For Immediate Release
June 7, 2024
Contacts:
reachout@kickbigpollutersout.org
media@corporateaccountability.org
Groups from worldwide movements representing millions of people have a message to world governments: “Defund Genocide, Kick Big Polluters Out!”
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Peaceful protests by climate justice and human rights activists from around the world call attention to how the same actors that caused climate change and are undermining Bonn climate talks are simultaneously fueling genocide in Gaza.
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New analysis details fossil fuel industry and Big Ag lobbying at UN climate talks.
Bonn, Germany– Today, the climate justice movement, youth from around the world, human rights activists, Palestinian activists, women and gender groups, and members of the Kick Big Polluters Out (KBPO) coalition joined forces to peacefully protest outside of the UN climate talks, drawing attention to the linkages between fossil fuels and violence like the ongoing genocide in Palestine.
As the genocide in Palestine continues without slowing, the halls of the UN climate talks are overflowing with thousands of polluters intent on stalling progress to justly and urgently address climate change. The climate crisis and systemic violence happening around the world are not happening in isolation from each other, and many of the same actors–including Shell, BP, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Eni, and Total–are directly fueling both the climate crisis and the genocide of the people of Palestine. For decades, these oil corporations have wielded immense power and influence over global politics, prioritizing their profits over human lives and the planet. Their enabling of tremendous violence in Palestine and beyond maintain a geopolitical stranglehold that ensures their continued dominance and financial gain over the sacredness of life. This power extends to their alliances with governments, including those hosting or participating in critical climate conferences, turning a blind eye to the atrocities in Palestine for the sake of economic and political expediency.
“When we talk about the climate crisis and systemic violence, we must remember that each policy, each statistic, and each name represents a human life, a story, a dream cut short,” said Mohammed Usrof, a Palestinian activist. “The fossil fuel industry’s profits come at the cost of real people, real families. The names we read are not just numbers; they are our brothers, sisters, children, and elders. Today, we demand that the world sees and remembers this humanity. Defund genocide, defund fossil fuels. Write policies that honor lives, not profits.”
The activists, who hail from all around the world, are echoing the demands for:
- A permanent ceasefire as a first step toward an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
- An end to the suppression of those speaking out in solidarity with the people of Palestine.
- Oil and gas corporations to be held accountable and liable for their actions in enabling genocide, systemic violence, and fueling the climate crisis.
- An equitable and urgent end to the fossil fuel era, as a means of addressing the climate crisis and ending fossil-fueled war.
- The UN climate talks to end the ability of Big Polluters to write the rules of climate action and to literally bankroll the climate talks.
- Center the lived experiences and expertise of communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis and reset the capitalist, colonial system so it protects people and the planet.
In addition, as week one of the talks wrap up, research released today by the Kick Big Polluters Out coalition documents some of the worst fossil fuel industry and Big Ag groups complicit in advancing a Big Polluter agenda at the climate talks this week. The research includes a graphic web of influence that illustrates the routes of influence these Big Polluters are able to use to undermine climate action and advance an agenda that maintains their geopolitical dominance–including the likes of Shell, BP, Cargill, Total, Eni, Chevron, Nestlé, and Pepsi.
“We see the struggle of the Palestinian people against occupation and apartheid as part of our collective struggle for climate, racial, economic, gender, and political justice and for a world where everyone has the right to live with dignity, free from oppression," said Rachitaa Gupta of the Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice. “It is time that fossil fuel companies and big polluters and their enablers are held accountable for their destructive agenda, not only inside the UNFCCC, but also outside pushing us and our planet towards the brink of disaster.”
Global movement groups and networks representing millions who see the connections between Big Pollutors and global violence are raising one powerful voice to demand: It’s time to Defund Genocide and Kick Big Polluters Out!
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Photo credit: David Tong, Oil Change International
Additional quotes from activists, Kick Big Polluters Out members, and UNFCCC constituencies:
“It is most hypocritical and disgusting that the US, EU and its allies come to the UNFCCC and talk about respect for human rights when they fund and allow the genocide in Gaza and violate all international human rights laws. It is the same countries that enable the fossil fuel companies and other Big Polluters to influence the global climate policy and drive the agenda here. The rich countries continue to block progress and as peoples from the Global South on the frontline of this climate crisis we are calling them out on their role in the climate crisis and also in the ongoing genocide. They are shameless and have no credibility or integrity in their words and actions!”
