October 2024 newsletter: Mural unveiling in São Paulo
October 29, 2024
The final months of the year at Stand.earth are always a busy time. Having wrapped up our presence at Climate Week NYC just a few weeks before, our campaigners landed on the ground in Colombia earlier this month to participate in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16), where we are supporting Indigenous partners with advocacy for the protection of forests and global fossil fuel phase-out.
Stand is uniquely positioned to influence change at global climate convenings like these. By pairing our dedicated partnership with frontline leaders with informed advocacy to government policymakers, we deliver long-term, system-shifting solutions. From municipal resolutions to federal negotiations, our team acts with fierce compassion to expand what is possible. And we couldn’t do it without your support.
Mega mural by famous Brazilian “artivist” calls on billionaires to end forest destruction
Last week, Stand.earth unveiled an over 17,000 square foot mural off of Paulista Avenue, one of the busiest commercial thoroughfares in South America, calling on the billionaire family owners of Cargill Inc. to end their part in the destruction of South America’s forests and other critical ecosystems.
The largest privately owned company in the U.S. and the largest agricultural company in the world, Cargill has come under repeated fire for its role in the destruction of forests, the dislocation of Indigenous peoples, child labor, slavery, and other environmental and human rights violations across the globe. The Cargill-MacMillan family, which owns the company, boasts a collective net worth of more than $60 billion and contains more billionaires than any other family in the world.
Over $36 million in health costs, two deaths, and more than 1,600 incidences of asthma symptoms per year in the region are linked to the $1.6 billion the bank has pumped into four LNG facilities in the Gulf South. The bank’s financed emissions related to these facilities is equivalent to over 6 coal plants or 6 million gasoline cars annually.
The report, “Citi: Funding Fossil-Fueled Environmental Racism in the Gulf South,” quantifies the projected health impacts the facilities’ permitted air pollution could have on the region and highlights three communities in the area that are fighting back against fossil fuel development.
Global renewable energy capacity is on track to continue its rapid growth through the coming years, to the extent that renewables are on track to meet nearly half of the world’s electricity demand by 2030, according to a report released earlier this month by the International Energy Agency. New solar installations alone are expected to drive an explosive 80% growth in global renewable capacity before the end of the decade, IEA says.
Help us protect the world’s forests at COP16
COP16 is happening now, and the window to make real, lasting change is closing fast. Global leaders are meeting to finalize the Global Biodiversity Framework, a rare and critical opportunity to secure protections for the world’s most vital forests. Whether it’s safeguarding Amazonia or defending the ancient Northern Forests from destruction, our team is on the ground, amplifying Indigenous voices and championing their land rights. Their stewardship is essential to the future of these ecosystems — but we can’t do it without your help.
We’re just $6,250 away from reaching our $15,000 goal, which will power our efforts at this pivotal moment.
“It’s long overdue for brands to be held accountable for the impact of their manufacturing. Public perception of corporate responsibility is definitely shifting; people expect more from brands, and that can only be a good thing.”
