A MANIFESTO TO

COMBAT GLOBAL HEATING

L.W. / Unsplash
The Environmental Justice This manifesto, deliberately brief, is designed
to point the way and highlight what can and
Foundation Charitable Trust is a should be done to achieve a sustainable,
UK registered charity that believes survivable future, providing a framework
for the system change we urgently need.
we all share a basic human right It borrows generously from existing
to a secure natural environment. solutions and suggestions, from experts and
commentators. We do not claim originality,
quite the opposite: we highlight the best
EJF has teams based in Belgium, proposals already known or developed that
can be brought into operation immediately,
Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, Japan, for both the specific policy recommendations
Liberia, Sierra Leone, South Korea, and the overall framing of the wholescale,
market-wide, global changes that are needed
Taiwan, Thailand and the UK. Our to deliver net-zero carbon and climate justice.
investigators, researchers, filmmakers
Zero-carbon means reducing human-caused
and campaigners work with grassroots greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – such as
partners and environmental those from fossil-fuelled processes,1 including
vehicles, energy generation and factories - to
defenders across the globe. as close to zero as possible. We need an urgent
transition to as many zero-carbon goods and
services as technologically feasible in order to
Our work to secure environmental meet the commitments of the Paris Agreement.
justice aims to protect our global
Net-zero emissions akin to “climate
climate, oceans, forests and wildlife neutrality” means balancing human-caused
and defend basic human rights. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with the
removal of GHGs in a process known as carbon
removal. This can include natural processes
such as photosynthesis and point to the
benefits of protecting and restoring forests
and the ‘blue carbon’ in our oceans. With our
current technological capacity, we may not
be able to fully switch to 100% zero-carbon
economies but we can achieve net-zero carbon
by 2035 by offsetting limited carbon emissions
in certain hard-to-abate sectors through the
use of nature-based solutions for carbon
sequestration. Carbon removal technologies
such as direct air capture and storage (DACS)
may offer some solutions, but have yet to be
tested at scale and should not be viewed as an
alternative to nature-based solutions that are
ejfoundation.org
readily available and economically realistic.
1 Amwell Street, In all instances and all circumstances, the
London, EC1R 1UL use and expansion of nature-based solutions
must be just and equitable and must not
Registered charity be used an alternative or excuse to delay
no. 1088128 the decarbonisation of our economies.
FOREW0RD

GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP

01 A ‘WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT’ APPROACH TO CLIMATE ACTION 2
02 ACTION ON CLIMATE - AN ECONOMIC BENEFIT, NOT A COST 4
03 RENEWABLES: THE ECONOMIC WINNER 8
04 PUTTING A PRICE ON CARBON 10
05 INVESTING IN RENEWABLE ENERGY 13
06 ENERGY AND ZERO-CARBON INNOVATION 14
07 SHIFTING TOWARD A CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND DECREASED CONSUMPTION 15

KEY INDUSTRIAL SECTORS

08 TRANSFORMING TRANSPORT 18
09 CONSTRUCTION - BUILDING FOR CLIMATE MITIGATION 19
10 REGENERATING AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PRODUCTION 21
11 FASHIONING A SURVIVABLE FUTURE – CHANGING OUR CLOTHES 23

CAPTURING CARBON – NATURE HAS THE ANSWERS

12 NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS
• FORESTS 27
• PEATLANDS AND WETLANDS 28
• MANGROVES AND SEAGRASSES 30
• BLUE PLANET SOLUTIONS - OCEANS 31

CLIMATE JUSTICE
13 CLIMATE JUSTICE MUST BE CENTRAL TO OUR ACTIONS
• CLIMATE REFUGEES 34
• INDIGENOUS RIGHTS AND LEADERSHIP 35
• LOSS AND DAMAGE - EQUITY AND ETHICS 37

BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AND FINANCING OUR FUTURE

14 TRANSFORMING BUSINESS 40
15 SAVING FOR OUR FUTURE 42

MAKE CHANGE FOR THE PLANET

16 EVERYONE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY 44

CONCLUSION 47
REFERENCES 49

© EJF
FOREWORD
CLIMATE BREAKDOWN IS
THE ISSUE OF OUR TIME.
IT PRESENTS AN
EXISTENTIAL THREAT
THAT WILL JEOPARDIZE
THE WELL- BEING AND
BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS
OF HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
WHILE DESTROYING OUR
PLANET’S NATURAL
ENVIRONMENTS AND
ELIMINATING SPECIES.

© EJF
WE FACE A CLEAR this decade will bring devastating chaos, characterised by
the collapse of environments and economies; the deaths
AND PRESENT DANGER. of millions and, forced migration of tens of millions more.
Civil conflict and violence will escalate, along with war and
Our climate is changing, and while this is
competition for dwindling resources that can no longer
already harming many today, ultimately it
sustain the human population. Our world will be ravaged.
will harm us all if we do not act now with far
greater energy and ambition to eradicate carbon But it does not have to be this way.
from our economies by 2035 at the latest.
Despite the challenges, it is not too late to act, to roll back
Climate breakdown is the issue of our time. It presents the worst impacts of our heating world. The financial,
an existential threat that jeopardises the well-being technological and logistical capabilities needed for
and basic human rights of hundreds of millions of these solutions already exist, these tools merely need
people in the near-term while destroying our planet’s to be re-directed. What is needed now, above all, is
natural environments and eliminating species. political will and with it, ambitious leadership.
The science is clear: no one of credibility or substance now While government commitments already made to combat
questions it. We are on a pathway to climate catastrophe. climate change are a step in the right direction, they are
The carbon that is already baked into our system will too little and too slow. A net-zero carbon economy must
cause massive devastation, disruption and pain. Emitting be achieved by 2035: the 2050 pledges will fail if we are
more carbon will simply amplify these impacts. to keep to below 2C of heating and protect people and our
The 2019 report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel planet from the worst effects of the climate catastrophe.
on Climate Change (IPCC) spelled out the stark truth The economic rationale to act now is also
­– a 2°C rise would see the loss of virtually all coral reefs; compelling. All too often action to secure and
extreme heatwaves for a third of the planet; ice-free protect our natural environment is classified as a
summers in the Arctic; and dramatic sea-level rise. cost - but in reality, action to combat global heating
Currently, we are on a pathway to 3 degrees of heating. will be the greatest cost saving of all time.
What the report did not spell out was what this means The longer we wait, the higher the cost to our economies.
for humanity. Already at 1°C increase, global heating is The transition to net-zero carbon will require vast sums
a threat multiplier, compounding existing economic, of money but spending now will protect us from the long-
political, social and ecological stresses and inflicting term future costs of climate breakdown. These “costs”
harsh penalties in the poorest communities on our today are an investment in our collective future well-being.
planet. All of these changes are interconnected and
will amplify each other, devastating global biodiversity There will be a direct correlation between the ambition
and making vast areas of our planet uninhabitable. and action delivered today and how many people
and species will be eradicated; how much social
We already live in a world of climate apartheid, one disruption, hunger, and poverty is caused; how large
of astonishing injustice where those who contribute the mass migrations of climate refugees will be; and
the least to our heating planet, its poorest and most how much violence and conflict are experienced.
vulnerable inhabitants, are being affected first and
worst, while the world’s wealthy are still able to avoid Governments must lead the transition to sustainability
the worst consequences of our addiction to carbon. and harness the power of the marketplace and the
energy and ingenuity of business. This transition
Yet the climate crisis will further exacerbate this disparity must take people and society with it, exploding
and these injustices, undoing advances promoting basic the myth that protecting our natural world always
human rights and development, most particularly in the comes at a cost. The cost of inaction is far greater.
world’s poorer countries. At the same time, it will present
a growing threat to global peace.2 While the plight of In combatting these threats we have a clear, common,
wildlife and the natural world must be key to our thinking shared interest. By working together as a global
on climate, we must also place people and justice at the community, we can still avert the most damning impacts,
centre of our action. Failure to do so would not only the gravest injustices and the worst violence. But we must
be unjust and inequitable, it would magnify existing act now. The way is clear and our leaders must show true
challenges and promote new threats that lead to whole- political will and lead – we demand that they do so.
scale climate breakdown. Global heating is the key issue
of environmental justice and it must be viewed through Steve Trent
a human rights lens alongside the environmental one. Founder | Executive Director, EJF
Although our future is already compromised, it is not yet
committed to the worst impacts. But we must be clear that
without a wholescale shift in priorities and action today,
 GOVERNANCE
AND LEADERSHIP
IN ORDER TO KEEP GLOBAL
HEATING BELOW 1.5C, WE NEED
A “WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT”
APPROACH WHICH INTEGRATES
MITIGATING AND ADAPTING TO
GLOBAL HEATING INTO EVERY
POLITICAL PORTFOLIO.

© EJF
1
 GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP
01GOVERNMENT ACTION AND A
‘WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT’ APPROACH
The climate crisis is inherently trans-boundary and global, in scope and scale, and therefore
calls for coordinated international action to achieve net-zero carbon by 2035.

Climate should be at the top of the agenda for every government and international institution.
International action needs to focus on the rule of law, on shared and agreed binding commitments
that are equitable, achievable and enforceable. Multi-lateral and global collaboration is key.

We need a ‘whole of government’ approach which integrates mitigating and adapting to global
heating into every political portfolio and that is led with ambitious vision from heads of government
and the full capacity of executive authorities. Each government department must include and
prioritise action on climate mitigation to remove carbon from all sectors of our economies.

National government targets need to be enshrined in law and supported by the

promulgation of the laws and regulations needed to facilitate delivery.

Governments can and should leverage their unique authority over fiscal and monetary policy to drive
changes in the fundamental architecture of national economies, with special reference to energy production,
manufacturing, food production, construction, transport and trade, as well as for government procurement.

Governments must heavily tax carbon, allocating carbon a high taxable value while removing
all subsidies or indirect incentives for its production and use. The application of large-scale,
system-wide subsidies for renewable energy alongside market-driven incentives must be
employed across all sectors, being driven and amplified by central government policy.