Meena Raman, Third World Network
"It's a scandal that the world's biggest polluters can walk the halls of a climate change conference, doing all they can to interfere and impede humanity's attempt to stave off the worst impacts of the climate crisis. As we witness the devastating impacts of extreme weather, these fossil fuel lobbyists have blood on their hands. Many of them also have the blood of Palestinian children on their hands too, such is the backing they are giving to the Isreali government's genocide in Gaza. Rather than back the bloodshed, if they had a moral compass they would use their influence to push for an immediate ceasefire."
Mohamed Adow, Director, Power Shift Africa
“We vehemently condemn the greedy rich governments and corporations that back the war in Palestine, reveling in the chaos and bloodshed they continuously create. In 2022 alone, governments of the richest countries squandered over 1 trillion USD funding war and conflict globally, instead of delivering their Climate Finance obligations. Their callous pursuit of profit fuels human suffering and environmental destruction, harming the lives of thousands of people and communities. These merchants of death must be held accountable and be compelled to urgently pay for their heinous crimes. We demand an immediate ceasefire to halt the genocide and ecocide happening in Palestine and all over the world, and begin the urgent healing of our people and planet.”
Lidy Nacpil, Asian Peoples Movement on Debt and Development
“As the climate crisis escalates, the violence against those who are protecting human rights and our environment does too. Rather than listening to the critical voices of those calling for climate justice and an end to the ongoing genocide in Gaza, too many countries are trying to silence people who speak out or preventing them from going in the streets to peacefully protesting. Today, we join in solidarity with the people of Palestine, with those on the frontlines of the climate crisis, and with everyone imprisoned, harassed, and threatened for trying to create a better world. There’s no climate justice without human rights. Ceasefire now.”
Lien Vandamme, Senior Campaigner, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)
“Ending Israel's siege on Gaza, genocide of the Palestinian people, and brutal occupation of Palestine is a prerequisite for real climate justice. Militaries, and the U.S. military specifically, are responsible for an enormous and growing amount of greenhouse gas emissions. The first few months of Israel’s siege on Gaza produced more climate emissions than over 20 of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations. And Israel's ongoing attacks on Palestinian lands is leaving a trail of environmental and human destruction in its wake. There is no climate justice under genocide. Our communities in the U.S. call on our government in particular to end all military support of Israel. We stand with the millions all over the world demanding an end to the genocide and occupation of Palestine and demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire now.”
Adrien Salazar, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance.
"Human rights are central to the vision of climate justice. We demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to all arms deals with Israel. The Palestinian people must have access to food, water, medicine, and fuel. Across the world, people are recognizing the links between corporations that fuel both wars and climate change. Wars and fossil fuels are intertwined, and there can be no justice without peace and the protection of human rights."
Namrata Chowdhary, 350.org
“Countries and major oil companies fueling Israel’s war machine are complicit in the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people. With growing public outrage, including massive protests across the globe, the demand for an end to this genocide is resounding. By directly fueling Israel’s military, on top of over a hundred other weapons sales, the U.S. in particular must be held accountable for potential violations of international law. We call on nations to leverage their oil supply as a means to demand an immediate ceasefire and an end to the occupation. Fossil fuel companies, like BP, Chevron, and Exxon, driven solely by profit, are willing to fuel conflict against innocent civilians. This must stop today. We demand a permanent ceasefire and an end to Israeli occupation in Palestine.”
Allie Rosenbluth, Oil Change International US Program Manager
“Indigenous Peoples are already experiencing the effects of climate change. The world is moving closer to 1.5 and people seems to be ok with sacrificing our communities for the greater good with carbon offset schemes and other false solutions. These are only a distraction created by the fossil fuel industry to continue business as usual. It’s clear as long as UNFCCC continues to be plagued by corruption from the fossil fuel companies we will never have the capability to reduce emissions. We must kick big polluters out!”
Thomas Joseph, Indigenous Environmental Network.
“The relationship between fossil fuel expansion and global conflict and war is well established. As peoples from the Global South who have been subjected to the persecution and devastation of the fossil fuel induced climate crisis and also the war and conflict, we are demanding an end to the systems that allow these big polluters to continue their destruction with impunity. We see the struggle of the Palestinian people against occupation and apartheid as part of our collective struggle for climate, racial, economic, gender, and political justice and for a world where everyone has the right to live with dignity, free from oppression. It is time that fossil fuel companies and big polluters and their enablers are held accountable for their destructive agenda, not only inside the UNFCCC, but also outside pushing us and our planet towards the brink of disaster.”
Rachitaa Gupta, Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice