Hi John,

Here at 350.org, we're dedicating the month of April to the Earth and the
amazing climate movement that is working so hard to protect our planet and
communities.

So today, we're kicking off this year's Earth Month Spotlight Series with
an update about the very exciting work I do in South Africa.

This is Alex Lenferna speaking here, I am co-founder and general secretary
of the [ [link removed] ]Climate Justice Coalition – a 350 partner organization in South
Africa. We fight on many fronts for climate justice, and a rapid and just
transition to a more socially owned, renewable energy-powered economy that
provides clean, safe and affordable energy for all.

In South Africa, rolling scheduled blackouts have been a recurrent reality
for years under our so-called "loadshedding" policy. This reality leaves
millions of people without energy for several hours a day on a regular
basis. The darkness deepens poverty, inequality and unemployment. The
fastest and most affordable way to solve this crisis is by implementing a
rapid and just transition away from coal and to renewable energy.

South Africa has the opportunity to transform our energy system and create
a more socially and ecologically just future, if it takes the right
decisions now. The President of the country has outlined a major
investment plan to shift the country to a clean energy future. However,
for that plan [ [link removed] ]to truly deliver on climate justice, it is vital we leave
expensive, polluting and outdated fossil fuels behind and put people – not
profit – at the center of our just transition plan!

[ [link removed] ]#UprootTheDMRE protest in Pretoria.#UprootTheDMRE protest in Pretoria.

In the last few years, together with 350.org, we have been leading many
actions to ensure that justice and renewable energy are at the top of the
agenda when the topic is South Africa's energy system:

* We started the [ [link removed] ]#UprootTheDMRE campaign, calling for an emergency
renewable energy plan to end loadshedding, and to completely
restructure the corporate-captured Department of Mineral Resources and
Energy (DMRE).
* We held a [ [link removed] ]People's Tribunal, placing the DMRE on trial for their
failure to transform and prioritize a sustainable energy system for
South Africa.
* We organized a [ [link removed] ]March for Jobs, Clean Energy, and Climate Justice
during COP27, demanding measures to ensure energy access for all,
fiscal and political policies for accelerating the energy transition,
and transparent, inclusive and democratic processes for defining our
national energy policies.
* We participated in several events, assemblies and meetings discussing
South Africa's just transition – including, for example, the [ [link removed] ]Social
Justice Assembly and the [ [link removed] ]Townhall on Climate Finance.
* We have produced [ [link removed] ]podcasts, [ [link removed] ]award-winning satire that speaks
truth to power, and we have gotten extensive coverage in mainstream
media outlets in South Africa, reaching millions of people.
* This year, alongside all the campaigns and actions we are leading, we
will also start a Climate Justice School to bring together activists
from around the country to share our visions of a better future and
help forge a united movement.

Our goal is to build a diverse, intersectional, and people-powered
movement strong enough to overcome the corporations and politicians
holding our future hostage. We want real solutions that tackle our
ecological and economic crises and work for the many, not false solutions
that serve the interest of the few.

We are growing our movement to transform South Africa and build a more
socially and ecologically just future – and we would really appreciate
your support!

350.org is a founding member of the Climate Justice Coalition, and
supports our campaigns with media and social media amplification, staff
capacity and financial resources, as well as by providing fiscal and human
resources infrastructure for our operations.

Help 350.org support the Climate Justice Coalition and other groups like
us around the world!

[ [link removed] ]CONTRIBUTE
$3.50

Thank you for taking a moment to read about our work.

Onwards,

Alex Lenferna
Climate Justice Coalition




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350.org is a global movement that fights for a just and equitable world by stopping the fossil fuel industry from continuing to destroy our climate.