System-wide adoption of rigorously enforced policies for environmental sustainability and the
transitioning toward a circular economy, again supported by fiscal and monetary policy, is necessary.

THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY

Empowering local government to act will be key. While central authorities must lead on designing the
legal, fiscal and financial frameworks and binding targets, alongside international collaboration and
overarching policies to combat global heating, local government will be on the frontline of delivery and
critical to implementation. These institutions must be financed, empowered and enabled to act for and
within their local communities, taking people with them, building trust and minimising opposition.

GOVERNMENT MUST ADDRESS THE WHOLE OF THE ECONOMY IN A UNIFIED WAY

This whole of government approach must be accompanied by a ‘whole-of-the-economy’ perspective and
approach. The most effective approaches to achieving net-zero carbon will require a cross-sectoral, integrated,
whole economy view. Creating individual ghettos for transport, construction, energy production and other
sectors will only create artificial economic and operational barriers to change, while obstructing the clear
local and national planning and joined-up thinking to drive the necessary scope and speed of change.

NAMING AND SHAMING: PEER PRESSURE FOR BEST BEHAVIOURS

Governments must work together to leverage the power of the international stage and the tools of diplomatic
engagement to push for climate action everywhere. One key aspect of this must be ‘naming and shaming’ ‘climate
outlaws’ and holding accountable the leaders and countries that are failing to protect the environment or take
action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect their citizens from the impacts of global heating.

2
 COVID-19 RECOVERY PACKAGES: AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE OUR FUTURE
Governments worldwide have already pledged trillions of dollars in COVID-19 recovery
packages: over US$ 10 trillion has already been earmarked in recovery plans,3 and some experts
estimate that the final amount will total up to US$ 20 trillion,4 all delivered in a relatively
short timeframe. A stimulus package of this size has never been seen in human history: it
dwarfs the packages devised at the end of World War II and the 2008 stock market crash.

How ‘green’ this stimulus package is will determine our carbon pathway for a decade or more.

CLIMATE EXPERTS ESTIMATE THAT US$ 1.4 TRILLION IS

NEEDED PER YEAR FROM 2020 TO 2024 TO INVEST FOR
A PARIS-COMPATIBLE PATHWAY - OR ANNUALLY 10% OF
THE TOTAL STIMULUS PACKAGE COMMITTED TO DATE. 5
We are presented with the opportunity of a millennia: using these funds to drive the transition
to net-zero carbon and the green economy can, quite literally, save our world and our future.

Pixabay
3
 ACTION ON CLIMATE - AN
02

ECONOMIC BENEFIT, NOT A COST

An overarching rejection of the idea that environmental conservation
and climate action are a cost must lead the necessary change.

Accompanying this must be a much deeper, much better-informed understanding

of the multiple economic and social benefits that will arise from the wholescale
switch to a net-zero carbon economy and the effective protection of our natural
environment. Determined action to mitigate against global heating today will
not be a cost, it will be the biggest cost saving of all human history.

Renewable energy is already one of the fastest growing industries in the world: in the US
alone, over 100,000 jobs were created in the sector from 2015 to 2019,6 representing more
than a 25% growth in the renewable energy workforce. These numbers pre-date the Covid-19
pandemic and its accompanying economic recession, but even as global economies took a
nosedive in 2020, the renewables sector bucked the trend and saw record growth of almost
7% in 2020, despite a temporary global decrease in energy demand.7 The International
Energy Agency expects this momentum to continue into 2021, and predicts that renewable
capacity are on track to grow nearly 10%. 8 US President Joe Biden’s climate plan includes an
ambition to create 7 million more jobs in the American renewable energy sector by 2030.9

THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION

PREDICTED THAT ACTIONS TO MEET THE PARIS
AGREEMENT TARGETS WOULD CREATE APPROXIMATELY
18 MILLION NET NEW JOBS GLOBALLY BY 2030. 10
This switch to a net-zero carbon economy must be carried out in a
globally equitable manner, recognising the differences in emissions
and capacity to effect immediate change across the globe.

4
 WORLDS APART: THE IMPACTS
OF RISING GLOBAL TEMPERATURES
Before the start of the Industrial Revolution, humankind had never
known an atmosphere with 300parts per million (ppm) of carbon.

The level of carbon identified by the IPCC as “safe” of 350ppm has been swept away; 400 ppm has passed
and as I write this in early 2021, we stand at 414ppm, with certainty that levels will increase. Atmospheric
carbon will continue to increase, surpassing levels not seen in the past 3 million years, when sea-levels
were around 18 metres (60 feet) higher than they are today. These figures are translating into increased
global temperatures: our planet is already around 1.2 degrees warmer than at any point in human history.

Short of drastic intervention, global heating above pre-industrial levels will reach 1.5°C as early as
2030. This brings with it severe social and ecological consequences for the entire planet, including
increased flood risks, extreme heatwaves, rapid biodiversity decline and sea-level rise.

One of the key points from the most recent IPCC report, states that should heating reach 2°C,
these impacts become significantly worse in both terrestrial and marine environments.

Some of the potential impacts of 2°C compared to 1.5°C include yields of fish and certain
crops declining at twice the rate; the near-complete loss of coral reefs and; a ten-fold increase
in sea ice-free Arctic summers. In addition, at the ‘tipping point’ of 2°C or more of heating,
rising temperatures are expected to set-off processes such as the loss of polar ice and
permafrost, shifts in Amazon and boreal forest. These will make skyrocketing temperatures
self-reinforcing and change parts of the Earth systems dramatically and irreversibly.

The 2020 UN Environment Programme’s Emissions Gap Report states that under our current
emissions trajectory, we are likely to reach at least 3°C of heating by the end of the century. The
world at 3°C would see almost 10% of Earth’s biodiversity threatened with extinction11 and the
disappearance of large parts of key carbon sequestering ecosystems such as the Amazon rainforest
and the frozen tundra of the Arctic Circle. At least 200 million people could be displaced by rising
sea levels,12 and the world could lose approximately 3% of 2100 world GDP, with losses concentrated
in already vulnerable populations and in developing countries in Southeast Asia and Africa.13

Achieving net-zero carbon by 2035 will require massive reductions in emissions across
every part of every sector in society. Simultaneously, it will necessitate investment
to deliver vastly greater supplies of reliable renewable energy and the development
of national grids and distributions networks, electricity storage and associated
infrastructure fit for this purpose. Furthermore, we must seek to also use less energy
and improve the energy efficiency of our grids, homes, and businesses.

BIOFUELS AND NUCLEAR ARE NOT THE ANSWER

Crucially, these changes must be delivered without relying on unsustainable measures.

The rapid growth of truly renewable energy production means that nuclear power can no longer be
justified as a tool to ‘bridge the gap’ as that moment has already arrived.14 Furthermore, the world
cannot rely on biofuels to drive the decarbonisation of our economy, as the cultivation of crops
such as palm oil and sugarcane - that have become the mainstay of the biodiesel industry - drive
deforestation, species declines and food insecurity in many of the world’s irreplaceable habitats.15
In many instances, biofuels are neither carbon neutral nor efficient. For example, while it may be
convenient to describe the process whereby woodchips produced from Canadian old-growth forests,
transported by ships powered using fossil fuels and burned in a UK power-station as ‘carbon neutral’, it
clearly is not, and it represents a hugely inefficient and unsustainable use of energy and resources.

5
 A 2°C RISE* WILL LEAD
TO A TEN-FOLD INCREASE
IN SEA ICE-FREE
ARCTIC SUMMERS...
*(COMPARED TO 1.5 °C)

L.W. / Unsplash

...AT LEAST 200

MILLION PEOPLE
DISPLACED BY
SEA LEVEL RISE

© EJF

...THE NEAR-
COMPLETE
LOSS OF
CORAL REEFS.

© EJF 6
 Wind energy costs US$26-44 per
megawatt hour; the cheapest fossil
fuel, gas combined cycle, costs
US$44-73 per megawatt hour.

Luo Lei / Unsplash

7
 RENEWABLES: THE
03
The patterns are even starker when subsidies are
accounted for: globally, the International Monetary
Fund estimates that fossil fuel subsidies were worth
ECONOMIC WINNER approximately US$4.7tn, or 6.3% of global GDP in
2015 comprising direct payments and the economic
The first, fundamental action will be to end all cost of permission to pollute freely.18 Remove these
new fossil fuel extraction (oil, gas, coal) and subsidies and the transparent market cost of fossil
rapidly phase-out existing production. fuels would rapidly surge higher: removing these
subsidies with pace and purpose would clear many
To do this, adequate support and credible alternative of the existing obstacles to a renewable future.
livelihood options must be provided to the communities
dependent on these extractive industries. Central
to this should be re-employment in a rapidly and
massively expanded renewables industry (wind, solar,
tidal and wave power and the tech innovations – such
100% RENEWABLE ENERGY IS
as battery tech - to support and expand them) and POSSIBLE, AND WE CAN GET
the creation of an infrastructure fit-for-purpose to
support energy generation and efficient distribution. THERE WELL BEFORE 2050
Support to affected communities to invest in and USING THE TECHNOLOGY WE
benefit from local renewable energy projects
can help ‘level-up’ economically-disadvantaged
ALREADY HAVE, BUT ONLY IF
areas, providing decentralised, community-
owned low-cost and sustainable energy.
GOVERNMENTS DEMONSTRATE
The sums add up. The cost of generating electricity
THE POLITICAL COURAGE AND
from sustainable energy continues to drop sharply, LEADERSHIP TO MAKE THE LEAP.19
outperforming conventional generation in many
cases, as Lazard’s Levelized Cost of Energy Analysis
shows.16 Building unsubsidised wind and solar power
is now cheaper than running already built fossil
and nuclear facilities in most cases.17 For example,
wind energy costs US$26-$44 per megawatt hour,
whereas the cheapest fossil fuel, gas combined
cycle, costs US$44-73 per megawatt hour.

