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Together, we are forging a path toward a world where every voice is heard, every life is valued, and every community thrives free from the threat of environmental harm.
Our win against fossil fuel giants in California last month—a modern-day David and Goliath fight—marks a profound victory in our ongoing battle for a cleaner, healthier world.
In the face of overwhelming opposition, California oil and gas drillers withdrew a challenge at the ballot box to a landmark state law that banned new oil drilling within 3,200 feet of a community and requires tighter health and safety standards for existing wells. The ban is now in effect. This triumph resonates far beyond the immediate victory; it reaffirms the enduring power of community and the relentless pursuit of justice. In California, we have shattered the illusion that profit should outweigh the health and safety of our people. Our collective voice has risen above that of the oil industry, proclaiming that our lives are not negotiable commodities.
Nearly 30,000 oil and gas wells in California sit within 3,200 feet of sensitive land, exposing the health and safety of nearly 3 million innocent Californians. These wells are disproportionately placed in communities of color, and their emissions can cause birth defects, respiratory illnesses, and even cancer. In 2021, an independent scientific advisory panel advised California officials that a 3,200-foot setback between oil wells and sensitive receptors is the minimum distance to protect public health.
In California, we have shattered the illusion that profit should outweigh the health and safety of our people. Our collective voice has risen above that of the oil industry, proclaiming that our lives are not negotiable commodities.
In the face of these stark realities, California Senate Bill (SB)1137 emerged as a beacon of hope—a legislative effort to establish a health and safety buffer zone between oil operations and communities. This bill aimed to safeguard public health and the environment by imposing sensible setbacks, ensuring that our neighborhoods are no longer sacrificed for corporate gain. However, the road to implementing this crucial legislation was blocked when the drillers put a referendum on the ballot to overturn the law and undo the will of the people.
Climate activists Nalleli Cobo and Jane Fonda speaking at the Sanders Institute Gathering that took place in Los Angeles earlier this year as they discussed their fight against fossil fuel giants in California. (Photo: © Bryan Giardinelli / The Sanders Institute)
The oil industry, driven by profits and indifferent to the suffering of kids and communities, launched a relentless campaign against SB 1137. Pouring a staggering $61 million into efforts to overturn the law, they sought to drown out our voices with misleading campaigns and political maneuvers. Their deep pockets funded a barrage of advertisements, lobbyists, and deceptive rhetoric aimed at undermining the very protections that our communities won and desperately need.
But we refused to be silenced. Armed with determination and unwavering resolve, we mobilized grassroots movements, rallied community support, and engaged lawmakers to stand firm against industry pressure. Our collective advocacy turned the tide, demonstrating that people power can triumph over corporate interests. Despite the formidable opposition, SB 1137 stood strong, embodying our unwavering commitment to justice and public health.
My childhood was stolen by the impacts of the fossil industry, and they cast a shadow over my future. I fight every day to ensure that my story will end with me.
My personal journey into activism was fueled by firsthand experience—the profound impact of living 30 feet away from an active oil and gas well that poisoned my health and threatened my future. This intimate connection to the issue ignited a fire within me, propelling me into advocacy at a young age. The diagnosis of stage 2 reproductive cancer at 19 was a devastating consequence of this environmental injustice—a reminder of the stakes in our fight. My childhood was stolen by the impacts of the fossil industry, and they cast a shadow over my future. I fight every day to ensure that my story will end with me.
Last month's victory, and Big Oil’s unconditional surrender, is not just about legislative success; it is a testament to the resilience of communities and the power of grassroots activism. It symbolizes hope for a future where our children can grow up without fear of toxic exposure and where justice prevails over corporate greed. Together, we have proven that when we unite in pursuit of a common cause, we can achieve transformative change.
As we celebrate this milestone, let us remember that our work is far from over. Big Oil has already announced plans to sue over the law, hoping to overturn our victory in the courts. We must stand together and continue defending the 3,200-foot setback law to ensure that all Californians are protected from toxic oil drilling in their neighborhoods.
Let this victory propel us forward, energized and emboldened, to continue pushing for environmental justice and equity. Let us hold steadfast in our commitment to protect our communities, our health, and our planet from the harms of industrial pollution. Let’s continue to bring the fight to Big Oil and keep them on the run.
Together, we are forging a path toward a world where every voice is heard, every life is valued, and every community thrives free from the threat of environmental harm. This victory is not the end of our journey but a pivotal step forward in the ongoing fight for a better, healthier future for all.
“All together against racism,” the crowd in Berlin shouts. Some held posters that said “Heart instead of hate” or “Racism is not an alternative.”
Up to 300,000 people took to the rainy streets of Berlin, Germany on Saturday as nationwide protests against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Protests were also taking place in dozens of other cities such as Freiburg, Dresden, Hannover, and Mainz, a sign of growing alarm at growing support for the AfD.
Under the slogan “We are the Firewall” — a reference to the longstanding taboo against collaborating with the far right in German politics — protesters turned the space next to the Bundestag, or national parliament, into a sea of signs, flags, and umbrellas.
“All together against racism,” the crowd in Berlin shouted. Some held posters that said “Heart instead of hate” or “Racism is not an alternative.”
