"I think climate change impact can be interpreted in two broad ways. 1st - those impacts are more intensified in global south countries, especially in rural areas. What we see is the reproduction of underdevelopment, and poverty." (1)

"The second way is the context of the implementation of global policies to address climate change. The solutions are impacting rural lives and development." (2)

Next is Amitar Baviskar addressing how she sees climate impacts from the Indian context.
"Many have read the strong farmers’ protests in India. What it shows is that the agrarian crisis is intense. Farming doesn’t allow for living. Water is equally important in India."

"Access to water is a chief constraint in India. Climate change has exacerbated access to water. Fishers in India cannot find mackerel because of changes in ocean temperatures. What climate change has done is amplified the uncertainties connected to farming." - Amitar Baviskar

Amitar Baviskar, professor of anthropology and sociology at Ashoka University in India, said what climate change has done is amplified the uncertainties connected to farming. The impacts of climate change make it more vulnerable– not even the richest farmers are secure anymore.

Jason Moore (@oikeios) Professor of Sociology, environmental historian and author, says as a result of capitlo-genic of new world genocides, we have the most intense period of ice age that resulted in mobilizations and revolt.

@RuthHallPLAAS has asked the speakers about the responses to climate change and how we understand them. #AfricanClimateJustice @TNInstitute @Peasant_Journal

“What is happening in the global south, particularly rural communities, rural population carry the responsibility of these adverse reactions. We see adverse implications to rural peoples and livelihoods– they do not contribute to CC but have to bear the burden of responsibility 1

(2) of addressing climate change. What is happening again is the global south is feeding the global north’s accumulation and ways of living." - Natacha Bruna #AfricanClimateJustice

Amitar Baviskar says in India the language of climate change has focused on COP/climate change negotiations. The state has occupied a moral high ground and fails to recognise the disparities in fossil fuel production. The govt’s policies have been more ecolofically devastating.

Ruth: What are the responses on climate crisis at the macro-level, how are the responses emerging transnational?
Jason: Some capitalists are making a killing of the pandemic and crisis. But for capitalism overall, it’s the end of the road for cheap nature.

Amita Baviskar regarding the viability of agriculture: this question needs to be looked at very carefully. What is actually viable, for how long and for whom? #AfricanClimateJustice

Amita Baviskar on the flooding in Pakistan: along with these climate disasters, people are experiencing joblessness and increasing inflation in this economic crisis, especially educated youth who are resentful. It's fueling the kind of populism we see in Indian and elsewhere.

Ruth: What does this mean for a practical response?
Jason: Build political movements that can democratize capital accumulation. Arrest state power, socialize key strategic economic sectors and discipline capital.

Thank you to the speakers for sharing their views. We are now moving on to the 4 parallel sessions. Session 5 is on climate change as an agent of capitalist expansion and dispossession chaired by @adwoa_gyapong.

Speakers in session 5 are: James Boafo, Thomas Yeboah, Lawrence Guodaar, Yamoah Stephany, Fathun Karib, Alexander Panez Pinto and Jorge Olea
Peñaloza. #AfricanClimateJustice

Session 6 is on political ecologies of climate impacts chaired by @amitkurien07. Speakers: @AnnaPorcuna, Laura Calvet-Mir, Ndeye Fatou Faye, Benjamin Klappoth, Victoria Reyes García, Vanesse Labeyrie, Ambarish Karamchedu (@ambyk123), Livia Perosino, @ishanjsr & Anjana Thampi.

James Boafo spoke of non-economic loss and damage of climate change in Ghana: aspects of climate effects that can not be quantified monetarily. Farmers reported that they were forced by climate change to adopt climate-resistant seeds because their traditional seeds cannot (1)

(2) cope with the current climate change. Farmers reported psychological distress and mental health unwellness because of the loss of their crops due to climate change. - James Boafo #AfricanClimateJustice

(1) Fathun Karib proposes the agrarian question of climate change from below which is constituted by the lived experiences of local communities. It has 3tiers: 1) Environment crisis & climate change; 2) Capitalist incorporation & site of struggles...

(3) Objective position of rural and indigenous people in the modern capitalism. #AfricanClimateJustice

Alexander Panez Pinto from Chile, says displacement is taking place in south Chile for capitalists looking for water for commercial agriculture. This process started in the 1980s but its impact started being seen in the 2000s.
#AfricanClimateJustice

In Session 7 Edwige Marty says climate change adaptation always needs to be understood in the social context because responses are situated in specific societies. Technological fixes are not enough. #AfricanClimateJustice

"Complexity of the programme and fragmented solutions are not going to work." - EdwigeMarty

"There needs to be a change in how the state sees pastoral systems. They are transitioning. For example, education is an important cause of migration. And it raises the question of who is going to continue with pastoralism." - James Wachira (1)

(2) "A couple of policies are giving technological fixes but they are not suitable for livestock production."
#AfricanClimateJustice

"Climate Change seems to be increasing as a perceived cause of the socioecological transformations that farmers identify. In Turkey, we have seen productive strategies and there is not many organization/ political strategies." -Antoine Dolcerocca

(1) In Session 8 they are discussing corporate and state narratives. Corinne Lamain says climate security has been framed in different ways around state security, human security and ecological security. A review of policies and practices has been made.

(2 There are 6 risks around human framework: absolute scarcity thinking; political strategizing; control-seeking through top-down governance approaches; a push for neo-liberal approaches; a dominant focus on violent conflict & knowledge politics.

(3) Because it is booming, there is a need to challenge climate security. #AfricanClimateJustice

That brings us to the end of Day 2 of the Climate Change and Agrarian Justice Conference. Please join us again tomorrow at 1pm as we discuss Agrarian Struggles and Resistance. See you then! #AfricanClimateJustice @Peasant_Journal @TNInstitute @rosaluxstiftung

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