Fossil Free Newsletter #67

In a month filled with tragedies centered on the war in Ukraine, we stand in support and solidarity with all those directly affected by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

During March, we spent time unpacking the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on Climate Impacts. As we approach the month of April, the IPCC will release another report. The answer to your silent question is yes, there is another report and this one will focus on climate ‘Solutions and Mitigation’.

Before we get to April, we highlight the exciting actions of mobilisations from the Global Climate Strikes by activists from all over with momentum to create a climate movement.

In Case You Missed It

Global Climate Strikes – #PeopleNotProfit

The youth are back and these climate strikes like others before were led by Fridays For Future youth across various parts of the world with one theme bringing them together – People Not Profit. This wave of strikes demands leaders across borders to put people’s livelihoods before the profits they make in destroying the climate. Because change needs to happen, and it needs to happen now if we are to build a system that will protect all communities at every corner.

Moshi-Moshi action in Japan calls for safer climate

“Moshi-Moshi” – a Japanese greeting to begin a telephone conversation, has boldly led Japanese citizens under the campaign to literally call the 3 megabanks’ customer services. Their initiatives were encouraged with positive feedback that their messages were received and promised to be conveyed to the right departments.

This fun campaign was led by 350 Japan, and had about 124 volunteers all banding together to call the 3 Japanese Megabanks – Mitsubishi UFJ, Mizuho, and SMBC – and deliver the Stop Fossil Finance campaign demand.

An inspiring win for the movement, reminding us that we all have a voice, and this is the sound of the future and how we demand climate justice.

Read all about it, the IPCC report: #FossilFuelsDidThis

The end of February saw the release of the IPCC report on climate ‘Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability’. However, it came at a time when the war in Ukraine started. Still, the report itself offered a way forward for the climate movement, and that cannot be ignored.

Honestly the report showed us what we already know: the level of global heating is high, and we know who is responsible for this. It’s the fossil fuel industry. The banks that continue to finance this industry. After the launch of the report, we hosted webinars to create platforms to discuss the outcomes and what it means for the climate justice movement.

We know that our voices and collective engagement is the power the climate needs to fuel a just transition. All we need to do is look at the momentum created by the Global Climate Strikes.

#MarcheLookUp, the climate crisis is here

The interesting slogan references the Netflix hit “Don’t Look Up”, in which astronomers discover a comet that could potentially wipe out the Earth, but struggle to convince politicians to take the threat seriously.

Yes, this sounds very familiar, and most climate protesters can relate to this, hence the theme of the protests in France with about 80,000 people. All are calling for more attention to the climate crisis in the build up to the presidential polls in April.

Among the protesters were youth activists from Uganda who are continuously making waves in ensuring the catastrophic East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), planned by the French company Total, is stopped completely. The delegation of Ugandan climate activists is still in Europe, meeting with authorities from several governments, the UN and even the Pope to spread the message to #StopEACOP and raise awareness about the accountability of global North leaders and money over the damages and impacts on the rest of the world.

Activists in France. Credit: Basile Masré-Barjon

The One to Watch

International Women’s Day 2022

March 8 is internationally recognized as Women’s Day – and as activists, we know gender equity is at the core of many fights, including those for climate justice..

350.org celebrates the power of women activists everywhere. Below we have highlighted stories from regions across borders but both have similar stories of ensuring they fight for their communities.

Skill Up Your Activism

Talking about Climate Change with your friends and family

Sometimes, talking about the climate crisis with people who are not as familiar with the topic is a hard task. But it’s a crucial one: if we want to see true and deep changes in our energy systems, we need everyone onboard. Check out the courses we’ve selected at the UN Climate Change e-learning website for a touch base on the basics and more tips for getting from learning to action. They are all self-paced courses offered in various languages allowing the diversity we need to ease through it.

Use Your Power

Fossil Fuels did this. Tell the banks to cut them off.

The message is clear, the science is there and we’ve been knowing that pollution from fossil fuels caused the climate crisis. Now, you need to remind yourself that it is not your personal choices, and for us to solve this we need to end the fossil fuel era.

Polluters, who profit heavily from fossil fuels, won’t close shop when asked to, even if you ask nicely. The only way we can stop them is by cutting off the money flow, and their ability to wreck our climate dries up.

Your name on this petition can be a step in creating a better quality of life for communities who bear the brunt of the climate impacts.

Quote of the month

“Educating girls is one of the most impactful solutions for tackling the climate crisis.”

Vanessa Nakate (Ugandan climate justice activist)