The new wave of mobilization against Alternative for Germany (AfD) was ignited by a January report by investigative outlet Correctiv. It revealed that AfD members had discussed the expulsion of immigrants and “non-assimilated citizens” at a meeting with extremists.
The report sent shockwaves across Germany at a time when the AfD was soaring in opinion polls, months ahead of three major regional elections in eastern Germany where their support was strongest.
“We absolutely must not allow the stories that we experienced in 1930 or even back in the 1920s to happen again ... We must do everything we can to prevent that,” said Jonas Schmidt, who came from the western port city of Bremen told the Associated Press. “That’s why I’m here.”
Kathrin Zauter, another protester, called the strong attendance “really encouraging.”
“This encourages everyone and shows that we are more — we are many,” she said.
Jakob Springfeld, the spokesman for the NGO Solidarity Network Saxony, said he was shocked that it had taken such a long time for mass demonstrations against the far-right, given the AfD had been successful in many smaller communities already. "But there's a jolt now. And the fact that the jolt is coming provides hope, I believe."
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised the protests, writing in a Saturday post on the social media platform X that citizens’ presence at the gatherings is “a strong sign for democracy and our constitution.”
“In small and big cities across the country, citizens are coming together to demonstrate against forgetting, against hate and incitement,” he added.
Saturday's protest was a collaboration involving more than one thousand entities, including leave none behind, Amnesty International, Echo Iran, and FridaysForFuture, initiated the call for action against right-wing extremism at the Reichstag building. (Photo by HAMI ROSHAN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
A participant holds up a placard reading 'No sex with Nazis' during a rally under the motto 'We are the firewall' called for by international non-profit organisation 'Hand in Hand' against right-wing politics in front of the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany on February 3, 2024. (Photo by ADAM BERRY/AFP via Getty Images)
"We are the firewall" for democracy and against right-wing extremism. With the demonstration, the participants want to set an example of resistance against right-wing extremist activities. (Photo by Kay Nietfeld/picture alliance via Getty Images)
"It will send a powerful message not just to the Israelis but to the Western powers who are backing them that the public say, 'Not in our name.'"
Millions of people are expected to take to the streets worldwide on Saturday to demand a permanent cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and denounce the U.S.-led bombing of Yemen, which pushed the Middle East even closer to a full-scale regional war.
Organizers said people in over 120 cities across 45 countries are planning to join the Gaza Global Day of Action, a mass demonstration that will begin days after South Africa presented evidence before the International Court of Justice that Israel is committing genocide in the Palestinian enclave.
"This global day of action, from Australia through to Asia, Europe, and the Americas, is the first coordinated, international movement against the war being waged by Israel on the Palestinian people," said Kate Hudson, general secretary of the U.K.-based Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. "It will send a powerful message not just to the Israelis but to the Western powers who are backing them that the public say, 'Not in our name.'"
Major protests are expected in New York City, Washington, D.C., London, Paris, Cairo, Istanbul, Tokyo, and scores of other cities and towns.
Israeli forces have killed more than 23,000 people—including over 10,000 children—in Gaza in just over three months, devastated the territory's infrastructure, and sparked a horrifying humanitarian crisis. Much of Gaza's population is displaced, starving, and at growing risk of disease.
Hudson said Friday that in the face of such a catastrophe, "everyone with a conscience" should "join the millions of voices from around the world in demanding an end to endless war."
"Your participation will amplify the call for justice for innocent Palestinians and every citizen of every country targeted by the missiles of Israel and the West," said Hudson. "It will make it clear to those countries that they do not have their citizens' support for their actions."
"Saturday is going to be a very important day for the anti-war movement," she added. "So let's unite, make a difference, and show that together, we can create waves of change that echo globally. Let's paint a picture of hope, unity, and lasting change."
The Biden administration has insisted it hopes to prevent Israel's assault on Gaza—which the U.S. has backed from the start with weaponry and diplomatic support—from spreading across the region, but it has launched airstrikes in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen since October 7, targeting Iran-aligned militia groups and heightening the risk of a broader war.
The growing number of Biden administration and congressional staffers who support a cease-fire are expected to speak at a rally in Washington, D.C. on Saturday.
In a statement late Thursday announcing the Yemen airstrikes—which many U.S. lawmakers slammed as unconstitutional—President Joe Biden said he "will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary," signaling that additional attacks on Yemen are on the table.
"Instead of working to end Israel's massacre of Palestinians, the Biden administration is choosing war and further destruction," IfNotNow, a Jewish American advocacy group, said Friday in response to the U.S. strikes in Yemen. "There is no military solution. We need a lasting cease-fire NOW."
Ismail Patel, visiting research fellow at the University of Leeds, wrote in an op-ed for Middle East Eye last week that plans for Saturday's global demonstrations were inspired in part by the inability of international institutions such as the United Nations to act as Israel and its Western allies operate with impunity on the world stage.
"A global day of protest thus serves as a powerful tool for exposing this unfair and ineffective order," Patel argued. "It further sheds light on how the U.S. and U.K. governments hold justice hostage and the world at ransom as they continuously shield Israel from accountability."