[1]Fossil Free Digest
[1]Woman on stage with a megaphone
The Aurat March on March 8 in Karachi, Pakistan. Photo: Aurat March
Karachi

Sunday was International Women’s Day, and despite coronavirus restrictions
in some countries many women took to the streets elsewhere in
[ [link removed] ]spectacular marches around the world to demand gender equality. To mark
the day in this Fossil Free News, we’re naming and celebrating powerful
women in the climate justice struggle.

Behind every victory – including all the [ [link removed] ]wins pouring in over the past
few weeks – women organizers are building strong movements with
leadership, strategy, and compassion.

Take [ [link removed] ]Raya Ahmed from Lamu, Kenya, who fought to stop a coal plant that
would’ve devastated the coastal community. She spoke to us about women’s
stewardship of nature, and resilience in the face of threats from climate
impacts and displacement from fossil fuel infrastructure. [ [link removed] ]Watch the
video interview:

[ [link removed] ]Woman facing camera

In Turkey, local leader Tayyibe Demirel just [ [link removed] ]won a new court case
against the expansion of an open-pit coal mine towards her village. She’s
a big part of [ [link removed] ]No Coal Muğla, a local movement to stop coal expansion
and battle pollution in this beautiful area in Western Turkey.

“We’ve been living in these lands for 300 years. Our only demand is to not
be poisoned and forcefully displaced. Our struggle hasn’t ended – it’s
only just beginning. So far we’ve done 50 actions, and if necessary we’ll
do 500 more," she says.

[9]Woman stands at edge of giant coal mine
Tayyibe Demirel holds a banner saying “Break free from coal, save the
climate!” 

In Case You Missed It

Climate strike: In Brussels last Friday, thousands marched through the EU
quarter to demand politicians set more ambitious targets and limit the
fossil fuel industry. Greta Thunberg was there – but she’s just one of
[ [link removed] ]8 inspiring female climate strikers you should know about right now.
From [ [link removed] ]Mumbai to [ [link removed] ]Istanbul, young women simultaneously headed smaller
climate strikes around the world.

[13]Teenagers and young adults with banner at front of march, country
flags behind
Brussels on March 6, 2020. Photo: @domipalmer, Twitter

Coronavirus: COVID-19 is dominating headlines as the death toll tragically
climbs. Some are wondering whether or not to join upcoming climate
mobilizations this April. We’re asking leaders to listen to scientists on
climate change, so we’re listening to scientists ourselves on this issue.
People’s safety is the number one priority: we recommend following country
health guidelines.

Still, we’ve got to [ [link removed] ]stop another glaring public health crisis, too.
Climate crisis will cause millions more deaths as impacts worsen – and
disease outbreaks become more likely. Yet in the U.S., President Trump has
hinted at [ [link removed] ]bailing out fossil fuel companies as the oil price tumbles.
It's time to break our fossil fuel addiction and lean in to a rapid and
just transition to resilient renewables, with accessible healthcare for
all.

[16]7 people gathered outside office building with placards
Outside Mitsubishi Corp.’s headquarters in Tokyo Japan on Tuesday March 3,
2020. 

Follow the money: At Mitsubishi offices in Japan, Australia, the
Philippines, Indonesia, and the United States last week, people condemned
the company’s continued financing of coal. The [ [link removed] ]coordinated action
zoomed in on Vung Ang 2, a coal plant the company is funding in Vietnam.
Global resistance is surging – you can support the activists and [ [link removed] ]sign
the petition.

Divestment win! New Zealand’s government just announced it’ll [ [link removed] ]exclude
fossil fuel investments from all default national retirement savings
funds. The win is a direct result of brilliant people-powered campaigning
from New Zealanders who demanded their hard-earned money not go towards
funding the climate crisis.

Inside Story

[20]3 women smiling in the snow
Tetyana Osmak, Olena Berozkina, Nataliya Riabukha in Merefa, Ukraine.

“Eight years ago I was alone, and now the whole community stands behind
us.”

Meet three incredible, brave women in a small town in eastern Ukraine
who’ve rallied to build a local movement against gas fracking – even in
the face of intimidation from the authorities. [ [link removed] ]Read their story

We hope you’ve enjoyed these stories of women leading the resistance. Stay
safe, keep organizing, and we’ll see you in two weeks with more Fossil
Free News!

 
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Fossil Free News is a global newsletter published every two weeks, with
climate organizing stories from campaigns working for a just and
equitable world, free from fossil fuels.

For more updates, follow us on [ [link removed] ]Facebook, [ [link removed] ]Twitter and [ [link removed] ]Instagram 

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