Hi John,
Ukraine, a peaceful democratic nation, is under a brutal military attack by Russia’s President Putin. With war on the headlines, our global community stands in support and solidarity with the people of Ukraine, those resisting the invasion, and those fleeing war.
Between distressing images of war, and urgent news about the climate crisis, I know how hard it can be not to feel overwhelmed with anxiety, grief, and fear.1 One way to remind yourself that there is real power and real hope in solidarity between people is to take action alongside thousands and millions of others, who are standing up for peace and a future free from oppression across the world.
Here are some practical ways you can help Ukraine and the Ukrainian people right now:
Stay informed and double check your information. This war is being fought on many fronts, and disinformation, especially on social media, is one of them. Before you share something, pause, and double check: it can be as simple as googling the headline. You can follow local reliable reporting about Russia’s invasion on Ukraine at the Kyiv Independent, the New Voice of Ukraine, and the Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
Take action online or on the streets, stand with Ukraine, and demand peace. Global leaders must feel the pressure to stand against war and aggression in any way they can. Find and join an anti-war protest in your city, tweet at your elected representatives using the #StandWithUkraine hashtag, or write or call your member of Congress, and ask them to support sanctions against Putin’s Russia. You can also join this campaign targeting the assets of Russian oligarchs in Putin’s inner circle.
Every person, whoever and wherever they are, has the right to live in peace and free from oppression. Today, the world’s first priority must be to protect the lives and livelihoods of Ukrainians, end Putin’s aggression, and restore peace, democracy, and human rights. But tomorrow, we need to hold those guilty of this crime accountable.
To build lasting peace, and to confront the reality of the climate crisis in time, we need international cooperation, not war. For peace, for human rights, and for climate justice, we need an end to the crimes and oppression perpetrated by the fossil fuel industry working with violent dictators like Putin.
Putin started this war, but fossil fuels keep funding it. It’s Russian oil and gas profits that filled Putin’s war chest, and the world’s reliance on Russian pipelines let him invade a peaceful nation without fear of consequences.2 It’s our money flowing into Russian oil giants that’s funding violence in Ukraine.3
John, while today our focus is on bringing solidarity and aid to the Ukrainian people, together with partner groups we’re preparing to keep working for climate justice in the new world order that will emerge when this war is over. We could double down the pressure on fossil fuel companies culpable for enabling dictators, or their financial backers. We could focus our efforts on demanding that policy makers urgently end our reliance on coal, oil and gas, and jump-start the broad transition to renewable energy immediately.
There are several options we’re considering, and we’d love to hear your opinion. Take this short survey and share your thoughts to help us choose the path to follow in the coming months:
The power of any movement is in the strength of its unity and solidarity in the face of a crisis. Hand in hand with Ukrainian people, across the globe, we’re standing for peace and against war and oppression. Peace, democracy, and freedom are necessary for the crucial work for climate justice to continue, for people and nature to thrive, and for us to build a safer world for everyone.
In solidarity,
Julia Krzyszkowska, on behalf of the global team at 350.org
P.S. If you can, please sign up to join the 350.org webinar tomorrow, March 2, at 12 pm ET/9 am PT to hear climate scientists and climate justice activists discuss the outcomes of the latest IPCC report and what it means for climate justice. We’ll also be joined by Ukrainian environmental lawyer and activist, Svitlana Romanka to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine from a climate justice lens.
References:
[1] Greenpeace: 5 things you need know about the new IPCC WG2 report
[2] The Guardian: Is Putin’s Ukraine invasion about fossil fuels?, Reuters: Russian gas threat in Europe, Carbon Brief: What does Russia’s invasion of Ukraine mean for energy and climate change?
[3] Politico: How Europe is funding Putin’s war, Project Syndicate: The Case for a Punitive Tax on Russian Oil
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