8
 FOSSIL FUEL SUBSIDIES WERE
WORTH APPROXIMATELY
US$4.7TN, OR 6.3% OF
GLOBAL GDP IN 2015

Dominik Vanyi / Unsplash

9
 PUTTING A PRICE
04
Carbon taxes must be weighted such that they are
applied fairly, without a disproportionate burden on
the less wealthy. In some proposals, such as those from
ON CARBON economists in the USA, these carbon taxes could be
directly returned to citizens through equal rebates so
Uniquely, governments and central banks control that ”the majority of American families, including the
fiscal policy and either control or have wide-ranging most vulnerable, will benefit financially by receiving
influence over monetary policy and therein lies their more in ‘carbon dividends’ than they pay in increased
best tools and the most obvious action for change. energy prices”. 22 Such taxes would help to correct
the market failures driving the climate crisis and
Key to reaching net-zero carbon will be the engagement help steer the economy toward a net-zero future.
of both fiscal (taxes on carbon and subsidies and
support to net-zero) and monetary tools to their fullest It is important to note that introducing taxes at
extent to provide the liquidity in the economy to ensure the EU level requires unanimity. The most useful
and enable the adoption of net-zero pathways. For additional tool is legislation, such as banning imports
example, look no further than the Covid-19 stimulus of agricultural commodities grown on recently
packages being released across the world. Put simply, deforested land, or mandatory due diligence on
tax carbon heavily and give carbon a price while environmental damage for companies importing
simultaneously applying substantial tax incentives and to the EU.23 These legislative approaches should
direct subsidies to the expansion of renewable energy be introduced immediately, starting the process
and associated storage facilities. Governments can that an effective carbon tax will continue.
also aggressively invest in research and development
of new technologies and the means to further reduce HIGH VALUES TO CARBON PRICING
costs and increase efficiency in renewables
Fossil fuels – with heavy reliance on subsidies for
production - represent a significant market failure.
CARBON EMISSION TAXES Their cost does not reflect the environmental damage
One strong option is the use of carbon emission they cause, in terms of the climate crisis or air and
taxes which can be phased in (increasing every water pollution amongst other impacts. If they
year) until 2035 when net-zero carbon is achieved. were priced to take these factors into account, they
These would include ‘carbon border pricing’ taxes, would cost substantially more. Governments must
where a tax is levied on imports from outside the put a price on carbon that reflects its costs to our
country or bloc from high emitting countries with planet. By immediately setting a high benchmark
less stringent climate policies. This type of policy is cost for carbon – starting at at least US$100 per
currently under consultation in the EU for a range of tonne and rising over the next 5 years according
sectors from cement to textiles. Carbon border pricing to the pace of change in carbon reduction – and
avoids the risk of the environmental and human setting total carbon market caps for each geography,
injustice of ‘carbon leakage’, where EU companies and we can take decisive action to curb greenhouse gas
individuals simply shift the emissions resulting from emissions and keep to the 1.5°C target. Carbon pricing
commodity production to an area outside the EU.20 combined with strong incentives for renewable
energy are mutually reinforcing, and will magnify
Such fiscal incentives would drive both large-scale the environmental and economic benefits of both.
low-carbon infrastructure development and new
technological innovation, along with the switch to
zero-carbon and carbon neutral goods and services.

These taxes can be made revenue neutral to avoid

debate about the size and reach of government.
When designing carbon tax policies, the full range
of social and economic benefits should be included
in their analysis; for example, less burning of fossil
fuels in and around current pollution hotspots
such as London will reduce the burden on health
services of treating respiratory illnesses.21

10
 CLIMATE FINANCE: PUBLIC FOSSIL FUELS ARE FAILING
SPENDING FOR PUBLIC GOOD FAST – DISCLOSURE IS KEY:
Another unique aspect of government power is public Once momentum towards a carbon neutral economy
financing. Conversations on climate finance often is fully underway, investments worth between 1 and 4
focus on the role of private sector investments in trillion US dollars in fossil fuels alone – coal mines, oil
propping up our fossil fuel fixation, yet government wells, and other extraction and transport facilities and
and intergovernmental fiscal policy has immense infrastructure – together with the power stations, and
potential to accelerate decarbonisation and conventional vehicles that rely upon them – will lose
promote nature-based solutions and conservation value.33 Fossil fuel reserves and production facilities
interventions to halt climate change. will be ‘stranded assets’, unable to make a profit.34

Public spending comes from taxpayer contributions: Disclosure will be critical to the transition to net-zero
it is logically and morally imperative that public carbon. Governments must make it a mandatory
money is spent on protecting our planet and requirement for companies over a given size to
people from the impacts of global heating. Public disclose their carbon use and climate risk. This type
investment and procurement of goods and services of regulation can and must be implemented with
can prioritise zero carbon and carbon neutral options, immediate effect and incorporate punitive sanctions for
and prompt innovation, research and development violators and for major carbon polluters (see page 41).
and level the playing field to better achieve net-
zero carbon outcomes, for example by supporting By acting now, governments can replace the
energy efficiencies in homes and public transport to ‘carbon bubble’ with a new sustainable global
reduce car use. To put this opportunity in context, economy that will provide livelihoods and energy
government expenditure on works, goods and services for generations to come, in a manner which takes
represent around 19% of EU GDP, accounting for historic emissions into account and provides fair
roughly US$2.78 trillion (EUR 2.3 trillion) annually.24 national carbon budgets for each country.35

Public climate finance must be a priority whether Governments must use the opportunity
the money spent comes from today’s taxes or is for a Covid-19 recovery which prioritises
borrowed against future GDP. With the economic crisis massive investment in renewable energy,
posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the governments including R&D and green job creation.
and multilateral institutions which govern our Governments also have the opportunity to provide
global fiscal systems have a critical opportunity to a fair and equitable transition away from fossil
transform public finance into a force for good. fuels, providing support and retraining not only for
Examples of this include payment for ecosystem individuals currently working directly in the fossil
services models,25 or debt for nature swaps26 that fuel industries but also for those in sectors dependent
can incentivize countries to protect key ecosystems. on the status quo of the energy economy.36 This
Other experimental climate finance tools that have lasting prosperity is what we should be aiming for.
been proposed include positive conditionalities for
sovereign debt restructuring as a way to jumpstart
nature-based solutions,27 and the introduction of
GOVERNMENTS HAVE THE
nature performance bonds into sovereign debt OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE
markets as a way to account for and value natural
capital.28 However, it must be strongly caveated A FAIR AND EQUITABLE
that any conservation-aimed finance tools must
be designed and implemented with the full
TRANSITION AWAY
engagement and free prior and informed consent FROM FOSSIL FUELS.
of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in
such a way that respects their rights and avoids
further marginalising vulnerable groups.29

Finally, public development banks30 that use taxpayer

money to invest in development projects worldwide
must perform an environmental stress test across
their whole balance sheet every year and publish the
results, in order to ensure that public financing has a
net positive impact for people, climate and nature.31 32

11
 Disclosure will be critical
to the transition to net-zero
carbon economies.

Kouji Tsuru / Unsplash

12
 05

INVESTING IN
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Large scale direct investment by government
should be matched with powerful fiscal
incentives – including large-scale, system-wide
direct subsidies – for renewable energy.

These will strengthen and drive further

increases in renewable energy markets, while
simultaneously operating as a key employment
alternative for carbon-based industries as they
lose viability and are rapidly decommissioned.

Expert estimates range from US$800 billion to

$3.5 trillion per year needed by 2050 in order to
ensure a climate-safe future;37 38 in the short term,
the figure of US$ 1.4 trillion every year from 2020
to 2024 has been proposed to set countries on
track for 2030 emissions reductions targets.39 For
comparison, the global value of the stock market
trades in 2019 alone was over US$60 trillion.40

EXPERT ESTIMATES RANGE

FROM US$800 BILLION
TO $3.5 TRILLION PER
YEAR NEEDED BY 2050
IN ORDER TO ENSURE A
CLIMATE-SAFE FUTURE.

Abbie Trayler-Smith / Panos Pictures

13
06 ENERGY AND ZERO-CARBON INNOVATION
Along with a wholesale shift to renewable energy, governments can also drive
energy independence and sustainability by supporting smaller scale and micro-
generation, bringing huge benefits to poorer sections of society.

770 million people worldwide still lack access to electricity,41 and Sustainable Development Goal 7 calls for
access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for all by 2030 – achieving this goal in conjunction
with net-zero carbon is critical to a climate justice approach. Innovations in community-led energy
generation through the rollout of renewable microgrids and peer-to-peer energy trading would not only
reduce carbon footprints but would also generate new income streams and reduce poverty. Community-
level solutions can be implemented anywhere from high-density urban neighbourhoods to isolated
least-developed communities that have never had consistent, affordable access to energy and that have
historically relied on unsafe fuels such as kerosene.42 43 Furthermore, locally generated energy bypasses
the need for expensive energy infrastructure, accelerating our transition to carbon neutrality.

Governments must take the lead in supporting innovative community-level energy systems as
a tool for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and mitigating global heating.

In the UK, switching to more flexible, efficient energy systems such as solar microgrid could save
between US$23.2 - 54.75 billion (£17-40 billion) cumulatively by 2050,44 while national microgrid
strategies in Small Island Developing states such as St. Vincent and the Grenadines have put entire
countries on the path to eliminating their dependence on fossil fuels for electricity access.45

770 MILLION PEOPLE

WORLDWIDE LACK ACCESS TO
ELECTRICITY. INNOVATIONS
IN COMMUNITY-LED ENERGY
GENERATION WILL NOT
ONLY REDUCE CARBON
EMISSIONS, THEY WILL ALSO
HELP REDUCE POVERTY.

Teresa Cotrim / Pixabay

14
 SHIFTING TOWARD A
07
If we continue our business as usual, take-make-waste
economy, by 2050 we could require three planet Earths
to supply our current economic model and lifestyles.48
CIRCULAR ECONOMY We urgently need to transition to a circular model,

AND DECREASED where our economies are designed, our products

made, and our consumption aligned within planetary
boundaries. The circular economy is a model of
CONSUMPTION production and consumption that involves sharing,
repairing, and recycling existing materials and
Global consumption of materials such as biomass products as long as possible.49 Circularity seeks to
and biofuels, fossil fuels, metals and minerals is ‘design out’ waste and pollution and regenerate
expected to double in the next forty years,46 while the Earth’s natural systems. Priority industries that
annual waste generation is projected to increase could dramatically reduce their environmental
from 2.01 to 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050.47 footprint through a switch to circular models include
electronics, textiles, furniture, chemicals, and
Our linear economic model is built on never- construction products such as steel and cement.
ending resource extraction to meet our
bottomless consumption - and it is directly
responsible for climate breakdown.

