World leaders are feeding carbon emissions into the atmosphere and making clean energy the more expensive option by paying subsidies to fossil fuel industries, such as oil, gas and coal. But 350.org are calling for that to stop by applying global pressure on the world's leaders and challenging them to end these subsidies at the Rio Earth Summit in June.
According to 350.org, this year our governments will pay hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidising these harmful energy sources that contribute to climate disasters such as drought, floods, fires and rising sea levels. This is money that could be much better spent - in renewable energy, public health, education and in energy efficiency.
For 350.org, the answer is reasonable and simple - stop subsidising these industries. 'It's time for us, and our political leaders, to connect the dots,' says Bill McKibben, member of team 350.org team.
In fact, the answer is so simple that the leaders themselves agree (or at least they did). In 2009, the G20 agreed to phase out these subsidies in the ‘medium term.' But unfortunately, none of these states have made good on this commitment. ‘The political power of the polluters scares them,' argues McKibben.
With the help of the planetary network, Avaaz, 350.org are rallying for global support to inspire action at the Rio Earth Summit. By gathering signatures, 350.org are demanding that world leaders are firm against the fossil fuel industries and that they finally bring about the much-needed change. Already, there are half a million people signed on from the US. But to be truly effective, 350.org need international support. It is, after all, a global problem.
The petition aims to push for legislation to remove $113 billion worth of subsidies in American fossil fuel companies in the next decade. Achieving this goal would decrease carbon dioxides emissions greatly and would then be a great step in overcoming the effects of climate change, helping to protect people around the world as well as future generations.
The signatures will be delivered to the world leaders on the 18th June when they arrive at the Rio Summit, and 350.org are thinking-up ways to make sure they are unable to ignore it.
TAKE ACTION: Answer the call to end subsidies to fossil fuel industries and sign the petition.
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