On Monday, December seventh 56 newspapers in 45 countries took the unprecedented step of speaking with one voice through a common editorial because as they put it “humanity faces a profound emergency.”

David Suzuki has called it the most important wake up call of the century.  You can take action through the David Suzuki Foundation here.

Kofi Annan has even issued a plea for you to do three things for Copenhagen.

Kumi Naidoo formerly of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty and now with Greenpeace called it “what possibly is the most crucial week for humanity, in my living memory.”  You can take action through Greenpeace here.

We really enjoyed this letter sent to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Environment Minister Jim Prentice by Make Poverty History supporter Larry Lalonde from Grimsby, Ont.

Today, December 1, 2009 is World AIDS Day and with it comes a mixed message.  Progress is being made where progress was said to be impossible just a few short years ago, but again, it is not enough and it is coming too slow. 

More than 4 million people in “developing” countries are now receiving antiretrovirals up 36% from 2008.  This also marks a ten-fold increase over five years but it doesn’t even approximate the need or come close to G8’s 2005 promise of universal access.  For every two people on treatment there are five new infections. 

Now, here are a couple quick things you (maybe) can do:

(1) The Stephen Lewis Foundation (2) Email (3) Facebook and (4) Twitter.

John Mc Arthur has a great piece in the Ottawa Citizen today on the need for Canadian leadership at the G8/G20 this coming June, our chance to meet the MDGs and the successes of aid.

Some highlights on what aid has accomplished in Africa since 2000:

(1) Measles deaths have dropped by more than 90% saving over 1,000 children’s lives a day.

(2) Nearly three million more people are on antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, preventing new infections, keeping parents alive and turning HIVS/AIDS into a manageable disease rather than a death sentence – just like the rich world. ARVs cost less than $100 annually now to produce generically down about $10,000 from roughly a decade ago.

(3) Roughly 200 million more bednets have been distributed preventing new potentially fatal bouts with malaria, as well as contributing to whole countries (Rwanda, Ethiopia and Eritrea) more than halving death rates from the disease.

(4) Malawi doubled its food production and has seen astounding economic growth, which gives hope for the potentially historic breakthrough on hunger at the G8 through the $20 billion in aid for food security for small holder farmers which of course could easily wind up being the equivalent of over $100 billion in food aid.

Please add your voice to this three day (Oct 16-18) global mobilization to halve poverty and hunger by 2015.

For the first time you can take part in STAND UP online here at www.makepovertyhistory.ca

Poverty related causes will kill more people this year than four centuries of slavery yet somehow this isn't being treated as a global emergency.

Here is a good vid on STAND UP. 

If you're not outraged by what's going on, you're not paying attention.

"I want to say just one final thing, because I know that so many of your members were the backbone of the make poverty history movement, and are anxious about what the recession means for global solidarity and global justice.

Let me reassure you today.

There are those who would use the excuse of the financial crisis to break their promises to the worlds poorest. Well we will not. We will keep our promises.

Three cool short videos.

Good three minute video on the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals with Kofi Annan naratting courtesy of Millennium Promise, Malaria No More, and GOOD.

Another excellent three minute video, Celebrate, Accelerate on the progress towards the Millennium Development Goals by the ONE campaign. 

Great one minute video on ending poverty by Christian Aid.

Over 200,000 Canadians Stand Up and Take Action Against Poverty!!

When?  It hasn’t happened yet.  STAND UP and TAKE ACTION on Oct 16-19 is a three day global mobilization to demonstrate support for the fight against poverty and the Millennium Development Goals – www.standagainstpoverty.org  STAND UP can be as big or little as you make it.  For it to count as a STAND UP event all you have to do is read the “pledge” and then those who agree stand up and then you report your numbers.