About Fossil Free

Fossil Free is a movement to build a world where everyone can drink safe water, breathe clean air and lead prosperous lives free from the fear of the next climate disaster.

To build that world, we need bold action at all levels of government — and right now, starting from the ground-up is our best shot at securing lasting change. We will galvanize public support across the country by passing local Fossil Free resolutions demanding a ban on new fossil fuel projects and 100% renewable energy for all. Together, we can build a movement for a fast and just transition to a fossil free world.

 

The Path to a Fossil Free World

To combat the scale of the climate crisis, we know we need bold action at all levels of government. To secure lasting change at the highest levels, we need to mobilize millions of people, score hundreds of wins at the local level and pressure politicians to be on the right side of history. The campaign phases below lay out our plan to do just that.

The World We Want

  • The only way we get the world we want is to demand it. We demand a fast and just transition to a fossil free world by:
    • Stopping new fossil fuel projects.
    • Committing to 100% renewable energy for all.

Click here to read more about the Fossil Free demands

Phase 1: We will start city by city, joining with neighbors and friends to pass local resolutions for a Fossil Free world.

Beginning November 2017, our movement will:

   Launch Fossil Free campaigns all across the country, as part of the global Fossil Free movement

    Reach thousands of new people through canvassing, partnerships and other outreach initiatives

   Create a common consciousness around our movement demands and how we will win

     Pass Fossil Free resolutions at the local level

Ensure that our communities are with us: get local businesses, neighborhood associations, colleges & universities, healthcare professionals, faith leaders, etc. to declare their support

Phase 2: As we win commitments at the local level, we will expand the campaign to all levels of government and take escalated, necessary action to propel our campaigns forward.

In the Summer of 2018, our movement will:

      Continue to launch new Fossil Free campaigns & to pass resolutions at the local level

Begin to really raise the stakes, using nonviolent direct action and other compelling tactics in our campaigns

      Ensure that our fight for a Fossil Free world is driving headlines and newsfeeds

Put the pressure on elected officials at the Global Climate Action Summit (September 2018) by shining a light on leaders who have committed to building a Fossil Free world, and calling out those who haven’t.

Ensure that our local resolution fights are working hand-in-glove with efforts to stop new fossil fuel infrastructure so that we can help stop the industry in its tracks and protect communities on the front lines of this struggle.

Organize a massive global mobilization around the Global Climate Action Summit in California in September of 2018 to shine a light on leaders who have committed to building a Fossil Free world, and call out those who haven’t agreed to our demands.

Phase 3: As we demonstrate the unstoppable power of our movement, we will pressure politicians up and down the ballot to commit to building a Fossil Free world.

     Continue to expose all politicians’ stances on our demands:

– Work with those who choose to lead the pathway to a Fossil Free world with us OR

– Campaign against those who stand against the Fossil Free policies we know are necessary

Continue to pass resolutions at the local level, ensuring the fight moves beyond city limits to statehouses and governor’s mansions across the country

Continue to grow our movement by the tens of thousands, secure headlines, and raise the stakes using compelling tactics.

Rise with our progressive allies to ensure a fast and just transition to 100% renewable for all and no new fossil fuel projects are a part of the 2020 Presidential Platform.

Phase 4: With a groundswell of support to build a Fossil Free world, we will secure massive federal investment in a just energy transition to 100% renewable and no new fossil fuel projects.

Fights will continue locally; we know that building the power to win on the local level will secure lasting change for our communities

As we reach for the 2020 presidential election, we will ensure that in order to win, candidates must be fighting for a fast and just transition to a Fossil Free world.

We will continue to push those elected to office to uphold climate leadership, investing trillions in the renewable energy system we need and creating millions of jobs in the process.

Our Principles

These principles offer guidance on how we do our work. We commit to uphold these principles throughout our work in this movement.

  • We unite to fight climate change. We do this by taking action in our communities to stop new fossil fuel projects, demand a swift transition to 100 percent clean energy and ensure that the transformation of our energy system is just and equitable.
  • We are people across America, ready to get to work. Anyone who wants to fight the climate crisis can be a part of the Fossil Free movement. We need people across age, race and geography if we are going to win. Each of us has a role to play in this fight, we welcome and want to work with everyone.
  • We have strength in numbers. To change everything, it takes everyone. We are committed to constantly bringing new people into our work, because this is how we believe we will win. Our messaging, actions and events are oriented towards building an ever growing movement.
  • We know there’s not a minute to waste. Our time is precious in this fight, so when we gather for meetings or events, we are intent on accomplishing tasks and moving projects forward. We come to meetings and events prepared and focused.
  • We know how climate change impacts us and others. Climate change will impact everyone’s lives, but it will not impact everyone equally. We take time to recognize our own stake in this fight. We also take time to understand how this crisis disproportionately impacts low income communities, communities of color and many developing nations.
  • We mourn, but we do not despair. All of us have something to lose to climate change, and everyday we see it cause death and devastation. We take time in our work to mourn lives and livelihoods lost to climate change, but we do not let despair overcome us. We never lose hope.
  • We are non-violent. Principled nonviolence allows the most people to participate in our movement and we believe we need maximum participation in order to achieve our goals.  
  • We see each other in our humanity. We dance, sing and play together because it lifts our spirits, gives us hope, and keeps us motivated for the many challenges and victories ahead of us. We might disagree from time to time, but we are united by our shared goals, and strive to see everyone’s humanity.
  • We rise or fall together. We are all responsible for this movement and its ability to win. We support other campaigns, events and leaders. We celebrate one another’s commitment and work. We pick each other up when we stumble. We are in this together.

You can learn more about our movement and how you can be a part of it in the Fossil Free Guide. It includes a lot of the information on this webpage, and links to many other toolkits and how-to’s throughout.

 

For more questions, check out our FAQ.

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