COP26: Hope is us
Post COP26, the global grassroots movement to solve the climate crisis, 350.org, shared an email entitled “The Bad News and the Good News from COP26” with their supporters. Their Call to Action was posted on Facebook.
The UN climate summit in Glasgow has finished. The good news is that for the first time in history, the talks formally recognised the need to put an end to fossil fuels. The biggest enemy in the climate crisis has finally been named by politicians.
The bad news is this is not strong enough action to stop global heating. The technicalities around the phase out of fossil fuels were watered down during the negotiations – and the resulting agreement which addresses “efforts to phase down coal power and “inefficient” subsidies for fossil fuels,” is not nearly the level of ambition we urgently need.
But over the past two weeks, where governments shirked responsibility, historic polluters showed no leadership, and fossil fuel lobbyists outnumbered negotiators, people power came to the front. I saw a surge of activists take to the streets of Glasgow – people representing vulnerable communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis led the wave to save their homes and way of life. It was inspiring!
The mention of fossil fuels is the outcome of decades of organising and campaigning – despite the efforts of fossil fuel lobbies. Things are starting to move in the right direction, but, we need to accelerate.
We will keep fighting for climate justice, keep showing up in our power and diversity. We will hold our red lines to stay below 1.5 degrees heating. Nothing is won until we have real climate justice for everyone.
Today, our work is beginning anew. In almost everything of substance, governments at COP26 have kicked the ball down the road for the 26th time. But COP is only 2 out of 52 weeks in a year. Today, we get back to the fight to keep ALL fossil fuels in the ground. We keep working to dismantle all the false solutions: the buffers, the credits, the offsets, all the loopholes politicians and fossil fuel lobbyists have built into these decisions.
Fossil fuel lobbies, and the lack of leadership from the historic polluters, are the main reasons why we are not yet seeing the billions we need to adapt to climate change – nor funds needed to pay for what’s lost.
But regardless of what happens at these climate talks, we know the solutions: the transition away from fossil fuels and towards a clean, just, renewable future is going to happen. Across the globe communities are standing together to confront the climate crisis and hold those that perpetuate it accountable.
We will step up and be heard. The world isn’t ending: the era of fossil fuels is.
As the UN climate summit draws to a close, we, the people, will keep fighting inside and outside the negotiations to hold our leaders accountable.
We will keep fighting for climate justice, keep showing up in our power and diversity. Nothing is won until we have real climate justice for everyone. We will hold our red lines to stay below 1.5 degrees heating.
People are on the frontlines of the crisis. People are on the frontlines of the fight to stay alive. We will step up and be heard.
