Our Power News
October 1, 2024
This newsletter is also available in French and Spanish.
Are you wondering where your monthly Fossil Free update went? Well, I have an exciting surprise for you – as the world of climate & energy is quickly changing, so are we!
Our vision is simple: we want every person to have access to safe, affordable and reliable energy.
Our belief is straightforward: it’s ordinary people like you and me who have the power to create a just energy transition.
With this in mind, we are ramping-up our campaigns for renewables that place communities at the heart of our energy systems, and we want you to join us. The future of energy is ours to take!
So, welcome to our very first edition of Our Power Newsletter. In here, you’ll not just get exclusive insights into our latest work but also inspiring stories of community energy projects, expert analysis on climate news, easy-to-understand explanations of complex topics and plenty of opportunities to get involved!
Enjoy reading, and if you like what you’ve read – tell your friends, family, colleagues and basically everyone about it. Let’s build Our Power together!
Movement Updates Discover our latest actions demanding climate solutions & energy justice
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Launching Our Own Power Network
Did you know that communities around the world are reclaiming their power from the hands of fossil fuel giants by building their own renewable energy projects? To support them, we’ve just launched the Our Own Power Network, an international movement of renewable energy champions. Sign up for our very first Our Own Power Webinar on 1 October where you’ll hear inspiring stories from members in the Amazon, Africa and the Pacific who are leading exciting renewable energy projects in their communities. |
| Making Waves at New York Climate Week
The annual New York Climate Week is the place to push leaders, from business executives to policymakers, into taking meaningful climate action. This year, we demanded that COP presidents deliver real commitments to phase out fossil fuels and scale up renewable energy, putting people over profits. We urged our leaders to raise the bar on national climate goals (or NDCs, you can read more on this below). Our movement took to the streets, pressured banks, amplified Indigenous voices and demanded that wealthy nations fund the energy transition while protecting environmental defenders. |
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Spotlighting Vietnam’s Unjust Energy Transition
We received wonderful news that our friend & unjustly detained Vietnamese climate activist Hoàng Thị Minh Hồng was released from prison on 21 September, 20 months early from her sentence. Our FreeHong campaign gathered over 9,200 signatures across 55 countries, pressuring officials for her release. During New York Climate Week, we also held a panel calling out Vietnam’s recent $15.5 billion inter-governmental energy financing deal, the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) that excludes civil society participation, respect for human rights, fair financing mechanisms, and proven climate solutions. |
| Where Disability & Climate Meet
Our world is often unforgiving and ableist even without the climate breakdown. Our exclusive video with climate justice and disability rights activist Áine Kelly-Costello explains why climate justice cannot be separated from disability justice. We’ve also featured footage from the Disability Justice Project, an amazing global grassroots media network and hub for documentaries by and about persons with disabilities. See how we can transform our climate movement to ensure that no one gets left behind: |
A deaf black man wearing glasses looks neutrally at the camera while holding a hand lettered sign. Photo: Disabled and Here |
Climate Jargon Unpack the terms & concepts being used by climate activists & experts
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
NDCs are the talk of the town this year, especially around upcoming international climate summits like the COP29.
What are NDCs: Also known as climate change action plans or climate goals, NDC’s are self-defined national climate commitments by countries who joined the Paris Agreement. They lay down a roadmap for each country to do their part in stopping the climate crisis.
Why are NDCs important: because they detail how countries plan to reduce emissions, adapt to climate impacts and ensure investments so that the planet remains liveable for all of us.
When do countries update their NDCs: All countries are expected to update their NDCs every five years, with better and more ambitious plans. The last round of NDC updating was in 2020-21 (here are some examples) and the next round is due very soon, in early 2025. Throughout this year and beyond, we will keep pushing countries to not only submit good NDCs but to also turn these plans into reality!
Learn more about what good NDCs look like:
Community Spotlight Be inspired by stories & interviews of real people who are fighting for a just energy transition
Domangburi’s First Light
350 GROC volunteers install a solar panel in the local school. Photo: 350GROC
In the remote village of Domangburi in north-western Ghana, the lack of electricity forced the community to rely on firewood, flashlights, and oil lamps for light. This severely affected students’ ability to study and limited economic opportunities for all. However, a transformation took place this year. 350 Ghana Reducing Our Carbon (350 GROC), a network of local youth groups dedicated to mobilizing and empowering young people, alongside local leaders and volunteers, went to each and every home in the village and installed solar panels and bulbs—65 in total. They also set up solar street lights at the local school and market. For the first time, Domangburi has access to safer, cleaner, and reliable solar energy. The effort and perseverance of locals will now create opportunities for education, economic growth, and a brighter future for the whole community for generations to come.
Discover more about the work of 350 GROC through the words of its National Coordinator and Ghanian Climate Activist Portia Adu-Mensah.
Renewable Rundown Get informed on big numbers, key facts and important news
$2 Trillion
Or USD$2000 billion. That’s the potential amount of money we can raise if countries globally adopt a wealth tax on the richest 0.5% households just like Spain did in 2022, according to the U.K based campaign group, Tax Justice Network.
Their study, published in August this year, estimates potential revenue for 172 countries from implementing a moderate, progressive tax on net wealth. If such a tax scheme is adopted, countries could get up to 7% more money in their national budgets each year!
To put this in context, the money we need to triple renewable energy by 2030 (a target set last year at the UN Climate Conference, COP28) is $8 trillion of investment in new renewable energy projects and $4 trillion for grid and storage infrastructure over the next 6 years. Coincidentally, this amount also works out to be $2 trillion a year on average.
And so the data is crystal clear: if governments tax the ultra-rich, we can fund the transition to renewable energy!
Your Power Support us in demanding real climate action
Now that we know a bit more about NDCs, we need your help in demanding more ambitious climate goals from our leaders. These goals must stop the worst effects of global heating and commit to just solutions to the crisis. Countries’ 2025 NDCs should clearly commit to a real renewable energy goal following principles of justice while ensuring a fossil fuel phase out.
Sign the letter below demanding more climate action from our Heads of State:
Energize Build your skills to tackle the climate crisis and widen our movement
Have you been feeling drained by the constant demands of activism? Then you probably need to nurture your mental and emotional well-being first to be able to show up fully for the climate movement.
Learn how to boost creativity, reduce stress, and strengthen your inner self with our quick, impactful guide. You’ll leave feeling empowered, centered, and ready to continue the fight for a better future!
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