“Exposing false solutions to the climate crisis” was one of the 52 activities held on the first day of this Summit. It was organized by Friends of the Earth International, and its aim was to analyze and expose the impacts of the several false solutions proposed by transnational corporations and Northern States to the climate change phenomenon.

One of these false solutions is the building of hydroelectric dams. Juan Pablo Soler, member of the Rios Vivos Movement said: “dams do not cool down the planet”, and he added that hydroelectric projects are not designed to “meet the energy needs of the people”, but are associated to other megaprojects that are “just as destructive, or even more damaging”. Specifically, he denounced that “dams are supporting the extractive model and the displacement of populations and species”.

About this, the activist said that the number of forced displacements caused by hydroelectric dams is higher than those caused by wars, reaching tens of millions around the world.

Wolves in sheep´s clothing

As part of the activity, a report was launched about the lobby carried out by British-South African mining company Anglo American at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in order to profit from the climate crisis and promote highly-polluting energy extraction.

The report was released by Friends of the Earth, Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) and the Transnational Institute (TNI). Lyda Forero was present as a representative of TNI. She was in charge of writing the report about El Cerrejón, one of the world´s largest open-pit coal mines, which is located in Colombia, owned by Anglo American.

According to Lyda, El Cerrejon has caused a vast number of social and environmental conflicts. One of the most shocking is the amount of water consumed by this megamine: El Cerrejon consumes 17 million liters of water per day, causing not only water scarcity in La Guajira communities, but the subsequent loss of food sovereignty for these populations.

According to the report launched today, the project is constantly denounced by indigenous, peasant and Afro Colombian communities.