April has been an eventful month for the climate movement. On 22nd April, Earth Day reminded us about how people all around the planet are working so hard to protect and heal our home.
This edition is filled with solutions work and people-powered moments that encourage you to take part in protecting our environment. I mean, how else can we really honour our home than to continuously heed the calls from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and focus on protecting our communities.
On this topic, our newly launched International People’s Platform for Climate Justice is worth a look: it’s filled with stories of courageous activists fighting to keep fossil fuels in the ground and build the future we want.
With love,
Christine
In Case You Missed It
Introducing Canada’s Ministry of Just Transition
The 350 Canada team really has a way of putting out bold and creative campaigns to tackle the climate emergency in their region.
This campaign – Ministry of Just Transition is the vision of what a just transition would look like if the politicians really moved away from fossil fuels and shifted to a 100% renewable energy economy while protecting and serving the communities.
*Yes*, it is all satire but the message behind it all is strong and bold, and we hope the politicians will see this as the nudge for a just transition.
Olive is Life
Say it with us ‘Olive is Life’!
On April 17th, thousands of people came together in Milas, Turkey, to defend the olive trees against coal mining.
A new mining regulation in the country leaves olive groves vulnerable to being destroyed and replaced by something as dirty as coal mines. However, a new report details that it is possible to establish a local economy based on olives without being confined to coal.
The people of Milas want to protect their home and future, and they have been working towards that goal based on long term organising in the region. This is another win for people power.
ONE TO WATCH
Paty Islam-Parsons believes that at the moment, the people who are actually facing reality and telling the truth are the people on the ground. As one of the bold youth with Fridays for Future International, her message regarding the latest IPCC reports is that we need people who make the decisions to listen. We are in a state of emergency, and we need to act now.
SKILL UP YOUR ACTIVISM
Educate yourself!
Regarding the headlines and reports about the future of our planet in the last month was hard to take, and sometimes it’s hard to know where to get started making a difference, but here are some ideas to get you started:
- Step 1: skill up on climate science;
- Step 2: talk to your family and friends about it;
- Step 3: campaign for change!
These online courses come in the form of interactive and multimedia activities, all to take you one step closer to becoming an expert.
Get started here:
USE YOUR POWER
Earth Month Spotlight
The month of April is significantly important as it honours Earth Day on 22 April. We know the importance of investing in mother Earth and keeping her safe and green.
At 350.org, we kicked off the month and honoured our many driven, vibrant campaigners from various parts of the globe. We got a chance to see and hear how they are building the movement against the dirtiest of them all – the fossil fuel industry. Now, we will highlight one from Africa – Christian, whose work is focused on stopping oil development in the Virunga National Park (Democratic Republic of Congo). Virunga is in fact Africa’s oldest park and home to a wealth of biodiversity including a quarter of the world’s mountain gorillas.
Solidarity across oceans
A union of climate activists was witnessed across oceans as 350 Pacific and Pacific Conference of Churches completed a hybrid training in Suva, Fiji. The 3-day Solar Scholars Training was led online by the Institute of Climate and Sustainable Cities in the Philippines.
The collaboration brought with it innovative and skilful training that gave the Pacific community an opportunity to learn the basics of solar-powered electricity and how to assemble basic solar panel systems.
One thing the climate movement embraces is solutions work. With these kinds of skills and tools, these warriors will empower their communities, and utilise all learnings in the event of disaster situations.
Now, isn’t that how you light the way towards a liveable future?
Image: 350 Pacific team and members of the Pacific Conference of Churches, outside
the Solar Panel Installation site in Fiji
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