BY 2050 WE COULD
REQUIRE THREE PLANET
EARTHS TO SUPPLY OUR
CURRENT ECONOMIC
MODEL AND LIFESTYLES.

StressedTechnician / Flickr
15
GOVERNMENTS MUST SET AMBITIOUS TARGETS
The transition to a fully circular economy is possible, but
we need ambitious public leadership to make it happen.

Phase out single-use or

virgin materials, and
certain environmentally
harmful manufacturing
processes;

Improve national
recycling capacity and
waste management
Reduce the quantity and
practices; and
variety of materials used
for specific products
such as packaging;

Improve product
durability,
reusability, Reward products based
upgradability and on their sustainability
repairability; performance, including by
linking high performance
levels to incentives.50

One way governments can reward circularity in the private sector is by leveraging the force of public
procurement. In the EU for example, public purchasing power accounts for 14% of GDP: committing
government procurement to 100% environmentally-conscious materials and circular production will
have a substantial impact.51

Finally, governments must take steps to facilitate consumer adoption of the circular economy ethos by
countering greenwashing and ensuring reliable consumer information and promoting the ‘right to repair’.

The transition to a circular economy will not only protect our planet. It will also support
a more equitable future for all people and fight poverty by placing human well
-being and planet - not profit - at the centre of our economic models.52

© EJF Hans Braxmeier / Pixabay Themepap / Flickr RitaE / Pixabay Jenny Patterson / Jenny Eva Design
16
 KEY
INDUSTRIAL
SECTORS
MARITIME SHIPPING ACCOUNTS
FOR 2.89% OF GLOBAL
GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS, YET
MARITIME FUEL IS NOT TAXED.

Ian Taylor / Unsplash

17
 KEY INDUSTRIAL SECTORS
TRANSFORMING
08
networks of rapid charging points for electrical
vehicles needed for a low-carbon transport network.

TRANSPORT The environmental impact of flying is not currently

accounted for in the low cost of air travel, nor are
airlines sufficiently mitigating their substantial
Transport accounted for 27% of the EU’s greenhouse role in climate breakdown. Global aviation
gas emissions in 2017.53 It must be radically emissions are forecast to increase dramatically to
overhauled to put people and planet first. the year 2040.60 The majority of flights are taken
At the national scale, infrastructure should focus by a small handful of people,61 presenting a clear
on low and zero carbon public transport, employing opportunity for a progressive frequent flyer tax to
powerful incentives to drive people away from their disincentivise all but the most necessary air travel
private cars and onto zero and low carbon public and fund projects to bring the industry to net zero.
systems. Local authorities should be given the power Another opportunity to control aviation emissions
and money to create bespoke, joined-up transport is by taxing kerosene fuel, currently not taxed in
systems suited to their geographies and constituencies. many countries including the UK and the EU.62 63
Urban centres must be designed primarily for Estimates show that charging 33 cents on each litre
walking and cycling, whilst providing sufficient of kerosene could raise approximately US$32.3
alternatives for those unable to use these options. billion (€27 billion) a year in the EU alone64 and a
levy such as this could be hypothecated and used to
CURRENTLY, PASSENGER fund low and zero carbon solutions in transport.

CARS ACCOUNT FOR NEARLY Maritime fuel is also not taxed, yet maritime shipping
accounts for 2.89% of global greenhouse emission,65
A QUARTER OF GLOBAL and 13% of the EU’s transport-related emissions in
2015.66 The International Maritime Organisation (IMO)
OIL DEMAND.54 predicts that under a business-as-usual approach,
Consumer preference globally has trended towards maritime shipping emissions could rise between
high emissions vehicles like SUVs, which doubled 50 to 250% by 2050.67 Factoring in the carbon cost
their global market share in the past decade.55 of maritime shipping through fuel taxes is one way
Annual emissions from SUVs rose to over 700 million to accelerate reducing the climate footprint of the
tonnes56 a figure greater than the sum of the UK and international shipping sector. Technical and operational
the Netherland’s combined yearly emissions.57 58 reforms such as slow steaming, weather routing, and
However, some projections show a tenfold increase in efficiency devices can further reduce emissions. The
electric vehicle sales, up from 2 million in 2018 to 20 IMO has set a target of reducing emissions by 70% by
million cars a year by 203059 and governments must 2050,68 but this is too little, too late: the international
encourage this shift alongside the shift to credible, shipping sector must be carbon neutral by 2035 as part
user-friendly low or zero carbon public transport. of a full-scale transformation to net-zero carbon.

Plans to ban sales of petrol and diesel cars and As well as cutting emissions, governments must
congestion taxes on high emissions vehicles are a start, also concentrate on reducing the cost of low or zero
but positive incentives are needed as well. Policies carbon public transport to users. In some cases, this
regarding private vehicles must drive innovation could mean making it free of charge to encourage
and invest in infrastructure, such as new solutions usage and optimise social as well as environmental
for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and the national benefits, as is already happening in Luxembourg.

© EJF
18
 09CONSTRUCTION In addition, governments must set robust regulations
to encourage best-in-class environmental standards
for private sector construction. A substantial amount
– BUILDING FOR of energy could be saved if houses were built to the
highest standard of efficiency. High standards and

CLIMATE MITIGATION inspections for new buildings must be rolled out, but
equally importantly, there must be policy support
and incentives for retrofitting in older houses, which
Construction is a major global contributor to will make up the majority of housing stock.73
greenhouse gas emissions: construction accounts
for 11% of global emissions through the sector’s Homes should be built of low-carbon, recycled and
embodied carbon,69 in other words, the carbon local building materials, heated using low-carbon
associated with the materials and construction energy sources, and lit with energy-efficient lighting
processes to build and maintain buildings. – maximising the use of natural light through design.
Solar panels and improved water efficiency should be
In some countries, a ‘construction fever’ has pushed standard, with design and planning taking into account
sector emissions even higher, such as in China where green spaces and provision for pedestrians, cyclists,
construction represents almost 20% of their carbon public transport users and electric vehicle owners.
footprint.70 In the UK , almost 50 million tonnes of CO2
are embedded through new construction every year.71 Policies to foster innovation in the building trade to
develop low-carbon materials should be implemented.
The first and most important step is to make it a legal The development of new materials such as low-
requirement that governments critically evaluate carbon concrete has not been matched by uptake;
any proposed government-funded construction increasingly, the materials exist but they are not
project for its climate impact before making a being used. Governments have a role to play in
decision on whether approval is granted, similar to kickstarting demand for low-carbon construction
existing approaches for the financial justification materials, as well as in continuing to encourage
of large projects. This would include the cost of further decarbonisation of construction.74 Policies
mitigation for any unavoidable emissions in the such as the UK government’s approach that the
construction and functioning of the development in concrete used for London’s Crossrail project should
question. For example, carbon taxes for every flight have a minimum of 50% cement replacement are a
in Britain would have to be increased significantly to small step in the right direction75 but initiatives such
compensate for the building of additional runways as this need national and regional scaling up and and
at existing airports72 – beyond the already required must be reinforced by regulatory requirements.
increases to offset the flights themselves. Failing to
account for these externalities into the assessment
of construction work is a dereliction of duty.

CONSTRUCTION
ACCOUNTS FOR
11% OF GLOBAL
EMISSIONS.

Ivan Bandura / Unsplash

19
 IN CHINA,
CONSTRUCTION
REPRESENTS
ALMOST 20% OF
THE NATIONAL
CARBON FOOTPRINT

Matt Vivier / Pixabay

20
 REGENERATING AGRICULTURE
10

AND FOOD PRODUCTION

In 2016, the world’s top 20 meat and dairy companies emitted more greenhouse
gases than the whole of Germany, Europe’s biggest climate polluter.76 Agriculture
is the biggest contributor to biodiversity loss worldwide.77

The meat and dairy sector is among the biggest emitters of the greenhouse gases, and cattle ranching
drives more deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon than every other commodity combined.78

Reforming our food production systems is critical to stopping global heating. Governments have
a role to play in designing ambitious policies that encourage biodiversity-friendly, organic and
mixed-use landscape approaches to agricultural management,79 and balance ecosystem restoration
with the need to provide affordable, readily-available, healthy and nutritious food for all.

The issues of land tenure, justice, and environmental protection are all intimately linked. The
largest 1% of farming companies own or operate more than 70% of the Earth’s farms and pastures,
and this inequality has been worsening since the 1980s:80 This pattern of ownership is not only
profoundly unjust and inequitable, it jeopardizes rural livelihoods and has driven unsustainable
agricultural practices such as intensive monocultures and widespread deforestation.

It is not just a question of how food is produced, but also of what people are eating. The
UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimates 14.5% of the world’s greenhouse gas
emissions come from the livestock sector.81 Switching to a vegetarian diet could save 0.8
tonnes of CO2 (or the equivalent in other greenhouse gases) per person every year.82

The promotion and adoption of low-carbon diets is central and governments must lead in the
production and dissemination of easily-accessible information promoting the health benefits of
low-meat and vegetarian diets. Requiring the labelling of food products to indicate their embedded
environmental footprint is one way in which governments can encourage planet-healthy eating.83

SWITCHING TO A
VEGETARIAN DIET
COULD SAVE 0.8
TONNES OF CO2* PER
PERSON EVERY YEAR.
(OR THE EQUIVALENT IN OTHER
GREENHOUSE GASES)
© Daniel Beltrá / Greenpeace
21
 IF CURRENT TRENDS
CONTINUE, FOOD
WASTE COULD RISE TO
2.1 BILLION TONNES
ANNUALLY - TEN
TIMES THE MASS
OF THE ISLAND OF
MANHATTAN - WORTH 84a
$1.5 TRILLION.

