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Stand with First Nations peoples

When First Nations peoples are free to care for and protect their lands and waters, it benefits all people, animals, and ecosystems.

As the oldest continuous culture in the world, Aboriginal peoples have cared for Country for tens of thousands of years, and they continue to lead fights to protect land, water and cultural heritage from destructive mining projects today. 

In a recent win for cultural rights, Wangan and Jagalingou people celebrated one year of standing their ground at their Waddananggu camp on Adani's coal mining lease – asserting their rights as First Peoples to protect their lands and waters. 

But it has never been a fair fight. Since the 1980s, the mining lobby has worked to erode First Nations peoples' rights in order to keep profiting from the destruction of Aboriginal land. Today, First Nations peoples continue to fight for the right to say NO to destructive mining projects on their land.

As the clean energy industry expands, it's important to learn from the past and ensure that the mistakes of the mining industry are not repeated. First Nations people know what's best for their land and communities, and they must be free to decide which projects to pursue, and how best to protect their Country and sacred sites for generations to come.

Initiatives like the First Nations Clean Energy network are making sure that clean energy is done the right way, driven by communities, and developed so it sustains Country for generations to come.

Keep coal in the ground

The solution to Australia's coal problem can be simple. If we keep coal in the ground, then we can solve Australia’s biggest contribution to the climate crisis.

We still have a chance at preserving a safer climate within 1.5°C of warming, but 95% of Australia's known coal reserves must stay in the ground. The science is unequivocal – there can be no new coal mines at all, starting right now, and we must phase out coal by 2030.

It won't be easy. For decades, the coal industry has held back climate policy with political donations and misleading PR campaigns. Today, our laws are stacked in favour of coal corporations' profits at the expense of communities and nature.

But if we join together and stand for justice, we can shift the power back to people.

Every fraction of a degree of warming we can prevent matters. The coal we keep in the ground today will protect lives, livelihoods, and nature for generations to come.

We must demand our leaders act in the interests of communities and nature, and ban all new coal projects immediately.

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Not Another Dollar for Coal

Coal corporations desperately need funding from banks and financial institutions to get their dangerous projects off the ground. 

But for too long, the big banks have greenwashed their image with empty climate promises, while using loopholes to keep funding the biggest driver of climate change – coal. 

People power is turning the tide. Across the world over $14 trillion has already been divested from fossil fuels, and grassroots movements have pushed hundreds of banks and financial institutions to dump coal. Together, we can draw a line in the sand and demand not another dollar for coal and climate chaos.

We’re getting started by calling on NAB to stop funding Whitehaven Coal, one of Australia's largest coal producers who has plans to DOUBLE production with four dangerous new coal projects. 

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Support workers and communities

Moving towards a future beyond coal will be challenging for many people and communities. That is why we need a planned and orderly phase out of coal with significant government investment and support for workers and communities, including an Energy Transition Authority.

Workers in affected industries are calling for a job guarantee to ensure they can move to jobs in new industries. Government must ensure these are good, secure union jobs, located in coal-producing areas. This means building more diversified local economies, with jobs in renewable energy, mine rehabilitation, better emergency response, health, care, transport infrastructure, and more.

The coal industry cannot be allowed to abandon workers and communities when projects fail or close. Instead, coal corporations must contribute some of their billion-dollar profits towards the cost of these programs. Many of these corporations have avoided paying their fair share of taxes for years, while pocketing billions in government subsidies. It's time for them to give back.

The transition will look different everywhere, but it all starts with communities having a real say in decisions that affect them. It’s up to all of us to support bottom-up solutions that benefit communities and workers, not coal corporations.

Build the movement

People power works. When communities join together, history shows we can stand up to reckless coal corporations, take on the banks that fund them, and hold our politicians to account.

Over the last decade, big community-led wins have stopped several coal projects in their tracks. First Nations people and farmers rallied together to stop the Shenhua Watermark open-cut coal mine in the Liverpool plains; local community pressure pushed South 32 to abandon coal expansion plans that would have caused irreversible damage to Sydney and the Illawarra's drinking water; and a 10 year community battle led by farmers defeated the Rocky Hill open cut coal mine in court on climate and social impact grounds – just to name a few!

People-powered campaigns like the #StopAdani movement have pushed hundreds of the world’s biggest banks and financial institutions to rule out support for coal. While the fight continues, grassroots finance campaigns helped to delay and constrain Adani's mega coal mine in the Galilee Basin for 8 years, and continue to hold back Adani's coal plans. 

No one can do it alone – but when many people, groups, and fights come together, we win.

Are you ready to get involved?

So what are you waiting for?

Together, we can move Australia beyond coal!

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