Friends of the Earth Spain groups paint various collective murals to call for energy and climate justice. Amics de la Terra Mallorca highlights the island’s energy model based on burning coal to produce electricity, widespread use of cars, planes and cruise ships, and oil prospecting threatening our coasts.
Take a look at photos from Amics de la Terra Mallorca’s Global Day of Action.
On 14 October 2017, thousands of Friends of the Earth activists took part in the Global Day of Action for Energy and Climate Justice in more than 30 countries across 6 continents. In Spain, local groups organised actions spread out across each region with a central activity common to all groups. Activists painted a collective mural to speak out about big energy companies on their human rights abuses and responsibility in the face of climate change.
In Mallorca, around 20 Friends of the Earth activists carried out various activities alongside the collective mural painting with artist SOMA, with an energy game with renewable superheroes, a concert with group La Vereda and an improvised musical poetry workshop with attendees’ messages. With the mural painted on a wall at the Aurora Picornell secondary school in the Nou Llevant neighbourhood, Amics de la Terra Mallorca highlighted the island’s energy model based on burning coal to produce electricity, widespread use of cars, planes and cruise ships, and oil prospecting’s threat to our coasts.
Mobilisations for energy and climate justice spread across the world this weekend. In Japan and Indonesia, activists went onto the streets to demand the end of coal; in Mozambique, communities affected by gas projects joined the Day of Action; and in the UK, people protested with giant dinosaurs against fracking.
In Spain, local groups from Andalusia, Aragon, Ibiza, Galicia, La Rioja, Mallorca and Madrid gathered their activists together to demand a fair energy transition, both here and across the planet. Murals created by participants represented the collective fight to demand renewable energies in the people’s hands and climate justice. The organisation itself paid tribute to the environmental defenders who, day to day, risk their lives for their communities. Only in 2016, 200 environmental activists were murdered for defending their communities and their surroundings. This is what happened to Berta Cáceres, the indigenous Lenca leader murdered in 2016 for opposing a mega-dam in Honduras.
Voices supporting climate justice resonated in all actions at an international level. It’s no surprise that in only 2017 there have been various devastating weather phenomenon, such as droughts, hurricanes and flooding, as well as forest fires and iceberg detachments, boosted by climate change. The situation must now be considered a planetary emergency. Despite the planet’s critical situation, multinationals and governments worldwide continue investing in fossil fuels: 850 new coal plants are currently in planning or being built in 62 countries, while burning fossil fuels is the main cause of climate change.
Some experts warn that the planet has about three years until the worst effects of climate change happen, which is why it’s essential to stop greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible. Everything indicates that now’s the time to leave fossil fuels underground and support an energy system based on renewable energy sources and led by the people.
Karin Nansen, president of Friends of the Earth International, said:
“Communities around the world are winning battles and the solutions to the climate crisis do exist. We can win this fight if we act together.”