United for Climate Justice joins forces with more and more climate movements
In the weeks before the EU elections, various climate and grassroots movements, joined together as United for Climate Justice (UCJ), will have demonstrations and non-violent civil disobedience actions across Europe. E.g. in Germany alone, 8 blockades will take place throughout the country, organized by Letzte Generation. UCJ demands that all European Union (EU) member states immediately end all subsidies to the fossil fuel industry [1], amounting to at least 405 billion euros.
European Parliament’s resolution needs to be executed
On 21 November 2023, members of the European Parliament adopted a resolution that recommends the end of fossil fuels subsidies by 2025 at the latest [2]. But in April of this year, the European Parliament ratified a new set of fiscal rules that the Council agreed upon last December, which signals a troubling return toward austerity measures. Under these rules, only Denmark, Sweden and Ireland will be able to meet their social and green public investment needs. On the eve of the European elections, Dr Angela Huston Gold, spokesperson of UCJ, states: “We encourage the citizens of the EU to vote for parties agreeing with the resolution. We firmly demand for the EU and its member states to actually take appropriate action in line with it.”
Catastrophic climate change in Europe caused by the fossil fuel industry
At least 405.1 billion euros in fossil subsidies are going to large companies in the EU every year in the form of tax cuts, both implicitly and explicitly. The fossil fuel industry is responsible for 89% of global CO2 emissions [3]. Governments are planning to produce more than double the amount of fossil fuels in 2030 than what would be consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C.[4] The current level of global warming is already leading to extreme weather events, like floods, cyclones, extreme heat, drought, and wildfires, affecting vulnerable populations in Europe and in the Global South [5]. Huston Gold: “By supporting the fossil fuel industry, EU governments are complicit in the disastrous climate impacts that are affecting all Europeans. This is taxpayers’ money that should be funding the green transition”
Stop Fossil Subsidies campaign will intensify each month
Every first Saturday of the month, movements connected to UCJ all across Europe will keep on demonstrating against fossil subsidies. The activities vary from statue blindfolding to demonstrations to civil non-violent disobedience actions. UCJ has announced that they will keep on escalating until their demand is met: an end to all fossil subsidies in the EU and all its member states.
What is United for Climate Justice (UCJ)?
United for Climate Justice (UCJ) is a platform of all kinds of grassroot and climate movements. It receives support and endorsement from non-governmental organisations within and outside of Europe.
Together, they are coordinating the campaign Stop EU Fossil Subsidies. They base their actions on the scientific evidence of the climate crisis, with civil disobedience serving as their primary tactic. They advocate for rapid and systemic cultural, economic and political change, driven for and by the people themselves.
Sources:
[3] https://www.clientearth.org/latest/news/fossil-fuels-and-climate-change-the-facts/
[4] https://productiongap.org/
[5] https://wmo.int/news/media-centre/2023-shatters-climate-records-major-impacts
