Catastrophic climate impacts are already here. Wildfires are ripping through forests and choking our lungs. We’re losing our homes to rising seas, torrential rains, and devastating winds.

Coal, oil, and gas companies made this happen.

And the latest report from the UN climate change panel says worse is to come if we don’t end our global addiction to fossil fuels. But we can prevent the worst impacts if we act now. [1]

Taxing fossil fuel companies alone won’t solve the climate crisis. We need national governments to step up in a big way. 

But the rapid transition away from a fossil fuel-based economy must be rooted in justice. That means holding those responsible to account and making them pay their fair share to fix the problem they created.

Governments need to charge those who caused this mess, and they have many ways to do that by adopting progressive, fair policies. The levies and fees taken from taxes should go towards a just transition – e.g. helping to finance the training and infrastructure needed and improving energy efficiency and access to clean, safe, renewable power. 

We know taxing fossil fuels can end up as a tax on those with the least wealth. That’s why this demand includes a clear call for spending on a just and clean energy future for all – protecting ordinary people from taking on extra tax burdens and making those profiting from this pay their fair share.

[1] IPCC Report Warns of Irreversible Impact of Global Warming|BBC