September 24 marks the Global Climate Strike. This year, organizers are drawing attention to the multiple and overlapping socio-economic crises – racism, sexism, ableism, and class inequality – that intersect and worsen the climate crisis. Organizers are calling on us to “uproot the system” that privileges the rich and powerful at the expense of the rest of us.
The climate crisis impacts everyone and while we are all united in our fight for climate justice, we must also acknowledge that we do not all experience the same problems; nor do we experience them to the same extent. MAPA (Most Affected Peoples and Areas) are experiencing the worst impacts of the climate crisis and have the least capacity to adapt to it.
With both COVID and the climate crises, overexploited countries and marginalized sectors of society are systematically left behind to fend for themselves. As the strike organizers have told us, the time to join the masses and follow the lead of indigenous peoples, environmental defenders and workers has been long overdue.
It is critical, now more than ever, that the Global North cuts emissions drastically by divesting from fossil fuels. We need aggressive concrete plans and detailed annual carbon budgets with roadmaps and milestones to ensure we get to net-zero with justice and equality in the time needed to address the climate crisis. We also need accountability and legal repercussions if these milestones are not met.