Statues blindfolded across Belgium to announce next international action against fossil fuel subsidies
During the night of 17 September, dozens of statues were blindfolded in cities including Ghent, Antwerp, Beveren, Brussels and Namur. With this action, the climate movement Extinction Rebellion (XR) announces the next international action against fossil fuel subsidies. On 5 October, more than 30 climate groups, organised as United for Climate Justice (UCJ), will again take to the streets of Brussels. Ahead of the appointment of the new European Commission, UCJ is demanding that the new Commissioners take immediate steps to end fossil subsidies.
Direct and indirect subsidies, totaling over €405 billion in Europe [1], continue to support fossil fuels and undermine other efforts to tackle the climate crisis. In Belgium, XR has blocked the streets 4 times since January [2] to demand an end to these subsidies. The Belgian government spent €12.9 billion [3] on fossil fuel subsidies in 2020, and direct subsidies amounted to 2.4% of Belgian GDP [4].
The urgency for action is greater than ever. Month after month, heat records are being broken [5], while extreme weather events such as floods are on the rise [6]. In Belgium, farmers face adverse conditions; fields are too wet to sow and crops rot in the fields. In southern Europe, for example in Greece, the number of forest fires is rising significantly [7] and if climate change is not addressed, Spain risks seeing 75 % of its territory turned into desert [8].
"These crises not only affect our climate, but have direct implications for food security, migration flows and geopolitical tensions." declares campaigner Ellys. "We demand that the government introduce a National Emergency Plan to accelerate the transition to a fossil-free economy. This plan should protect the vulnerable as well as the ecosystem. It is crucial that the government stops fossil subsidies before the climate crisis escalates further. As Europe is the fastest warming continent [9], climate collapse is not a distant threat anymore and the window of opportunity to avoid the worst consequences is closing fast."
XR activists are demanding an EU-wide end to fossil fuel subsidies and the implementation of an emergency plan to transition to a thriving fossil-free economy that protects the most vulnerable and the ecosystem. However, the necessary transition to a sustainable future must not be at the expense of those already suffering the effects of climate change. The solution is not simply to replace fossil fuels with alternatives, but to actively reduce the use of natural resources. Activists are calling for a shift away from a paradigm focused on endless economic growth that is incompatible neither with social justice nor with planetary boundaries [10]. The “Stop EU Fossil Subsidies” campaign asserts that deep systemic change towards a flourishing society rooted in a true democracy is the only remedy for the current social and ecological breakdown.
According to Extinction Rebellion, this transition cannot happen without the involvement of citizens. "A successful policy requires that we work together with citizens to build a new system" the movement argues. "Only through broad citizen participation can we create support for a different, equitable climate policy. In practice, we demand that binding citizens' assemblies be established on a permanent and rotating basis at all levels of decision-making: local, regional, national, EU."
[1] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HIgRvsqUiDC1RVmK-VXpSFXz5lkurWxWpO2eFDkxb6A/edit?usp=sharing
[3] https://finances.belgium.be/sites/default/files/Statistieken_SD/Inventaris/FFS_2023_resume_FR.pdf
[4] https://climat.be/actualites/2023/2e-inventaire-federal-des-subventions-aux-energies-fossiles
[5] https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2023/08/07/warmste-julimaand-ooit-gemeten/
[6] https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2024/09/11/12-natste-maanden-op-rij/
[8] https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20210617/espana-riesgo-convertirse-desierto-este-siglo/2104605.shtml
[10] https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html
What is United for Climate Justice (UCJ)?
United for Climate Justice (UCJ) is a platform of climate and social justice movements. It receives support and endorsement from non-governmental organisations within and outside of Europe.
Together, they are coordinating the Stop Fossil Subsidies campaign grounded in scientific evidence of the climate crisis, with civil disobedience serving as their primary tactic. They advocate for rapid and systemic cultural, economic and political change, driven for and by the people themselves.