© Murasmelania

As with other sectors, it is vital that the true cost, Action is urgently needed to reduce food waste,
including the carbon cost, is paid upfront and here including technical capacity such as improved
again, the potential for progressive carbon emissions harvesting techniques and storage practices, and
taxes is manifest. Taxes on plastic bags and sugary addressing consumer behaviours through education
drinks have shown that government action can campaigns. Governments have a role to play by
influence consumer behaviours that threaten investing in food infrastructure and regulating
individual health and the planet.84 Governments food production practices in order to decrease the
must therefore implement climate taxes on emission- carbon footprint of food waste and abolish hunger.
heavy foods such as red meat and dairy to push
producers to reduce their environmental impacts. Even within the most damaging food production
sectors – beef and farmed crustaceans – the majority
Another critical element in reforming food of carbon emissions come from a small handful of
production is tackling the issue of food waste. all producers.87 As with so many of the issues in
this manifesto, driving change in the minority of
25-30% OF ALL FOOD PRODUCED companies who produce the majority of pollution
would be the first priority of any environmentally
WORLDWIDE ENDS UP BEING sustainable government policy framework.
LOST OR WASTED, ACCOUNTING
FOR AS MUCH AS 10% OF GLOBAL
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, 85
IN A WORLD WHERE OVER 800
MILLION PEOPLE GO HUNGRY. 86
22
 11FASHIONING A SURVIVABLE FUTURE
– CHANGING OUR CLOTHES
ELLEN MACARTHUR • AN ESTIMATED US$ 500 BILLION VALUE IS
FOUNDATION FOUND THAT: LOST EVERY YEAR DUE TO CLOTHING BEING
BARELY WORN AND RARELY RECYCLED.
EVERY SECOND,
• IF NOTHING CHANGES, BY 2050 THE FASHION
THE EQUIVALENT OF INDUSTRY WILL USE UP A QUARTER OF
ONE GARBAGE TRUCK OF THE WORLD’S CARBON BUDGET.

DISCARDED TEXTILES ENTERS • WASHING CLOTHES RELEASES HALF A MILLION TONNES

OF PLASTIC MICROFIBRES INTO THE OCEAN EVERY YEAR,
LANDFILL OR IS INCINERATED. EQUIVALENT TO MORE THAN 50 BILLION PLASTIC BOTTLES.88
© Mykola Sirenko

Clothing production, retail and use There’s a growing trend for viscose fibre, but that, too,
play a significant role in global heating. is problematic: 150 million trees are felled annually
to produce the wood pulp required to manufacture
It takes between 15 and 35 tonnes of CO2 to viscose.97 Globally more than 56 million hectares
manufacture a tonne of textiles,89 depending on of forest has been lost in only the last fifteen years,
the fabric, compared with just one tonne of CO2 contributing significantly to global heating.
to produce a tonne of paper. Overall, the textile
industry pumps between 1.22 and 2.93 billion A switch to organic cotton is crucial part of the
tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every year.90 solution. The annual savings of 96.2 million tonnes
of CO2 offered by this sustainable cultivation is the
As both textile production and consumption are equivalent of driving an average car around the world
increasing drastically, the problem is poised to get 14,112 times.98 As well as eliminating the need for toxic
worse. Since 1975, the global production of textiles pesticides, the annual water savings from organic
has almost tripled. Europeans now consume an cotton farming are the equivalent to 95,000 Olympic-
average 31 kg of textiles per person every year.91 sized swimming pools.99 Much more could be saved if
Cheap ‘fast fashion’ as part of our ‘throwaway culture’ organic cotton became a larger part of market share.
has contributed to a hugely wasteful sector and
growing impact on our climate. Almost 60% of all Governments must incentivise and encourage
clothing produced is disposed of within a year of sustainable and ethical fashion and clothing,
production ending in landfill or incineration.92 using fiscal and regulatory measures to support
organic cotton production while discouraging
Cotton, despite being a natural crop, is not the answer. the highly damaging environmental impacts of
Globally, ‘conventional cotton’ accounts for 220 million conventional cotton production and other textiles.
tonnes of CO2 every year and uses 8.2 million tonnes
of pesticides and synthetic fertilisers.93 It is also a Fashion producers and retailers must commit
thirsty crop, using 233 billion cubic metres a year, the to ambitious, time-bound targets for replacing
same as 238 bathtubs of water per person per year.94 high-emission textiles in their supply chains with
alternative, low-climate impact materials such as
Other fibres are no better: it requires around 342 organic cotton as well as innovations for up-cycling
million barrels of oil every year to meet demand and recycling. The fashion industry must also reckon
for plastic-based fibres.95 The disintegration of with the upcoming transition to a circular economy,
synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon and acrylic and rethink how to design and consume clothing for
is responsible for between 20 and 35% of all circularity: for example, retail outlets should offer in-
microplastics in the marine environment.96 store textile recycling and incentives for consumers.

23
 ‘CONVENTIONAL COTTON’
ACCOUNTS FOR 220
MILLION TONNES OF
CO2 EVERY YEAR

© EJF
24
 CAPTURING
CARBON
NATURE HAS
THE ANSWERS

25
 CAPTURING CARBON
Forests, oceans, wetlands, biodiversity, climate – these planning. Human rights and environmental protection
are all critical pieces of the environmental jigsaw. are allies in the future of the planet. Under our
current regime of exploitation and expansion, we
A failure to prevent climate breakdown will result in are on track to disrupting or destroying 90% of the
the failure of all conservation missions across species Earth’s natural habitats, which would decrease by
and ecosystems. But the protection and restoration half the number of species that can be sustained
of ecosystems are also fundamental in successfully on our planet.100 By setting aside at least 50% of
combatting global heating. Nature-based solutions offer Earth’s surface, with special emphasis on the most
us a lifeline in the fight to stop climate catastrophe. ecologically important habitats on land and sea, we
EJF calls for 50% of the Earth to be conserved for nature. can ensure the protection of at least 85% of our planet’s
Esteemed biologist E.O. Wilson makes a convincing biodiversity and prevent the mass extinction which
case that in order to protect the biodiversity and science has repeatedly warned us of.101 Acting boldly
natural systems critical to the health of our planet on biodiversity must be central to our climate action.
and our climate, we must set aside at least half of the
Earth’s surface for the preservation of key ecosystems,
whilst ensuring the full protection and traditional EJF CALLS FOR
usage rights of Indigenous peoples. Conservation of
the Earth’s biodiversity and natural habitats must
50% OF THE EARTH
be viewed as a life support for Indigenous peoples
rather than as competition with it and indigenous
TO BE CONSERVED
voices must be heard and acted upon in conservation FOR NATURE.

© EJF
26
 NATURE-BASED
12
monoculture plantations. One particularly strong
reason for this is that over the same area, natural forests
store an average 40 times the carbon of plantations.105
SOLUTIONS Rewilding - the restoration and protection of
existing species and reintroducing those that have
been extirpated (made locally extinct) also has
FORESTS significant carbon benefits and is a core foundation
‘Nature-based solutions’ to climate change are to any natural solutions approach. The more
those relating to the living world – such as forests, biodiverse a given area is, the more able it is to
peatlands, wetlands and more – that provide a vital withstand external shocks that would damage or
tool in the fight against climate breakdown. demolish a less resilient ecosystem, and so keep the
carbon stored and out of the atmosphere.106 107
Forests are the among the best solutions to global
heating, and changes to our land use, agriculture and This prominent role for wildlife and for natural
forestry practices globally could take us around 37% of forests means that projects to protect or expand
the way to keeping warming below catastrophic levels.102 forests through initiatives like REDD+ must be
cautiously evaluated. While some specific REDD+
Preservation of old-growth forest and replanting projects been successful in saving forests from
native woodland species should be on the agenda being cut down, question marks remain over:
for every government and not least wealthy nations
such as EU Member States. Forests provide not • the risk of double counting,108 where both
only carbon storage but water filtration, flooding the buyer of the credits and the country containing
and erosion prevention, medicines, air purification the forest count the carbon against their targets;
and soil retention, habitats for wildlife and health • the danger of REDD credits being
benefits to people, and much more besides.103 used to finance plantations;
The good news is that doubling tree cover can • the clear potential for the abuse of local and
be achieved with little or even no effect on food Indigenous communities, undermining their rights
production, by prioritising land that is low-quality with centralised decisions made over their land and
farmland but perfect for woods and forests their future.
and their associated benefits to flourish.104
Finally, to ensure that restoration and preservation
projects are not squeezed for space by commercial
IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO enterprises, governments must ban biofuels
made from food crops and end the use of woody
SIMPLY HAVE MORE TREES. biomass for energy, unless it can be proved
Reforestation must restore natural forests and that it is genuinely a waste product.
regenerate the rich biodiversity found in their natural
state, rather than lining up further barren industrial

CHANGES TO OUR LAND USE,

AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY
PRACTICES GLOBALLY WOULD
TAKE US AROUND 37% OF THE
WAY TO KEEPING WARMING
BELOW CATASTROPHIC LEVELS.
© EJF
27
PEATLANDS AND WETLANDS
Peatlands - while covering only 3% of the Earth’s
landmass - are second only to oceans as natural
carbon stocks, storing more carbon than all other
terrestrial vegetation types combined.109

Peatland landscapes are varied – from blanket

bog landscapes in Ireland and Scotland to swamp
forests in Southeast Asia and the world’s largest
tropical peatland discovered beneath the forests
of the Congo Basin in 2017.110 These habitats
also provide a host of other benefits such as
water purification and flood prevention.111

Another clear reason to protect peatlands is that when

degraded they release methane – a greenhouse gas
with a heating effect roughly 30 times that of CO2,
which will further accelerate climate breakdown.112
Damaged peatlands annually release almost 6%
of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions.113 Around
15% of the world’s peatlands have been drained.114
DAMAGED
PEATLANDS
Peatland is under threat by a range of anthropogenic
activities including expansion of agriculture – such
as palm oil plantations in Indonesia; logging and

ANNUALLY
drainage; and from the continued mining of peat
for horticultural use. In 2019, 2.1 million cubic
metres of peat were used as growing media in

RELEASE ALMOST
the UK horticulture sector, including by amateur
gardeners;115 with affordable alternatives available,
there must be a swift move to peat-free growing.

