If you’re like us, you’ll always appreciate Labor Day as a moment to pause. But let’s also remember why the climate movement and workers’ rights are so deeply intertwined. After all, a better energy future can’t be possible without workers who keep our world running.
That connection feels especially important right now, as we’ve recently seen major leadership transitions around the world:
- We said farewell to a powerful ally in the climate fight, Pope Francis, whose voice resonated globally when he spoke of caring for people and our common home. As Pope Leo XIV takes on the mantle, we’re hoping he’ll continue that legacy of calling for climate justice and cancelling unfair debt so countries can start investing in a better future for all of us. His track record and early decisions are encouraging. Even his chosen name nods to Pope Leo III, who protected workers in the Industrial Revolution as the world transitioned to fossil fuels. Now, our eyes are on him to help as we transition away.
- And as you’ll read more about in a moment, recent election results from Australia and Canada reminded us that the ballot box is still one of our best tools to push for real climate leadership.
So, the answer to who should lead us is obvious: we need climate champions who act like our future depends on their every decision and action (because it does), and not cheat us out of a liveable planet.
Movement Updates Discover our latest actions demanding climate solutions & energy justice
Exposing mi
sleading politicians
In Canada, people have voted for Mark Carney to be the Prime Minister in a minority government. This has stopped the Conservatives from winning, which is a big relief because their leader, Pierre Poilievre, had risky plans for the environment. With our Don’t Get Played campaign, our team exposed his deceitful agenda. We helped voters understand the truth, and support candidates who will fight for climate action. Our message reached millions of Canadians through social media posts, videos and street signs. Now, Carney’s made promises on cleaner energy, like a People’s Power Grid (that we also pushed him on), so our next task is to make sure he follows through!
Spreading voter awareness
In early May, Australia too, held its federal elections with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labour Party winning a landslide second term. In the lead-up, our Pacific Climate Warriors mobilized across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra, hosting voter awareness events and collecting signatures for the Our Pawa petition. We are urging Australians to push their government to choose clean, fair, and local renewable energy. This result gives us hope as the new government plans for renewable energy to generate more than 80% of power by 2030. And don’t worry, we are planning to hold them to this goal!
Rising for a fossil-free future
Afrika Rise Week is our annual week of resistance and celebration, held around Africa Day on 25 May to honour the power of communities driving climate solutions. This year, we showed up in 13 countries. From concerts and mural paintings in Benin to student marches in Ghana, cultural showcases in Togo to anti-coal protests in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)—we left no stone unturned. In Uganda, women and youth resisted against greenwashing oil companies, while dancers in Nigeria shared a hopeful vision of a fossil-free future. Across the continent, we used music, art, and movement to call for change. Afrika is rising and our fight for a just, renewable future is only getting stronger.
Demanding clean air
In Asia, our teams staged “Life in a Bubble” protests to demand clean air for all. We started in Manila, Philippines in late-April, where acclaimed actor Soliman Cruz stood inside an 8-foot bubble, symbolizing how the wealthy are shielded while the rest breathe toxic air. We’re calling for urgent updates to the 25-year-old Clean Air Act. We are now teaming up with the non-profit Bicara Udara to bring the same message to the government of Jakarta, Indonesia, one of the world’s most polluted cities: clean air is a right, not a privilege.
Confronting bill
ionaires
A new study says that two-thirds of global warming is caused by the world’s richest 10%. We are demanding taxes on extreme wealth to curb the power of billionaires like Vincent Bolloré, whose unchecked influence fuels climate destruction and weakens democracy. So on a late May morning in Paris, we joined allies outside the Bolloré Group’s Annual General Meeting to expose their “empire of impunity”. Meanwhile in the UK, a new bill has been launched pushing polluters to help fund warm homes and flood defenses. Sounds like common sense? We think so too.
Climate Jargon Unpack the terms & concepts being used by climate activists & experts
Mutirão (pronounced, moo-chee-RAH-ong)
Portuguese word for a group coming together to work on a shared task, rooted in the Indigenous Tupi-Guarani language
Brazil, the host of COP30 (UN’s upcoming 2025 climate talks), has launched a call for global collective action to keep global heating in check, calling it a mutirão against the climate crisis.
In a recent letter, COP30 President Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago urges governments, businesses, and communities to move beyond promises and act together. With 2024 confirmed as the hottest year on record, Brazil says COP30 must be a turning point: a chance to rewrite the future through solidarity, urgency, and action.
“Change is inevitable—either by choice or by catastrophe,” says Corrêa do Lago. “Let’s choose to act.”
Community Spotlight Be inspired by stories & interviews of real people who are fighting for a just energy transition
Brazil’s First Favela Solar Energy Cooperative
Favela (low-income, informal urban community) residents across Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, are known to face regular power outages and high electricity bills. Food and medicine spoil during blackouts, and cooling systems fail which is especially dangerous as temperatures rise due to climate change. In response, a local group called Revolusolar set up solar panels in the Babilônia favela in 2015, powering a school and nearby homes. Residents were trained to install and maintain the system. Ten years on, this local favela cooperative called Percília and Lúcio is thriving, with 200+ panels delivering reliable, affordable energy to hundreds of people. The model is now also inspiring solar cooperatives across other communities Rio, São Paulo, and the Amazon, putting energy control back into local hands. Full story here.
Follow Revolusolar on Instagram and if you’re based in Brazil, you can support this project directly!
Renewable Rundown Get informed on big numbers, key facts and important news
People from 187 countries
recently shared what they think and feel about the climate crisis, including actions they want from their leaders.
Yale University has released an amazing new tool showing what people in 187 out of 195 countries in the world really think about the climate crisis. Spoiler: No matter where you click, most people believe it’s real, they’re worried about it, and they want their governments to do more.
Understanding public opinion is important because then our leaders make smarter decisions that reflect what we actually need. For example, knowing that most people want stronger climate laws can push governments to act faster.
Dive in and see what people in your country or region are saying about the climate crisis. You can even make a factsheet with the results and share it with friends or colleagues!
Your Power Support us in demanding real climate action
Tell the COP30 President: Make ending fossil fuels a priority!
COP30 President (second from right) attends the largest Indigenous Mobilization demanding an end to the fossil fuels in Brazil, in April 2025. Photo: Kathleen Lei Limayo
Fossil fuels are the biggest driver of climate change. But they’re not on the agenda at the biggest climate talks of the year — COP30 in Brazil. Send a letter now and call for making a coal, oil and gas phase out a priority.
Energize Build your skills to tackle the climate crisis and widen our movement
As we know well by now, most of us around the world are wanting strong climate action.
So let’s talk about it! Let’s break the silence, build momentum, and help people feel part of something bigger. When we show others they’re not alone and that it’s normal to speak up, we can help trigger a tipping point. One that pushes leaders to act fast and shift us to cleaner energy for a better future.
The first step? Starting the conversation. Check out our science-backed tips to make that easier:
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