A harrowing two weeks in our region

A fearsome maelstrom of tsunamis, earthquakes and huge floods have suddenly ended or shattered the lives of many people in the Asia-Pacific region over the past two weeks.

Entire communities are in such shock they cannot begin to grieve for the loved ones lost in these catastrophes. Green Left Weekly expresses its sympathy and solidarity to the millions who have been affected in Samoa, Indonesia, West Papua, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Vanuatu, India and other nations.

These events should force us to face up to the urgency of taking action on climate change. Not all the disasters can be blamed on human-induced climate change, but climate change has made them much worse.

These disasters demonstrate the far worse catastrophes that will hit the world with greater frequency as a result of climate change. The way the world's poorest and most oppressed have been hardest hit is also a sign of things to come.

The recently released World Development Report 2010: Development and Climate Change said it was likely the poorest nations would bear about 75-80% of the cost of the expected floods, desertification and other disasters.

In this context, GLW's "Spring Offensive" should not be dismissed as just another fund appeal. It is a campaign to mobilise the collective will and action of those who realise we need radical changes now to address the global warming crisis.

"GLW is a beacon of light for 21st century socialists, and for all those throughout the planet who believe in the necessity of what I have called (in the title of my latest book) The Ecological Revolution", said John Bellamy Foster, editor of Monthly Review.

Ian Angus, the editor of the ecosocialist web journal ClimateandCapitalism.com, said: "All around the world there are activists who depend on GLW for news and analysis on the fight to stop capitalism's assault on our environment. There just isn't a better English-language socialist newspaper anywhere. This invaluable resource deserves our wholehearted support."

Hans Baer, an environmentalist, writer and academic at the University of Melbourne drew the conclusion: "Green Left Weekly publishes some of the most penetrating and incisive analysis in Australia today. Certainly it deserves to be read more widely and to reach out to new audiences. To do this, it needs money. More power to you, GLW!"

GLW supporters contributed or raised $7125 since the last update two weeks ago. It brings the total raised this year to $176,404, which is almost three quarters of our annual fighting fund target of $250,000. Please do what you can to help us.

From GLW issue 813