January 2025 newsletter: Reasons for hope as we start the new year

As Stand.earth marks the start of our 25th anniversary year, it’s clear that we are entering a period unlike any other in our organization’s history. One month into the new year, many of us are grappling with how to reconcile disappointment and reinforce hope in the face of an onslaught of political setbacks and increasing climate impacts at a time when the stakes have never felt higher.

While it’s easy (and understandable) to feel overwhelmed by the challenges ahead of us, our team is also encouraged by the many areas in which we see unique opportunities for progress this year. This month’s newsletter includes glimpses into four of our campaigns where our team is finding reasons to be hopeful about the year ahead. No one said it would be easy, but we know that this transition toward a climate-safe future is not only necessary but unstoppable.

This isn’t the first time our organization has been challenged to achieve durable change in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, and time after time, Stand’s community delivers. Thank you for being a driving force in the movement toward a just and thriving future for our planet and all its people.

Fashion campaign amplifying calls for systemic improvements in sustainability

This year, Stand’s fashion campaign will be deepening its analysis of which brands are doing their share for climate action by issuing the latest edition of our landmark Fossil-Free Fashion Scorecard, which we plan to release in late spring. We’ll also be working closely with local partners and frontline communities in Bangladesh — one of the biggest apparel-producing countries in the world — to demand that brands work together to fund a climate transition that is fast and fair.

“Stand has already changed the game by pushing some of the world’s biggest fashion brands to set ambitious climate and energy targets, with big successes from brands like Zara, H&M, and Lululemon. But as the climate crisis becomes more disastrous, targets aren’t enough anymore: Brands need to drastically cut emissions, and support the workers and communities in their supply chains that are bearing the brunt of climate breakdown. Pressure is building on the EU and other national governments worldwide to respond to growing demands from workers and activists for systemic change in an industry that has historically taken people and the planet for granted.”

— Rachel Kitchin
Senior Corporate Climate Campaigner

Climate finance campaign driving divestment through global banks work

In 2025, our climate finance campaign is escalating our Fossil Free Citi and Fossil Free RBC campaigns as part of a Global Banks campaign. Together, we’re demanding big U.S., Canadian, and European Banks no longer prop up fossil fuel financing, and step up renewables and climate solutions. Our team is focusing on support for a number of major liquified “natural” gas (LNG) carbon bomb projects in Canada, the Gulf Coast, and Amazonia that are being proposed and endanger communities and our climate.

We’re also advancing our work to get investors, including public pensions, to divest from fossil fuels while expanding our focus on the trillions of dollars of workers’ hard-earned savings that have been overlooked: private retirement funds, particularly 401K and private pensions. Many of these plans do not currently offer workers fossil free options, and are heavily exposed to coal, oil and gas and private equity. By harnessing workers’ collective power, we are going to change that.

Lastly, we will re-launch the Global Fossil Fuels Commitments Divestment Database – a go-to resource for journalists, academics, and campaigners – complete with new visualization, data mining and useability tools.

“National government climate action will be increasingly hard to achieve in the USA, Canada and around the world. Rather than feel totally despondent, what energizes me is that our climate finance campaigns at Stand – focused on retirement funds, state public pensions, and banks – can all succeed because they can advance without national action. In fact, they must. We are well situated to have financial institutions lean in, as federal governments lean out.”

— Richard Brooks
Director of Climate Finance

Oil and gas campaign pushing back against growth of fracking and LNG development

To mitigate runaway climate change, developed nations cannot continue to approve new oil and gas projects. Our oil and gas campaign is harnessing the power of research, relationships, and communities to oppose fracking and LNG development in British Columbia and keep Canada’s largest carbon bomb in the ground. Around 13 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions sits squarely under Indigenous Treaty 8 Territory, particularly under the Blueberry Nation’s land in B.C. If exploited, it would be the biggest climate-harming emission source in Canada ever, and the sixth largest in the world. We are leveraging science to secure smart, climate-aligned public policies, and mobilizing local communities to oppose dangerous extraction that would drive up our emissions and leave British Columbians footing the bill.

“In this politically polarized climate, projects like Frack Free BC are bringing people together to advocate for the issues that are most important to them and their communities. We are going to push new governments hard this year because we feel accountable to each other and to a climate-safe future for all.”

— Kiki Wood
Senior Oil & Gas Campaigner

Transportation campaign ramping up pressure on Amazon

In the race to transition delivery and shipping toward zero emissions targets, the gap is widening between leaders and laggards. Amazon in particular has fallen behind and failed to commit to the important target of zero-emission last-mile deliveries by 2030. In 2025, our transportation campaign will heighten the pressure on Amazon and other companies that are holding back progress on emissions reductions.

“This is an exciting and important time to be leading our campaign to decarbonize the shipping and logistics industry. In the coming months, Stand and our partners in the Clean Mobility Collective see real opportunities to accelerate the transition of polluting trucks and delivery vans to climate-friendly alternatives. I am excited to celebrate the real victories happening in the industry, and hold accountable the companies dragging their feet.”

— Joshua Archer
Senior Global Corporate Campaigner

Got two minutes? Help shape the next 25 years!

Big things are ahead, and we want your take! What’s keeping you up at night? What’s giving you hope? Your insights will help shape the next chapter of Stand’s bold action for people and the planet.

This community is what keeps our work going – your passion, your dedication, and your hope inspire us, especially when times feel heavy.