Image: XR Indigenous Hewa Bora

Dear rebel,

Since 2018, Extinction Rebellion has been demanding that governments ACT NOW. This past month, the United Nations has added its voice to our calls for immediate action. 1.5 degrees is lost but we are far from done in this fight for our lives. We have everything we need to transition to a more just world without fossil fuels – we just need to do it. Near Goma in the DRC, the local Indigenous Pygmy community did just that last month. First, they protested the deforestation of Virunga National Park and then they planted trees themselves. Rebels and Indigenous communities in Argentina have been forced into action as their very homes are being destroyed, along with vast swathes of the environment. Now is the time to show up, wherever, whenever, and however you can – we’re in this together.

This newsletter is brought to you by XR Global Support, a worldwide network of rebels who help our movement grow and need money to continue this crucial work.

ACT NOW WITH A DONATION

Action Highlight

August 2026 | XR Misiones, Argentina

Photo: XR Misiones

Rebels from XR Misiones, in the northeastern corner of Argentina, have been waging a massive campaign against the multinational forestry company Arauco, which has a long history of environmental destruction and human rights abuses. The government has been facilitating the sale of land to foreign companies and violently repressing those who resist. Arauco now owns 230,000 hectares of land but is grabbing more and targeting the peasant and Indigenous communities who live there. Arauco is having people detained, burning their homes, livestock, and crops in order to steal their land for pine monocultures. Ironically, Arauco is also pushing people off their land so the company can re-classify some of these native forests as reserves that they then claim as carbon offsets, “for the environment”. Follow XR Misiones on Instagram and watch this interview for more background.

Action Update

August 2026 | XR Indigenous Hewa Bora, DRC

Photo: XR Hewa Bora

On August 7 and 8th, 2026, Extinction Rebellion (XR) Indigenous Hewa Bora organized two days of action to call attention to the critical situation facing Virunga National Park. Hewa Bora is a settlement 16 kilometres west of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Virunga National Park is threatened by rampant deforestation and chronic insecurity caused by the presence of armed groups, so on August 7th, dozens of Indigenous women, members of the Pygmy community and other citizens held a sit-in. The Indigenous people's identity, culture, and livelihoods are inextricably linked to the forest. The next day, they took concrete collective action themselves by planting 500 trees around the village. Follow XR Indigenous Hewa Bora on Facebook.

July 2026 | XR Angers, France

Photo: XR Angers

On 17 July, XR rebels in Angers, France, disrupted fast fashion giants Bershka and H&M by spreading a harmless but nasty-smelling substance inside their stores. Arguing that France’s recent ‘anti-fast-fashion law’ doesn’t go far enough, they came up with the campaign “Ôde aux Rats” (pronounced like the French for “sense of smell”, but translates as “Ode to Rats”) to undermine retailers’ marketing tricks and raise awareness. As the foul odour sent shoppers fleeing for the exits, activists held a party outside with music and banners, engaging people in conversation as they left. This is XR France’s second ‘olfactory sabotage’, following a similar action at a mall in Grenoble last year. Follow XR Angers here.

Positive News

Solar buoyed Europe's grid amid record-breaking heat and drought this summer | Grist

Europe’s hottest, driest summer put a massive strain on its energy system. Solar not only held up but generated more power than usual during the heat waves, highlighting its potential to strengthen the grid against climate extremes.

Must Reads

Your gas car works fine. Consider an EV anyway, scientists say. | Grist

We environmentalists know the drill: use it until it breaks. As a general rule, we should strive to prolong the lifetime of our electronic devices, kitchen appliances, and clothing until it is absolutely necessary to replace them. The hyperconsumerist habit of constantly upgrading possessions to bigger and better versions whilst the previous are still functional is a massive threat to our planet.

However, new research shows that when it comes to vehicles, this may in fact not be the most ecologically conscious approach. This article explains that disposing of your fully-operational gas-powered car and purchasing a brand new electric vehicle is actually a better move for the health of the planet. An owner only has to drive an EV 4,400 miles a year to have saved enough emissions to cancel out those released during its manufacture. Of course, it is not realistic that every car owner simultaneously calls the scrap company, nor do we all have the means to finance an electric vehicle. However, the research is certainly a sobering indication of just how damaging gas-powered engines are to the environment. A key take-away for any driver is to be conscious of one's vehicle use and reduce it wherever possible.

AI’s potential climate benefits outweighed by role in boosting fossil fuels, study finds | AI (artificial intelligence) | The Guardian

A new study has shown that the small boost AI may give to renewable energy is far outweighed by the increased production of oil and gas enabled by AI. This article notes that AI has enabled the fossil fuel industry to already have “more efficient operations, increased production, and shorter development timelines”. This is in addition to the massive use of fossil fuel energy to power the data centres themselves.

This Month's Suggested Action

So, you want to make a difference, but there isn't an activist group in your area that's really your speed, and you don't know where to start? We have suggestions!

This month's suggestion is to get involved in local issues--very local issues. Join the school board or the city council. Volunteer at a soup kitchen. Organize a group to pick up trash at the park. Just pick something, get involved, and pay attention. Whatever kinds of problems the people where you live have, there will be some kind of connection to climate change, environmental justice, and democratic process. You just need to keep an eye out and find it, then act on your principles.

The connection might not look like you expect. You might have to suspend judgment, cooperate with people you otherwise disagree with, and listen carefully, but the connection will be there, in the local need. And that's where you start, by serving the local need and finding ways to work with and learn from the people you meet in the process.