Governments must also immediately require an end

to the burning of peatland for any reason whatsoever,
be that to clear it for palm oil plantations in Asia or
6% OF GLOBAL
for grouse shooting in the UK. Clear, comprehensive
and well-enforced regulation is needed to protect
carbon- and wildlife-rich peatlands from any further
ANTHROPOGENIC
destruction, alongside action to promote restoration.
CO2 EMISSIONS.
Wetlands and rivers are the third key part
of the natural solutions approach.

They are some of the most carbon-dense ecosystems

on the planet, but risk being converted into carbon
sources rather than sinks through mismanagement
and destruction.116 They also offer a number of
benefits to help mitigate against the parts of the
climate crisis which are already ‘locked in’ – shielding
coastal communities from storm surges and rising
sea levels, for example, and providing sources of fish
to buffer against climate-driven food shortages.

© EJF
28
 MANGROVE FORESTS
CAN STORE UP TO FOUR
TIMES MORE CARBON
PER HECTARE THAN
TROPICAL RAINFORESTS.

© EJF
29
MANGROVES AND SEAGRASSES
Alongside the importance of forests and wetlands, ‘blue carbon’ stored in coastal and marine
ecosystems is a critical element of a nature-based intervention plan for fighting global heating.

Mangrove forests that line the coastlines of tropical and subtropical countries across the globe can store up
to four times more carbon per hectare than terrestrial tropical rainforests.117 Mangroves are also home to rich
biodiversity, providing critical food sources and protection from extreme weather for coastal communities.

But mangroves are being deforested at a rate of 1-2% per year,118 threatening the livelihoods of the more than
100 million people who live within 10 kilometres from large mangrove forests.119 Unsustainable shrimp
farming is one of the biggest drivers of mangrove destruction: up to 62% of the losses in mangrove area from
2000-2016 were driven by land use change, primarily from aquacultural and agricultural expansion.120

Scientists estimate that global seagrass meadows may store up to 19.5 gigatonnes of carbon.121
Alongside their carbon storage function, seagrass meadows transform their surroundings by
slowing wave energy, improving water quality and clarity, and stabilizing the seafloor.

By tempering ‘outside forces’, they provide food and shelter for fish, birds, marine mammals, reptiles and a
host of other species, including iconic species such as seahorses, sea turtles and the dugong and manatee.
Seagrass plays a critical role as breeding grounds and nurseries that underpin healthy fish populations .

The loss of seagrass meadows therefore jeopardizes not only the ecosystem, but livelihoods and food
security for coastal communities.122 Seagrass meadows globally are threatened by urban, industrial, and
agricultural runoff, infrastructure development, and seabed dredging by fishing boats.123 At the current
rate of degradation, seagrass loss is emitting more than 300 million tonnes of carbon every year.124

Coastal states must urgently prioritise the conservation of and restoration of mangrove and
seagrass ecosystems as part of their Paris Agreement targets. This includes decisive actions to
designate, protect and replant mangrove forests and seagrass meadows, beginning in low-lying
areas where local communities are at increased risk from extreme weather events, sea level rise and
coastal erosion. Governments must also establish moratoria on shrimp farming and agricultural
expansion in mangrove areas, ban destructive fishing practices like dredging, and better manage
waste flows to prevent toxic run-off from poisoning these critical stores of ‘blue carbon’.

GLOBAL SEAGRASS
MEADOWS MAY STORE
UP TO 19.5 GIGATONNES
OF CARBON.

© EJF
30
 BLUE PLANET SOLUTIONS - OCEANS Furthermore, the migratory patterns and feeding habits
of whales create what experts call the ‘whale pump’,
Along with terrestrial and coastal ecosystems, the which distributes nutrients throughout the surface of
ocean is a crucial part of the climate system. the ocean and feeds the growth of phytoplankton.131
Phytoplankton produces an estimated 50% of the
Our planet has a ‘blue beating heart’ – we must Earth’s oxygen by capturing and photosynthesizing
protect it, if we are to combat global heating. 37 billion tonnes of carbon annually – the equivalent
The world’s ocean absorbs up to 30% of the CO2 of four Amazon rainforests every single year.132 But
emissions humans produce,125 and store 50 times centuries of human exploitation for their meat and
more CO2 than the atmosphere.126 It has taken blubber have reduced great whale populations to
in over 90% of the excess heat caused by the 25% of their pre-industrial numbers. Marine life
worsening greenhouse effect since the 1970s,127 is increasingly threatened by pollution including
equating to approximately a nuclear bomb’s worth excessive amounts of plastic waste entering our
of heat every second for the past 150 years.128 oceans that is ingested or entangles wildlife; oil
and gas development; and overfishing; alongside
As levels of CO2 continue to rise sharply, the ocean the warming and acidification of the ocean.133
is becoming more acidic. As it acidifies, its capacity
to act as a carbon sink falls. Protecting the ocean will Our planet has already developed some of the
stabilise the climate. A healthy ocean, teeming with most effective tools we have to fight climate
plant and animal life that fixes and stores carbon, is an change – we must protect ‘Earth tech’ species
important tool in the bid to tackle climate change.129 such as the great whales and invest in whale
conservation as an ally against global heating.
One of the heroes in the fight against global heating
could be the great whales, such as the blue whale
and humpback whale that can sequester more
than 30 tonnes of carbon in their lifetime.130

SPECIES LIKE THE BLUE WHALE OR THE

HUMPBACK WHALE CAN SEQUESTER MORE THAN
30 TONNES OF CARBON IN THEIR LIFETIME.

© EJF
31
 The ocean has taken in over 90% of the heat
caused by the worsening greenhouse effect,
equating to approximately a nuclear bomb’s
worth of heat every second for the past 150 years.
AN END TO ILLEGAL AND UNSUSTAINABLE FISHING
Another critical action to protect our blue planet is the eradication of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU)
fishing and other unsustainable marine exploitation practices which threaten the ecological integrity of ocean
ecosystems. Nearly 90% of the world’s fisheries are currently exploited at or exceeding sustainable levels.134
Rich ocean biodiversity and healthy fisheries are key to maintaining the ocean’s carbon removal power and
protecting the 3 billion people worldwide who depend on marine and coastal ecosystems for their livelihoods.135
Governments worldwide must work together to eradicate IUU fishing. Central to this will be the delivery of
‘net to plate’ transparency throughout fisheries supply chains, to enable all parties to see who is fishing what,
where, how and when. Crucially, while preventing unsustainable exploitation of fish stocks to promote the
long-term health of our ocean, these same transparency mechanisms can be used to stamp-out the human
trafficking, slavery, violence and other human rights abuses that plague sections of the global fishing industry.

‘30 X 30’
To protect our ocean and halt climate breakdown, we need a global network of ecologically representative
marine protected areas (MPAs) to cover at least 30% of the high seas (those outside of territorial waters) no
later than 2030. Scientific experts have already compiled a protection plan that would work:136 by analysing
each of the 25,000 squares of 100x100 km that cover the high seas, they have determined the 30% that
would be best for conservation and climate and that require urgent designation and protective measures.

A MORATORIUM ON DEEP-SEA MINING

Alongside these marine protected areas, deep-sea mining should be banned entirely. This incredibly destructive
process, which can devastate pristine, unexplored and unique ecosystems, is clearly not part of a sustainable
future.137 Unless action is taken now, deep sea mining is poised to become a huge industry exploiting oceanic
deposits of copper, nickel and other ores. The method being rolled out is simple and immensely destructive:
rocks and vents on the seabed are crushed up by immense underwater machinery, and the fragments extracted
to the surface to be sorted. The analogy is akin to taking a woodchipper into a forest and collecting what it
spits out behind - anything unfortunate enough to be caught in the way is crushed, killed and wasted.

Contrary to the claims of mining companies, irreplaceable ecosystems are in the firing line –
one area targeted for mining has ‘one of the most diverse communities […] in the deep sea’,
where more than half the species collected in a 2016 study were new to science.138

CARBON CAPTURE TECHNOLOGIES?

Industrial carbon capture storage has been touted as a ‘silver bullet’ for countering greenhouse gas
emissions and preventing the worse effects of global heating.139 However, strong caution has been
urged by the IPCC, which notes that “Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) deployed at scale is unproven,
and reliance on such technology is a major risk in the ability to limit warming to 1.5°C.”140

While these technologies may form part of a mitigation policy portfolio, industrial carbon capture should
in no way be used as a justification for delaying radical action to decarbonize economies. It should only
be used to complement, and not compete with, the transition to net-zero carbon alongside nature-based
solutions and the protection and restoration of ecosystems that includes reforestation and biodiversity
recovery; and substantial investments in the conservation and rehabilitation of ‘blue carbon’ sinks.

32
 CLIMATE
JUSTICE
99% OF ALL DEATHS
FROM WEATHER-RELATED
DISASTERS OCCUR IN
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

K.M Asad / European Union 2018

33
 CLIMATE JUSTICE
CLIMATE JUSTICE
13
CLIMATE REFUGEES
The world’s richest countries are the source of the vast
MUST BE CENTRAL majority of greenhouse gas emissions that are currently
warming our planet. The EU alone was responsible

TO OUR THINKING for 40% of all global CO2 emissions between 1850 and
2011.141 Yet in an unjust world, 99% of all deaths from

AND ACTIONS weather-related disasters occur in developing countries

– even though the world’s 50 least developed countries
contribute less than 1% of global carbon emissions.142
Issues of justice are central to the task of halting
global heating: the people and countries that have Already at 1°C, climate change is compounding existing
historically contributed the least to greenhouse gas economic, political, social and ecological stresses
emissions and benefitted the least from carbon- and affecting the poorest communities on our planet.
fuelled economic growth, are those suffering first Millions of people have been forced from their homes.
and worst from the impacts of climate change. The climate crisis is both ecological and humanitarian.

