Around the world, people are taking control of their own energy future. Through grassroots organizing, online campaigns, and mass public mobilizations, we connect local efforts to create global impact. This is the beating heart of our work at 350: to support the communities leading the charge for a fair transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, and drive transformational change at the global level.
Our Power Up for Climate Justice global mobilization in November 2023 is a powerful example of how we drive impact: following our month-long public campaign, in December 2023, at the UN Climate Summit (COP28) world leaders committed to the landmark goal of tripling renewable by 2030 – a major step towards keeping global heating under control.
© Hanpo Cheng. Taipei, Taiwan.
This was a fantastic testament to our collective power: we had orchestrated a global mobilization that ran from 3 November to 12 December 2023, which showed that we are ready to build a world powered by fair and locally-led renewable energy. During the hottest year ever recorded up to that point, we:
- Brought people from 66 countries together in community – from Fiji to the United States, Germany, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Brazil;
- Mobilized more than 15,000 people;
- Organized more than 220 events, connecting every continent;
- Exposed the greed of fossil fuel companies while they announced outrageously high record profits; and
- Restated a call for justice: to redirect the money and power to fund a just and peaceful future powered by the sun, the wind and the people everywhere.
Our voice resonated globally: from streets worldwide to the corridors of power at the UN Climate talks in Dubai (COP28).
We released an eye-opening report called “Power Up for Climate Justice: Financing and Implementing a 1.5°C-aligned Global Renewables Target”. It lays out that the best way to reduce emissions and keep global temperatures within the safe 1.5°C limit is by tripling renewable energy capacity worldwide. On 8 December 2023, as global leaders gathered in Dubai for COP28, we were there too, holding this report and backed by the thousands of people who called for a Power Up of clean and accessible energy.
By strategically timing our actions in the month prior to COP28, we kept the momentum alive, and pressure high on world leaders. Although COP28 ended with bittersweet results for the climate movement, we did achieve clear progress, as countries committed to tripling clean energy and doubling energy efficiency by 2030, a necessary measure to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels and avoid the worst impacts from the climate crisis. Throughout Power Up and COP28, our movement stood firm in its demands for a full phaseout of fossil fuels, and a fast and fair energy transition – and it made a difference!
NURTURING NEW CLIMATE LEADERSHIPPower Up for Climate Justice and COP28 were moments for new climate leadership to grow. 350.org was born from the enthusiasm of a group of university students, so we have always prioritized growing new generations of youth climate leaders. 
During FY24 we led the Youth Climate Leaders Fellowship, a program that trained and mentored 20 young climate activists from 18 different countries. Through online and in-person workshops, they learned how to lead powerful campaigns, heard from experienced movement leaders, and worked on projects together. They received monthly stipends so they could focus on their activism without financial obstacles, and were introduced to other climate groups and coalitions in their regions, helping them grow youth-led campaigns. With these newfound skills, participants started or expanded five campaigns. Some focused on elections in their countries, while others helped organize actions for Power Up for Climate Justice. At COP28, they also launched and coordinated a campaign to highlight COP28 president’s glaring conflict of interest as head of the climate summit, and of UAE’s national oil company. We are now supporting our first set of fellows to mentor a new set of Youth Climate Leaders, through a new cohort formed in the lead up to COP30. By supporting, training and connecting young climate leaders, we help our movement grow stronger and create real change! |
This is a story from 350.org’s 2024 Annual Report