Bolivia’s Morales blames capitalism for climate change

Bolivia’s President Evo Morales has blamed capitalism for climate change and called on industrialised nations to reduce emissions.

Speaking at the closing of the People’s Climate Change conference in the Bolivian city of Cochabamba on Monday, Morales declared his intention to represent unheard voices at the UN climate change conference in Paris later this year.

He said those countries that were not working to reduce emissions were going against the laws of nature.

“Don’t go against the natural world, natural law, go with Mother Earth. She has a certain way of doing things and when you start going against that there are no penalties or fines, there’s only consequences when you go against natural law,” Morales said. 

Delegates at the conference have formed a 10-point plan to send to the Paris conference, which aims to represent different interests, and those who fear their viewpoints will be ignored.

Among the points included in the plan is a demand for industrialised countries to divert military spending to fight the effect of climate change.

The plan also calls for the establishment of an international tribunal to prosecute those who commit crimes against nature.

Morales has called for a unified voice to emerge from among the conference delegates.

Al Jazeera’s Daniel Schweimler reporting from Cochabamba, said many of those attending will be desperate to be heard in Paris, but there was little inclination to listen to them.

“What they’re saying is that they live with the daily consequences of climate change and while they don’t have all the answers, they’re suggesting some solutions they say should be considered,” he said.

The Paris conference on climate change will bring together 196 states, including the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases and those most effected by changing weather conditions and rising sea levels.

Organisers hope the event will mark a turning point in the transition towards low-carbon economies.