By Nick Dearden (From Seeds February – March 2025)

Together with Christian Aid, Global Justice Now is a key partner of the URC’s global justice programme, Commitment for Life. Here, Director of Global Justice Now Nick Dearden looks back on some significant moments in 2024. We can make a change, he says.

Last year, 2024, the fragility of our world was laid bare. The genocide in Gaza, spreading conflict in the Middle East, and the war in Ukraine devastated tens of thousands of lives.

At the same time, the fast-accelerating climate crisis – driven by the power of the fossil fuel industry – continues to wreak havoc. Extreme weather events are destroying food systems, depleting water supplies, and devastating the world’s most climate-vulnerable communities.

The concentration of wealth and power has been decades in the making; a direct result of the rules which govern our global economy. The inequality and injustice that have flowed is now so great that it is tearing at the social fabric in dozens of countries. International law, applied unfairly at the best of times, now has been rendered completely meaningless. So, the inequality, the conflicts and the climate breakdown we are witnessing aren’t inevitable. They aren’t accidental.

And that means that we can reverse the tide.

For example…

THE UK’S EXIT FROM THE CLIMATE-WRECKING ENERGY CHARTER TREATY

This time last year, the UK announced its exit from the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), joining a wave of European nations abandoning this harmful agreement. This victory against corporate power puts the ECT – often used by fossil fuel companies to block climate action – on the brink of collapse.

This victory capped off three years of dedicated campaigning. Since 2021, we’ve been raising awareness about the ECT’s dangerous Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism, which allows corporations to sue governments over climate policies. While the fight against ISDS continues, the defeat of the ECT marks a crucial step in dismantling corporate control and protecting both people and the planet.

“a crucial step in dismantling corporate control and protecting both people and the planet”

MOBILISING SUPPORT FOR A FOSSIL FUEL TREATY

The climate crisis is driven by fossil fuels, yet they remain the elephant in the room at international climate summits – a sign of how powerful fossil fuel interests are.

Last year, 17 local councils across the UK, including Manchester, Glasgow, Reading, and Stroud, passed motions backing the call for a Fossil Fuel Treaty. Stirling University’s student union became the first in the UK to endorse the treaty, and we’ve secured growing cross-party support in Westminster, Holyrood, and the Welsh Senedd.

“a global movement to phase out coal, oil, and gas production … we’ve built real momentum”

We’ve also got growing support from the trade union movement, with Unison passing a resolution in support at the union’s annual conference.

These victories are part of a global movement to phase out coal, oil, and gas production and ensure a just transition to renewable energy. www.augustine.org.uk Through grassroots activism, local campaigning, and strategic alliances, we’ve built real momentum.

In 2025, we’ll build this campaign, pushing for more councils and more political support, including working with the union movement to ensure a just transition – the only way to undermine the power of fossil fuel corporations.

CHALLENGING THE UK’S ROLE IN THE GAZA GENOCIDE

Historically, Global Justice Now has not campaigned on Palestine. No organisation can take on every injustice, and we have trusted others to dedicate the attention this issue requires.

But last year, we could not remain silent. The horrifying violence unleashed on civilians in Gaza demands action. So, in 2024, we took action to confront the UK government’s complicity in the crisis in Gaza. Israel’s actions in Gaza, and its decades-long occupation, is made possible through political, military and economic support from countries like the UK. We’ve increased the heat on arms sales, making some progress with a partial ban. But this isn’t enough.

During 2025, we will work for a total arms embargo as well as challenging the UK’s trade ties with Israel, mobilising to block a new trade agreement and pushing for the suspension of the existing deal. We also plan to shine a spotlight on corporate complicity, particularly in the tech industry, exposing how major companies profit from violence, and building momentum for divestment campaigns.

It’s hard to look at the state of the world today without feeling a mix of fear, anger, and, at times, despair. But through it all, we must find hope in the incredible work being done by activists worldwide – and remind ourselves that change is possible.