DEMAND FOR THE BIG ONE
PARLIAMENT SQUARE, 21-24 APRIL 2023

The Fossil Fuel Era must end

We must end all new licences, approvals, and funding for fossil fuel projects as we begin a transition to a fair society centred on reparatory justice for all life on earth.

Change decided by us, not for us

The UK Government must create emergency citizens’ assemblies to lead on fair, long-term solutions to the most urgent issues of our time.

Multiple world crises – the most pressing of which is the climate and ecological emergency – threaten the stability of our society and all life on our planet. Despite Parliament’s declaration of a climate emergency in 2019 and overwhelming support from the UK public for action on climate change, global emissions continue to rise and biodiversity loss is at an all-time high. What’s more, we are now in cost-of-living, energy, and food security crises, with the government taking little to no action. Racism exacerbates the impacts of the climate and ecological emergency, enabling a disproportionate impact on communities in the Global South and migrant descent communities living in the UK. The interests of corporations are prioritised over the wellbeing of the people, nature, and the future of life on earth.

Nowhere is this failure starker than in the government’s unwillingness to halt all new fossil fuel projects, and commit to a fair transition that includes reparations for exploited communities. In a time of climate breakdown, the UK government is handing out over 100 new licences for gas and oil extraction in our North Sea and planning to open a new coal mine in Cumbria – completely at odds with its own commitments for a net zero carbon future. It has failed to do its fair share, to meaningfully support the countries at the forefront of climate disasters, and acknowledge its historical and ongoing role in driving global carbon emissions and extracting natural resources from its former colonies.

We must end all new licences, approvals, and funding for fossil fuel projects as we begin a transition to a fair society centred on reparatory justice for all life on earth.

This is a transformative moment in history, and we will accept nothing less than immediate and decisive action from the UK Government. The people of this country have the courage and power, and it is our responsibility to safeguard our own future by taking action where politics has let us down with apathy and dangerous false solutions.

The UK Government must create emergency citizens’ assemblies to lead on fair, long-term solutions to the most urgent issues of our time.

We demand the government announces upfront its commitment to the recommendations of emergency citizens’ assemblies and publicly justifies any rejections of recommendations. This would include a parliamentary scrutiny committee where the prime minister must justify inaction on any recommendations. Government would allocate funding for a campaign to raise public awareness of the citizens’ assembly process and its outcome.

We, the undersigned, are informing the UK Government that we are united in this demand.

Ignoring this demand would be yet more evidence that our government is failing us. We want to see an outline with the specific steps the government will take to meet our demand and the measures that will be put in place to ensure accountability and transparency.

Signed by:

Greenpeace UK
War on Want
Viva!
Equity
Women’s Climate Strike
Global Justice Now
Permaculture Association Britain
Blaksox
Operation Black Vote
Compass
The Landworkers’ Alliance
RePlanet UK
Biofuelwatch
Campaign Against Climate Change
Cornwall Green Party
Environmental Alliance Project CIC
Slow Circular Earth UK
Red-Green Labour
High Peak Green New Deal
Eco Action Families
People Against Plastic Pollution
Culture Declares Climate and Ecological Emergency
Earth Wisdom Tenders
Water Wide Web
REAL Sustainability Centre
Fashion Declares
Ethical Consumer
Hearts On Our Sleeves
Hope Valley Climate Action
South Asia Solidarity Group
The Climate Reality Project
North East Climate Justice Coalition
Breakthrough Party
350GDL
English Collective of Prostitutes
Climate Psychology Alliance
Green Christian
Fuel Poverty Action
Clean Up the Tropical Timber Trade (CUT campaign)
Mums for Lungs
Humanist Climate Action
WinVisible
Global Women Against Deportations
Women of Colour Global Women’s Strike
Payday Men’s Network
Global Women’s Strike
Scientists for Global Responsibility
Extinction Rebellion Students Durham
Extinction Rebellion UK

Want to sign the demand? Join as a Supporter of The Big One, and we’ll be in touch.