As we transition to a green economy, we must Since 2008, weather-related hazards – which are
provide meaningful, large-scale support and increasing in frequency and severity as a result of
compensation to those impacted by climate climate change – have displaced around 21 million
disasters such as extreme weather events, people each year on average, equivalent to 41 people
drought, and sea level rise. Furthermore, poorer every minute, according to data from the Internal
nations and those already feeling the devastating Displacement Monitoring Centre.143 Millions more
impacts must be given a ‘seat at the table’, have have forced to leave their homes due to prolonged
their voices heard and acted upon as the world droughts and their devastating impacts.
works together to avoid climate breakdown. A new legally-binding international agreement is
needed to protect climate refugees. This instrument
is crucial to give definition and status to climate
refugees;144 to define rights and obligations, and
to coordinate and combine our actions so that
they are truly effective in protecting the most
fundamental human right to a safe home.

WE URGENTLY NEED A
NEW LEGALLY-BINDING
INTERNATIONAL
AGREEMENT TO PROTECT
CLIMATE REFUGEES

© EJF
34
 INDIGENOUS RIGHTS their use,146 despite Indigenous peoples and local
communities having claim to, or customary usage
AND LEADERSHIP of, up to 65% of global land mass.147 2.5 billion
people worldwide depend on land, natural resources
Data from the Amazon show that levels of
and ecosystems which are held and managed
carbon emissions from deforestation are
collectively.148 Lack of legal protections exposes
significantly lower on Indigenous territories
Indigenous peoples and local communities to
and protected areas than elsewhere.145
land grabbing, illegal or forced expropriation of
Indigenous communities are being threatened by resources, dispossession and displacement by
illegal loggers, miners and hunters, impairing their government or corporate actors. Stronger, more
ability to protect the vital role of the ecosystems comprehensive legal provisions could potentially
that assist us in combating climate breakdown. be important in addressing this gap and protecting
Indigenous peoples and other local communities
For many Indigenous peoples, maintaining the and the ecosystems they manage and depend on.
balance between humans and the natural world and
securing it for future generations is deeply embedded Centring Indigenous peoples and local communities
in cultural values. This approach to what we now in decision-making is also key to stopping threats
call ‘sustainability’ holds valuable lessons for the and violence towards forest defenders. In 2019, an
entire world. Not only should Indigenous peoples be average of four Indigenous, land, and environmental
consulted in any decision that affects them and their defenders were murdered every week.149 The global
lands, we need to put their knowledge front and centre community as a whole must take action now to protect
as we navigate our way to a green and just world. Indigenous and local communities and to recognise
their crucial role in halting climate breakdown.
Globally it is estimated only 10% of land is legally
owned by Indigenous peoples and local communities,
with an additional 8% formally designated for

ONLY 10% OF LAND

WORLDWIDE IS LEGALLY
OWNED BY INDIGENOUS
PEOPLES AND LOCAL
COMMUNITIES.

35
Governments of states containing Indigenous
territories must end active or passive campaigns We must centre the
of disenfranchisement and discrimination,150
and commit to proactive designation and voices and expertise
protection of the land tenure rights of Indigenous
peoples, ensuring these communities are able of Indigenous peoples
to retain control over their traditional lands.
and communities
Other governments must apply pressure to ensure
they are protected worldwide, in recognition of impacted first and
the essential role Indigenous communities have
in facing the climate crisis, their negligible input worst by global heating
in having caused it, and, separately, their intrinsic
right to determination in their own territories. in every decision.

© EJF © Siempreverde22

© Fernanda Ligabue / Greenpeace

36
 LOSS AND DAMAGE - EQUITY AND ETHICS Governments must leverage innovative fiscal and
monetary policies to achieve such funding levels and
The need to agree and adequately resource large focus should be applied to sources of greenhouse
scale financial resources, overwhelmingly targeted gas emissions, including a global heating levy
towards the Global South is not just an issue of on all flights. On its own a US$10 levy on all air
politics and economics; it speaks to fundamental passengers would raise approximately US$43 billion
issues of morals, ethics and environmental justice. (an estimated 4.3 billion passengers in 2018).151

If the international community’s response to climate Lastly, it is critical that developing nations are not
heating is to be just and accommodate a genuine only not left behind in the green transition, but that
human rights dimension, it must recognise and act they catch up. A roadmap to a more equitable world
to deliver large-scale, commensurate support, for all already exists: the Sustainable Development
specifically including direct financial contributions, Goals (SDGs) have been studied, scrutinised, and
to address the fundamental issue of loss and damage. agreed to by nations globally. Achieving the SDGs will
be key to a more just and sustainable future for all.

EJF BELIEVES FUNDS

AMOUNTING TO A MINIMUM
OF US$50 BILLION ANNUALLY
NEEDS TO BE IDENTIFIED
AND APPLIED TO SUPPORT
LOSS AND DAMAGE
ACROSS LEAST DEVELOPED
NATIONS AND SIMILAR
SUMS FOR LOW-INCOME
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

© Kumar Bishwajit
37
THE GREEN TRANSITION MUST
ALSO BE A JUST TRANSITION.
THE SDGS ARE THE ROADMAP
TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND
EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR ALL.

38
 BUSINESS
LEADERSHIP
AND FINANCING
OUR FUTURE
JUST 100 ACTIVE FOSSIL
FUEL PRODUCERS ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR 71%
OF GLOBAL EMISSIONS
SINCE 1988.

Maxim Tolchinskiy / Unsplash

39
 BUSINESS LEADERSHIP & FINANCING OUR FUTURE
TRANSFORMING
14
in every sector also need to accelerate the shift to
circularity, and commit to designing waste, resource
extraction, and pollution out of their supply chains.
BUSINESS It is true that corporate supply chains are complex and
opaque but contextualised against the tiny window of
If relatively few wealthy countries are responsible for opportunity available to avoid the climate crisis, the
a large proportion of the world’s atmospheric CO2, the private sector must take on far more responsibility and
same is true of wealthy companies: just 100 companies do far better. The first step is to be transparent about
are responsible for 71% of global emissions since 1988.152 their sourcing and make clear public plans for how to
Businesses must commit to transition their entire end carbon emissions, deforestation and other negative
energy supply to renewable energy resources now. land use decisions, ocean degradation and associated
This will be central to the necessary rapid switch human rights abuse. To ensure that companies do not
needed to meet a net-zero carbon target by 2035 simply simply seek PR success, their supply chains
and will complement the regulatory, fiscal and should be independently audited and the actions
monetary actions driven by government policy. It and progress benchmarked against commitments.
is not just the fossil fuel sector that can and must Businesses must also be held accountable for
make changes to reduce their carbon footprint: human rights and environmental abuses in
all businesses must take steps to change their their entire supply chains, in order to create a
supply chains for environmental and human rights level playing field and accelerate the protection
protection. We urgently need due diligence and of communities and our shared planet.
climate risk mitigation in global value chains and
production to protect our natural assets from harm,
and to reduce the footprint of all business operations At the time of writing, led by the European
from energy use to travel to waste generation. Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders,
the EU is proposing to develop mandatory
Some companies have offset policies153 (for every
human rights and environmental due
unit of electricity consumed – typically from coal or
diligence (“mHREDD”) requirements
natural gas power plants – they buy a unit of wind or
on businesses. The EU’s moves show the
solar electricity) or are increasing their investments
in or ownership of renewable production. This potential for global leadership in this field
investment helps increase the amount of renewable and to raise the benchmark for global supply
energy in local electricity grids, with the reasoning chains. Around 70% of European businesses
that in future the infrastructure will be in place so are reported to now support mandatory due
that a complete switch to renewables can be achieved. diligence standards for supply chains.156
However, a much deeper, broader vision and greater
ambition is needed across corporate boardrooms.
Rising public awareness of the climate crisis is
These interim policies must be assessed and improved leading some consumers to target their spending
upon. Most companies that have made and met such towards demonstrably more-sustainable options.
targets focus on using 100% renewable electricity Along with shifting patterns of investment and more
in their own operations.154 The need for business stringent due diligence requirements it may soon
leadership extends beyond electricity and beyond not be a viable business model to ignore the negative
the offices of the companies in question. They must impact of company operations and supply chains.
also examine their entire supply chains - including
production, transport, retail and marketing -
developing and implementing a circular economy
that extends to other businesses and the public.

Many companies have made commitments to make

progress on how their supply chains affect the
natural world, yet few are reporting on their progress,
and even fewer are reporting transparently in the
progress made or hurdles encountered.155 Companies

40
 MAJOR CARBON POLLUTING Over half (52%) of all global industrial greenhouse gases
emitted since the start of the industrial revolution in
CORPORATIONS MUST ACT 1751 have been traced to these 100 fossil fuel producers.

While all stakeholders in all industrial sectors must Some attempts to make the climate crisis a
act, it is clear that a relatively small number of problem for individuals to help solve may have
corporations carry a disproportionate responsibility been well-intentioned, but in the absence of
and, likewise, that their failure to cut carbon action by governments and business – individual
emissions will ‘drown out’ all other efforts. actions are doomed to fail. Decisive policies and
enforcement at the highest levels are needed to
Just 100 active fossil fuel producers, including
combat global heating – nothing else will do.
Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, Shell, BHP Billiton and
Gazprom are linked to 71% of industrial greenhouse These same figures give shape to the overwhelming
gas emissions since 1988 – the year the IPCC was injustices of our carbon economy. Put simply, the
established. These ‘carbon majors’ are the source of benefits, the wealth, opportunities, comforts and
635 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases since 1988.157 luxuries derived from carbon have been concentrated
in the hands of a tiny minority, while the costs
Crucially almost one-third (32%) of historic
are overwhelmingly borne by the poorest.
emissions come from publicly-listed investor-
owned companies, 59% from state-owned Industry – and especially those 100 Carbon Major
companies and 9% from private investment. polluters – must take responsibility for their
historical role in global heating and act now to
avert climate breakdown. This means greening
OVER HALF OF GLOBAL supply chains, switching to renewable energy and
INDUSTRIAL EMISSIONS supporting innovation, divesting from fossil fuels, and
transitioning towards a circular economic model.
SINCE 1988 CAN BE TRACED It also requires a sea-change in corporate and investor
TO JUST 25 CORPORATE thinking to address deep-rooted issues of injustice at
the heart of global heating and support the attainment
AND STATE PRODUCERS. of the Sustainable Development Goals. Government and
consumers have a role to work with industry to leverage
Fossil fuel companies and their products released urgent, effective action to prevent climate catastrophe.
more emissions in the 28 years between 1988-
2016 than in the 237 years prior to 1988.

