CJA, Indigenous Environmental Network, Grassroots Global Justice and Others Release Chasing Carbon Unicorns Report

In the lead up to delayed COP26 climate talks in the UK, and as big polluters continue to expand their fossil fuel exploitation, Chasing Carbon Unicorns: The deception of carbon markets and "net zero" unpacks the science behind carbon offsetting and reveals how “net zero” pledges will never solve the climate crisis. 

The report is available in 4 languages- English, Spanish, French and Portuguese and sponsored by Friends of the Earth International, La Vía Campesina, Indigenous Environmental Network, Corporate Accountability, Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development, Third World Network, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, Climate Justice Alliance, and Justiça Ambiental.

"Women have to be the fiercest. We’re often the caretakers of our communities and with that comes a strong sense of having to defend our communities from harm, to keep them safe. That’s part of what it means to nurture," says Maria Lopez-Nuñez in Earth Justice's article These Women Environmental Leaders Are Fighting For Their Communities.

To learn how she and others from Ironbound Community Corporation are fighting against incinerators and environmental injustice read their community story here.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last March racist violence towards Asian Americans has undergone a disturbing uptick, with NYC for example seeing such crimes rise by 1900% in 2020. CJA member Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) responded to these attacks on their communities by facilitating cross-racial coalitions amongst local organizations to combat the racist rhetoric and explain why more policing is not the answer. Their work has included rallies, mutual aid campaigns, and public safety initiatives. The cross-racial solidarity has been vital as media outlets have attempted to frame these attacks as “Black Asian violence”, when in reality it’s Black Asian solidarity that is stepping up to keep communities safe from white supremacist hate crimes. 

APEN and their allies have proposed community solutions that do not rely on law enforcement. One such solution is the revival of the Chinatown Ambassador Program, which would employ residents, mainly those who were formerly incarcerated, to engage in cleanup and de-escalation. A number of panel discussions and stories are in the works to bring awareness to this rise in racism towards Asians, with the hopes of increasing solidarity and removing any divisions between communities of color that have been sowed by white supremacy.

Check out our IG Story between now and Wednesday, March 31 to see what Inkza from PODER in San Francisco, Chioh from KHEPRW Institute in Indianapolis, and Franceska from Micronesia Climate Change Alliance in Guam are up to! Watch and listen to their stories on our social media platforms on

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMdVhfegADA/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CJAOurPower/status/1371880850313379841

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CJAOurPower/posts/2043140519158965

In this special, end-of-an-era episode, we get an inside peek into the thoughts and reflections of Angela Mahecha as she transitions from a four-year tenure as Executive Director of Climate Justice Alliance. Keenan Rhodes of KHEPRW Institute and CJA fellow chats with Angela at this seminal moment for her and for CJA as she prepares to move into other roles in the climate justice movement. Angela looks back on the past decade, the history of environmental justice and climate justice, and her work as ED, plus she and Keenan reflect on what’s in store for the future, the power of youth within the Alliance, and the intergenerational community that is CJA.

For more, listen to this series’ inaugural episode, “What is Just Transition?” here.