Santa Cruz Climate Justice Crew demonstrating on Feb 25th, 2022. Signs include: "War is Bad for the Climate + All Life" and "Our Climate: 'We Forgive a Child Who Fears the Dark. The Tragedy is Men Who Fear Light.' ~Plato" Photo by Athena Ereno.
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Converging Crises: Connecting climate, fossil fuels and Ukraine invasion

Last Friday, Novasutras Santa Cruz joined a local demonstration where activists connected the invasion of Ukraine to fossil fuel funding and the ongoing climate crisis. Today, Novasutras Uplifters (our core volunteers) elected to sign this international call for a climate-wise response to the invasion of Ukraine.

Santa Cruz Climate Justice Crew demonstrating on Feb 25th, 2022. Signs include: "War is Bad for the Climate + All Life", "Heal the Climate, Protect the Waters, Restore the Forests, Novasutras", "We Are All in this Together", "Planet Over Profit", "Chase Bank, Stop Banking on Fossil Fuels", "Would this War Be Happening Without Fossil Fuel?" and "Without Fossil Fuels the War Machine Stops" Photo by Athena Ereno.
Santa Cruz Climate Justice Crew demonstrating on Feb 25th, 2022.
Signs include: “War is Bad for the Climate + All Life”, “Heal the Climate, Protect the Waters, Restore the Forests, Novasutras”, “We Are All in this Together”, “Planet Over Profit”, “Chase Bank, Stop Banking on Fossil Fuels”, “Would this War Be Happening Without Fossil Fuel?” and “Without Fossil Fuels the War Machine Stops”
Photo by Athena Ereno.

Are you connected to other organizations that might want to sign on to this call to starve the war machine behind the invasion of Ukraine, and improve our response to the climate crisis?  Can you help get the word out?

…this war machine has been funded, fed, and fueled by the coal, oil and gas industries that are driving both the invasion that threatens Ukraine and the climate crisis that threatens humanity’s future.
And the world’s fossil fuel addiction, in turn, is funding Putin’s warmongering — putting not only Ukraine but Europe itself at risk. 
Putin has deliberately weaponised fossil gas to increase his existing energy dominance over the European Union and to threaten European nations that would come to Ukraine’s aid. This needs to stop! 
We call on you to urgently work with your European colleagues on ending this fossil fuel addiction once and for all.
We also call upon the governments of the countries outside Europe to reject and ban any import of fossil fuels from Russia and rapidly phase out all fossil fuels.

with-ukraine.org
This video provides good insights into how fossil fuels and Russia’s status as a petrostate are intrinsic to understanding why Putin decided to invade Ukraine.

The fear and suffering experienced by the people of Ukraine, and all of the destruction and terror associated with this invasion, are deeply connected to our global addiction to fossil fuels. This is true of many of the conflicts around the world. That same addiction is leading us deeper and deeper into climate crisis. In turn, climate chaos leads to more conflict over water and land.

We can break that fossil fuel addiction, reduce the incentives and capacities of warmongers, and reduce our risks during the climate emergency. Now is the time to do it!

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