© Prapat Aowsakorn
41
15 SAVING FOR OUR FUTURE
The sinews of the climate crisis are investment and lending, providing the financial
backing to dig oil wells, clear forests and send planes into the sky.

This both fuels the current problem and provides the opportunity to change it. If the policies of the
handful of financial institutions which lend to so many companies – the power behind the Carbon
Majors - were to change, it would have a dramatic impact on our ability to restore the climate.

PENSIONS WITH A PURPOSE the trading floor.165 Illustrating this, JP Morgan’s

own economists say climate change will be
There is little point saving for a future catastrophic,166 yet JP Morgan Chase’s position as one
on an uninhabitable planet. of the biggest investors in fossil fuels remains.167

Currently over US$45 trillion is invested in global Climate change risks have received increased attention
pension funds.158 The largest pension market is from financial regulators, who see a growing necessity
the USA, with more than 60% of the assets in the for company directors and boards to actively assess
largest 22 pension markets, followed by the UK and and disclose the risks that climate change poses to
Japan.159 A significant portion of these vast sums their business. For instance, the Australian Securities
supports fossil fuel industries. A rapid, near-term and Investments Commission has issued an updated
switch, not just out of carbon-based industries, but guidance to company directors, stating that they should
into renewable energy and other climate positive create plans to mitigate the risks posed by climate
sectors would provide a critical incentive, particularly change to their businesses, and that failure to do so
across key Western economies and in particular may put them at risk of legal action from investors.168
the USA, EU/European Economic Area and UK.
Financial regulators and governments must step
However, only some 10% of global pension funds up and introduce legislation to force banks, pension
have any public, formal investment policies which funds and other financial institutions to properly assess
align with the Paris Agreement.160 OECD-member the impacts of their lending and
pension funds alone may total US$287 billion to $1 investment. Such measures
trillion (€238–828 billion) in liquid fossil fuel assets.161 include mandatory due
diligence reporting;
It is vital that both private investors and institutional holding the financial
stakeholders in pension funds are informed and sector liable for
encouraged – potentially through fiscal incentives – their destruction
to rapidly switch out of fossil fuels. The divestment of our planet; and
movement is already gathering strength: helping refocus the
huge power of these
A 2019 REPORT STATED THAT US$11 TRILLION
institutions away from
(€9 TRILLION) IN FUNDS HAVE NOW BEEN MOVED
fossil fuels and towards
OUT OF THE FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY.162 an environmentally
While some progress is being made on voluntary sustainable future. Special
disclosure of risks across the sector,163 this progress emphasis must be made on actively
is slow. In 2019 Mark Carney, former Governor of the managing pension funds towards green portfolios
Bank of England, said that lending and investment compatible with a net-zero carbon 2035 ambition:
policies “are consistent with warming of 3.7-3.8ºC”. 164 pensions exist to provide future security for their
members, and their investments should reflect that
This suggests that while there are bright spots, such duty. While business and consumer leadership have
as the increasing success of ‘shareholder activism’ a role to play in greening pensions and the financial
to force companies to disclose their climate risks, services industry, government regulation is needed
the increasing profile of climate breakdown in to quickly divest from fossil fuels and encourage
financial institutions has not successfully reached investment in a more sustainable future for all.

© NASA
42
 © EJF
43
 FOR THEEFFORTS
PLANE T
MAKE CHANGE

INDIVIDUAL
FOR THE PLANET

MAKE CHANGE
16EVERYONE HAS net-zero. Carbon-based businesses are carefully
engineering powerful messaging to make the
climate crisis the problem – and fault – of the
A ROLE TO PLAY ‘small person’, of individuals and households,
while covering up their knowing culpability.
The climate crisis requires coordinated, However, we – you – are not powerless,
international action, with governments from
and there is a suite of crucial actions
all over the world working together.
everyone can take, most importantly
Individuals cannot be expected to solve the climate by holding elected officials and those
crisis alone when in the background governments in power, along with corporations, to
triple coal power subsidies169 and continue to account. Use your vote and your voice;
approve new coal mines and gas and oil extraction use your wallet and your purchasing power
that fly in the face of their stated commitments to to demand change and a survivable future.

DEMAND MUCH MORE You can take action by writing letters to your
political representatives, taking to the streets
FROM THE POLITICIANS to peacefully demonstrate, and voting for
politicians who will take the urgent, system-
THAT REPRESENT YOU. wide actions we need to save our planet.

Our silence will only embolden those who seek

CLIMATE CHANGE IS A VAST to maximise their profit at the expense of the
AND COMPLEX ISSUE THAT public. We owe it to future generations that we
are loud, resilient and persistent in opposing the
NEEDS ACTION FROM THE corporate greed that is heating our shared planet.

GRASSROOTS TO GOVERNMENTS.
AS GRETA THUNBERG SAID:
“ACTIVISM WORKS, SO ACT.”

44
 GET INVOLVED
This is more about peaceful, effective political protest than changing a
lightbulb - demand your representatives ACT with urgency. But your everyday
can make a difference too. Make your money work for you and the planet.

MAKE YOUR MONEY WORK FOR YOU

- INVEST FOR THE FUTURE
As individuals, we can help steer the financial
industry towards a greener investment future.

Find out what your pension and other financial assets

are invested in, and demand that your fund managers
divest from fossil fuels and your employers choose a
more sustainable pension fund. Invest your pensions
and assets in companies that are leading the charge
away from carbon and towards truly sustainable
energy and resource production and supply chains.

You can also use your power as a consumer to

persuade businesses to stop environmental
harm. Don’t buy from bad actors: commit
yourself to researching and actively supporting
the businesses that do good for people and the
planet and help create the market for change.

© EJF

USE GREEN ENERGY AND REDUCE YOUR USE

Renewable energy is one of the most effective tools
we have in the fight against climate change, and
wind and solar energy have experienced remarkable
growth and huge cost improvements over the
past decade, with no signs of slowing down.

88% of Scotland’s energy demand was met by

renewables in the first quarter of 2019.170 There is
therefore no need for nuclear power as a ‘bridging’
tool, nor for the pollution, water contamination and
emissions of fracking: renewables are ready now.
Consumers can help to consolidate the shift into
green energy by switching to suppliers who only
use renewables, of which there are now many.

In the UK, zero-carbon energy sources are poised to

overtake fossil fuels as the largest electricity source
over a full calendar year.171

With the annual average UK household fuel bill standing

at over £1000 (US$1350), 172 making your daily life as low-
Nicholas Doherty / Unsplash
energy as possible will save the planet and save you money.

45
 GE T INVOLVED
MA510 / Unsplash MabelAmber / Pixabay

FLY LESS USE THE CAR LESS

This is a powerful way to fight climate Transport now accounts for around 27% of
change. Avoiding a single roundtrip total EU greenhouse gas emissions,175 and
transatlantic flight will save 1.6 tonnes living car-free would save an average of 2.4
of CO2 or the equivalent in other tonnes of CO2 (or equivalent) every year.176 It
greenhouse gases.173 If there is no also comes with multiple other benefits. It
alternative to flying, use an effective will reduce air pollution, and, if you switch
form of carbon offsetting that will have to walking or cycling, it will be good for
a real, lasting impact on emissions. both your physical and mental health.

© EJF Jo-Anne McArthur / Unsplash

DRESS FOR SUSTAINABILITY EAT LESS MEAT AND DAIRY

As consumers, we can make a huge In 2016, the world’s top 20 meat and dairy
difference by reducing our clothing companies emitted more greenhouse gases
consumption, choosing to buy organic than the whole of Germany, Europe’s biggest
or sustainable textiles, washing clothes climate polluter.177 The meat and dairy sector is
more economically and ensuring items among the biggest emitters of the greenhouse
are reused and recycled whenever gases. A total of 14.5% of the world’s greenhouse
possible. Extending the lifespan of gas emissions come from the livestock sector,
clothes by three months of active the UN Food and Agriculture Organization
use has the potential to reduce the estimates.178 Switching to a vegetarian diet
carbon, water and waste footprints of could save 0.8 tonnes of CO2 (or the equivalent
an item by between 5 and 10%.174 in other greenhouse gases) every year.179

46
 CONCLUSION

Drought, flood and fire and devastating extreme “THIS IS THE MOMENT. GLASGOW
weather events are ripping through communities
from Australia to the Arctic. The polar ice is vanishing, [COP26] IS THE LAST, BEST
and we have fired the starting gun on the biggest
refugee crisis in human history. We have less than
OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE AND
a decade to save the planet: this means only action THE BEST HOPE THAT THE WORLD
starting now will save the planet – and us.
WILL COME TOGETHER AND BUILD
This manifesto offers a roadmap for the
transformational change we need in every
ON PARIS. SCIENTISTS TELL US
sector to survive the coming storm. What comes THIS DECADE, 2020 TO 2030,
next will be determined by whether we seize
this opportunity and take our future back from
MUST BE THE DECADE OF ACTION.
the handful of companies and individuals who FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION”.
are throwing it away to line their pockets. John Kerry, U.S. Special Presidential
Envoy for Climate
However, this manifesto is not just about avoiding
disaster. If we act now future generations will grow
up with cleaner air, abundant wildlife, and long-term
environmental safety and security. We owe it to the
planet, to ourselves and to future generations.

© EJF
47
 CONCLUSION
World leaders have an opportunity
to come together in Glasgow for the
Climate Summit (COP26) in November
and literally save humanity from pain,
disruption, decay and decline never seen
before in human history. They must act.
We demand that they do so - join us.

48
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