On Burning Planet, What Do We Do?

The summer of 2026 saw long and severe heatwaves in Western Europe, North America, and South Asia. It has also been one of the worst years for wildfires, which have destroyed large swathes of France, Spain, North America and Indonesia. In some cases severe enough to create their own weather systems, forcing people to stay indoors, and leading to thousands of premature deaths.

This is the situation today, when we are at 1.4°C above pre-industrial levels; currently, we are on track for 2.6°C. Despite this urgency more fossil fuels are being extracted and burned than before and in some cases consumption is not only increasing but accelerating. Many of the effects of climate change are now irreversible and as global temperatures rise more climate tipping points will be triggered, making further irreversible changes. As the far-right is in power or on the rise across the globe, the political conditions to decarbonise and adapt become more hostile. There is no sugar-coating it: the current trajectory is bleak. So what can be done?

We should not underestimate the factors that are on our side. The level of innovation and technological progress when it comes to renewable energies is higher than it has ever been, our scientific understanding of climate change continues to grow, and currently there is enough wealth to take major steps towards decarbonisation. What stands in our way are the fossil fuel companies that seek to extract and burn fossil fuels and the governments that support them. They care more about profit and guarding their immense wealth (that workers have created) than the lives of hundreds of thousands, if not millions at risk because of climate change. 

The working-class is the only social force with the power and interest to take hold of existing wealth in society and redirect it to decarbonisation and other social measures. There needs to be an emergency plan for the climate that brings the energy industry and banks into public ownership. 

How do we build the strength and political will to win decarbonisation? How do we do this with the far-right on the rise?

_Join Bristol Alliance for Workers’ Liberty to discuss these questions. These meetings are open to all. Discussion and disagreement encouraged._