Here are some highlights from the campaign work that we’ve done in the region last 2019.
Indonesia

In 2019, we deepened our engagement pillars for young people in Indonesia to better understand and dare to carry out campaigns on climate change. We conducted two pieces of training for them. One training, the Movement Support Team Training, was held in April with 30 campaigners from 12 free fossil groups spread across 12 cities. The other training we did in Bali in August this year. After going through rigorous selection, 30 participants were selected. They were learning together about climate change, energy transition, and figure out what they could do with the power within themselves. We required the alumni to join fossil-free groups in their cities. The result? Surprising enough. In September 2019, with the high engagement of fossil-free volunteers, we succeeded in mobilizing 8,000 people in 24 cities to take to the streets and voice climate emergencies. The mobilization on climate at this scale was clearly unprecedented. The “Jeda untuk Iklim” movement has a role in empowering young people in Indonesia to be more critical of various government policies that affect their lives and the future.

Philippines

2019 was a year of organizing youth-led climate actions across the archipelago with students leading thousands across the country, joining millions across the world. Rallying behind the youth are indigenous peoples, coal-affected communities, coastal villagers, and other activists
from Baguio to Bukidnon.

South Asia

In 2019, we have supported youth strikes organizers in India and Nepal for training and empowerment on leadership training, including Interaction with 2400 urban students during events, participation of 500+ young children, training and interaction with 180+ school teachers and 3500+ rural students. We have amplified and support network of alliance in the region from Punjab to Ludhiana.

Asia Finance Campaign 2019

In 2019 we initiated Asia Finance Campaign consultation among Asia Energy Network and took the leadership on Finance Working Group with partners to engage in strategic key moments, such as Asia Pacific Climate Week or COP25. We also set up regular online meeting to coordinate storytelling and mobilizing in countries across the globe to pressure the commercial banks of Asia out of financing fossil fuels and towards the just transition, with the Japan’s biggest commercial banks Mizuho Financial Group, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group as global targets.

Asia Pacific Climate Week

Asian movements’ rallying cry this week was to put climate justice, and the rights of grassroots communities, at the center of solutions to the climate emergency. 

The 350 Asia team, led by Norly and Fenton, had an especially busy past few weeks. They convened space for 30 young campaigners from 10 countries and regions across Asia for a jam-packed 3-day climate leadership training in Bataan. The team also supported grassroots climate movements in Asia – amplifying the message to delegates at the UN Asia Pacific Climate Week that BOLD ACTION MEANS ENDING THE AGE OF FOSSIL FUELS.