No More Empty Summits

On April 23, we are doing different actions in time for Earth Day and the Leaders Summit on Climate!

Cut the Bullshit

Our Demands:

1. End fossil fuel investments and subsidies immediately

2. Stop the plunder of the environment especially in the Global South which are the most affected areas

3. Have annual, binding carbon budgets that factor in justice and equity, concrete plans, roadmaps, and milestones to get to actual net zero.

Our Letter:

To our world leaders today,

On April 22nd and 23rd, US President Joe Biden invited 40 heads of state to the Leaders Summit on Climate, but what have you so-called leaders done? Definitely not enough. It’s mostly the same “leaders” that have been spewing out empty promises. You have ambitious themes for your summit, but we’re sick of talk. We need action. Cut the bullshit.

We are running out of time, yet all you’re doing is holding summits to feel important and congratulate yourselves. For what? For all your far-off net zero targets or your new “amazing plans” for your near-term targets that are still heavily insufficient and full of loopholes. But just like in the children’s story “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” you are all just fooling yourselves and each other with your “magnificent clothes.” read more


What is the Leaders Summit on Climate or the Biden Summit?

When he took office in January 2021, President Biden announced that he would be holding a summit for 40 World Leaders to discuss global action on the climate crisis on April 22nd and 23rd. The supposed aim of the summit is to galvanise global efforts of staying below 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming and to be “a key milestone on the road to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26)”. Yet rather than opening the summit to all – and especially those in MAPA (Most Affected Peoples and Areas or Global South), President Biden has instead invited only 40 heads of state – including many who have already proven that they do not care about the climate crisis and in some cases denying that we are currently living through it. 

For climate to be addressed in a just and equitable manner, historically underrepresented communities must be present in these conversations. Excluding the voices of nations in the Global South, those facing the brunt of climate impacts created by the Global North, limits intersectional and equitable action and lessens the global responsibility of the Global North to address its disproportionate impact.


Why is FFF protesting

The Leaders Summit on Climate invited only 40 heads of state, and is going to be mostly the same “leaders” that have been spewing out empty promises. We don’t have time for this — so we’re saying end the bullshit. True leadership is found with the people, especially those at the frontlines of the climate crisis. The decisions needed to achieve climate justice will be made not because of the long-winded conversations of these “leaders,” but because of the people uniting together in every way we can, on the streets and online. Let’s show everyone what true leadership is like!
A new system can’t be built by the same elite colonizers who are leading our current destruction. Inequality is at the heart of the climate crisis. We need to amplify the voices of MAPA (Most Affected Peoples and Areas) to make sure that the past systematic problems won’t be repeated. No more empty promises! No more empty summits!


Toolkits

Physical actions

In small groups of people, hold a speech of what our country’s Head of State should be saying at the Biden Summit (whether or not they were invited).

Send us a picture and video of your action so we can combine our voices and show our strength.

If you want to hold a physical action, here’s a toolkit with step by step instructions!
Here is a press release template along with different quotes from MAPA that you can use.


Mock SUmmit

On April 23rd, we held a digital version of the Physical Actions from above. We protested against Bidens Summit by holding our own little Mock Summit, speaking the truth that the Heads of State at the Biden Summit aren’t saying and raising the voices of those that should have been heard at the Biden Summit. Watch it below!