With the climate crisis threatening over half of the global GDP, there can be no business-as-usual when the world begins to plan for a recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, we have a unique opportunity to change our relationship with nature by shifting our development pathway to one that is equitable and sustainable. Development Finance Institutions may be the … [Read more...]
Let’s raise our voices and demand a just recovery for all
In July, the people that control the budgets of the world’s 20 richest countries – Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors – will meet to discuss how they will spend public money. In the midst of a global health pandemic, where people have lost so much, will they opt for a ‘business as usual recovery’ and bail out industries that drive climate crisis and inequality – or … [Read more...]
Pacific Pawa Shift builds momentum to UN SG’s Climate Action Summit
63 Pacific Climate Warriors (PCWs) from 17 teams across the Pacific gathered in Nadi, to develop strategies to further strengthen the work of climate activists less than a week after the Pacific Island States declared a climate crisis at the Pacific Islands Development Forum Leaders’ Summit. The gathering of the PCWs aptly called the Pacific Pawa Shift 2019, aims to … [Read more...]
Global climate strike: if a kid says help, you help
One year ago, Greta Thunberg began her “school strike for the climate’’. Her argument was that if the world’s adults weren’t willing to prepare the planet for her generation, they had no right to demand that her generation spend their youth preparing for the future. Kids across the planet saw the logic. Since then the biggest days of youth-led action have seen 1.4 million … [Read more...]
Only 12 years to avert 2 degrees of global warming
Only half a degree warmer would result in double the severity of the consequences to this planet. The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report was released on 8th October. It focuses on the differences between a 1.5- and 2-degree global warming future climate scenario. The main points of the report, based on 6000 scientific papers and approved by all … [Read more...]
It’s time to break free from fossil fuels
There has never been a better time to break free from fossil fuels. Record-breaking global temperatures, plummeting fossil-fuel prices, historic investments in renewable energy, and global pressure to honour climate pledges are all coming together to create the ideal setting for this world-changing shift. The shift could not be more urgent. The United Nations climate … [Read more...]
Ordinary people mobilising to disrupt the fossil fuel industry
The business of unearthing coal, oil, and gas reserves to power the world is a multi trillion-dollar industry. But scientists say that in order to avoid catastrophic consequences, at least two-thirds of these reserves need to remain underground to limit global warming to two degrees Celsius. Ordinary people are joining forces to create a global grass-roots movement, geared … [Read more...]
Join the Global Climate March chorus
The weekend before the biggest UN climate conference of the decade in Paris, the world will stand together in a weekend of global action at the People's Climate March. This is to send a powerful message to governments meeting in Paris: keep fossil fuels in the ground and finance a just transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050. Last year, the People's Climate March saw … [Read more...]
Suffering Africa to divest from fossil fuels
Renowned environmentalist Bill McKibben and the climate movement 350.org, recent recipients of the Right Livelihood Award, (otherwise known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize),” have sounded the call for a large-scale and global divestment from fossil fuel companies, especially in Africa. Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change. It has been estimated by Greenpeace … [Read more...]
From ripples to Radio Waves
The United Nations climate talks have unfortunately been just that for 16 years – just talk and no real action, the most famous of these so far being the failed conference in Copenhagen in 2009. After the deep disappointment of Copenhagen, a South African anti-apartheid activist teasingly noted that the talks had failed because the climate movement didn’t have a song! For … [Read more...]
Siyabona Youth demand water improvements
Bike mechanics in Auckland New Zealand went through the city offering free bicycle repair. Boy Scouts in Mexico installed energy efficieent light bulbs in cities. Robben Island started to go solar. Cyclists took to the streets in Durban and joined in a clean-up of the Mgeni river. These were but a few of the actions for earth that took place in more than 7000 places in … [Read more...]
So you missed the “Global Work Party?
10/10/10 was the day and Alexandra was the place to be. The Sustainable Energy Society for Southern Africa (SESSA) Solar Water Heating (SWH) in conjunction with the Intisolar Consortium and Bidvest donated not one, but five solar water heaters to the Sithandiwe Home for the disabled. While the world was celebrating and working to combat climate change in their communities, … [Read more...]
Rainwater for ten schools
On the noteworthy date of 10/10/10, while activists across the globe were uniting for 350.org's Global Work Party, a Hartbeespoort community led by Henning and Thea Holm of Omnibus Engineering gave a push to local grassroots activism and environmental education by donating ten water tanks to local schools to promote rainwater harvesting. Omnibus Engineering was joined on … [Read more...]
