Watch and SHARE this video on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram and let’s get people making the links between the heatwave, climate change, and what they can do about it.


It’s now inescapable reality: climate change is here and it is touching more people’s lives than ever before.

But there’s room to act. In a month’s time, people around the world will demand a Fossil Free future. On every continent we will stand together and say — enough is enough. As temperatures rise, so do we.

Rise for Climate on 8 September

The extreme heat that the northern hemisphere has experienced over the past few weeks has broken records — and redefined just how serious heatwaves can be in a climate-warming world.

Many lives were tragically lost in heatwaves in Japan and wildfires in Greece1, 2, whilst Ouargla in North Africa reached a staggering 51.3C and unprecedented fires burned in the Arctic circle3, 4. California had the world’s hottest rain ever and is in the grip of the largest wildfire the state has ever seen.5, 6

Although climate scientists have been taken aback by the severity of the heatwave we’ve seen these past weeks, “hothouse earth” is not our destiny, if we act now.7

Bold action on climate change couldn’t be more urgent. But whilst we’re starting to see a shift in climate leadership from national governments — like the Irish government divesting last month8 — the pace is painfully slow.

So that’s why we’re calling on local decision-makers to take a lead in building the Fossil Free future we need. To prevent the climate crisis from continuing to escalate, we have to keep fossil fuels in the ground and build a just, 100% renewably powered future. Those decisions can be made now and they can be made everywhere — including by the institutions and local governments that we have the power to hold to account where we live.

So, are you ready? Join Rise for Climate and let’s make this moment as bold and creative as the situation demands. Together we’ll stand in solidarity with communities affected by the devastating recent heatwaves and wildfires. We’ll expose the fossil fuel companies that are profiting from this crisis, and let everyone in our communities know how they can be part of the solution and build a Fossil Free world from the ground up.

Let’s Rise! Join or host an event near you


References:
1) Japan heatwave: Death toll climbs to 80
2) Extreme heat, wildfires and the cost of climate change
3) It Was Absurdly Hot in North Africa Yesterday
4) There Are Wildfires Burning in the Arctic Circle Amid Sweden’s Record-Breaking Heat Wave
5) Largest wildfire in California history to burn for rest of August
6) World’s hottest rain fell in California, setting new record
7) Terrified by ‘hothouse Earth’? Don’t despair — do something.
8) Irish parliament makes history with vote to divest country fully from fossil fuels

FacebookTwitter