Watch: Disobey ~ No To Big Tech | Extinction Rebellion UK

We live in a world where technology has become almost impossible to escape. We communicate through social media, use online platforms for work and study, and use digital services to organise our everyday lives. Yet the Disobey: No To Big Tech discussion by Extinction Rebellion UK, which features speakers Matt Tutt and Rania Youssef, challenges us to look beyond the convenience of technology and ask “who really holds the power in the digital world?” The problem is not technology itself, but the growing influence of corporations that control our digital spaces, collect our data, shape what we see, and turn our attention into profit. Even the environmental costs of technology are often hidden from us, from the energy and water required to run data centres to the extraction of minerals needed for our devices and the growing problem of electronic waste. The digital world may feel invisible, but it is deeply connected to the physical environment and the systems that sustain it.

This is where disobedience becomes an act of reclaiming power. Disobedience is not only about protesting or breaking rules, it can also mean questioning systems we have been taught to accept as normal or inevitable. Individual choices matter, but challenging Big Tech requires collective action by demanding accountability, protecting our data and privacy, supporting alternatives, and questioning economic systems that place profit above people and the planet. Some of the questions we should ask ourselves are “do we want a digital world built around surveillance or privacy? Profit or public interest? Concentrated corporate power or democratic participation? Endless consumption or environmental responsibility? Lastly, what kind of digital world are we creating for our children?” Our attention, data, money, and participation are forms of power, and we should have a say in how that power is used. Perhaps the question is not simply whether we can say “No” to Big Tech, but whether we are willing to imagine and collectively build a digital world that we can say “Yes” to - one where technology serves people, protects democracy and respects the environment. Sometimes, to create something better we first have to disobey what we have been told is inevitable.

Book Review: Flight Behaviour, by Barbara Kingsolver

Flight Behavior is one of those rare novels that address climate change accurately and deeply while telling a great story. It's not set in the distant future, nor is it a metaphor for anything. And while the inciting incident of the story (millions of Monarch butterflies turn up on a sheep farm in the rural American South) hasn't happened yet, it could. Things like that have happened. It's a realistic tale about living with climate change now.

But Barbara Kingsolver is not using her talents to issue a vague plea to "do something." She is instead both witnessing the grief and strangeness and wonder of our age and calling attention to some very specific issues in American culture - issues that have kept us from really tackling the problem. Her book offers no easy or clear solutions, but does suggest a path forward. If more people had taken that path fourteen years ago when Flight Behavior was first published, the world might look very different today.

Film Review: Purpose: A Wellbeing Economies Film

Purpose is a 90 minute documentary about two people trying to get us off GDP as the world’s number one metric. It’s easy to talk about system change and a just transition, but how does that actually happen? Can we get there in a way other than a violent revolution? Katherine Trebeck and Lorenzo Fioramonti believe that we can and that the key is getting government economists and officials to overcome their addiction to the GDP. The film begins by beautifully laying out how the GDP rose to such a position of power and why it makes absolutely no sense now. The story then follows Trebeck and Fioramonti as they try to get the Wellbeing Economy Governments Alliance off the ground. The film is narrated and directed by Martin Oetting, and his opening explanation of his own career pivot may resonate with many. Purpose is a quiet film about people organizing meetings, going to meetings, and trying to get those meetings to become bigger meetings, but anyone working in the climate sphere knows that this is the actual work. Local screenings can be organized, and it’s also available for rent online for a nominal fee from Films for Action.

Readers!

We’d like to hear from you! Please email us at: xr-newsletter@protonmail.com. Forward this newsletter to a friend. If this was forwarded to you, join us and subscribe to the XR Global Newsletter. If you have any questions or feedback, we want to hear from you. Get in touch at xr-newsletter@protonmail.com

P.S. Want to take action?Make a donation to help power the rebellion!

Image: Extinction Rebellion

Dear rebel,

India and Pakistan have both been experiencing periods of extreme heat for several years but for many in the Global North, that was a "them" problem. This past month has brought home what 40° actually feels like for those living in Europe and many parts of North America. Suddenly the rights of workers in heatwaves feels like an urgent issue. In the ultimate irony, a London Climate Week event about excessive heat had to be cancelled because of… excessive heat.

Naming extreme heat episodes could be a step in making people understand these aren’t like the old heatwaves of the 20th century - our baseline temperatures have already risen by 1° to 1.5° so every heatwave starts from a higher point. What can one person do? Every time someone mentions the heat, talk about the fossil fuel created climate crisis that is the cause of the heat. Think about your own heat readiness. Look around your neighbourhood - are there cooling centres? Reach out to your municipality and local organizations about how more can be created. Community starts with people just talking to each other. Say hello to your neighbours. Share a story. Look out for each other.

The Newsletter Team will take the month of August to refresh and regenerate. So enjoy our July issue, and we'll be back in September full of love and rage!

This newsletter is brought to you by XR Global Support, a worldwide network of rebels who help our movement grow and need money to continue this crucial work.

BEST HOLIDAY GIFT EVER: A LIVEABLE PLANET

Action Highlight

June 2026 | XR UK

Image: XR UK

It’s Hotter than Hell – community heatwave resilience

The latest resource on XR UK’s Rebel Toolkit page is a very timely handout to print and share, with tips to help your community prepare for, and stay safe during, heatwaves.

For individual households, there are also some low-cost, low-effort DIY ways to keep your home cooler in hot weather. One simple, yet effective tip consists of smearing natural yoghurt on your windowpanes so the glazing reflects solar heat. Who knew?

The Rebel Toolkit page also has other downloadables to prompt conversations about resilience among your communities and neighbours. For real-world ways to prepare in the event of climate-related disruptions or system failures, check out the comprehensive XReadiness Guide. Remember, strong connections with the people around you make for one of the most powerful forms of resilience.

Action Update

June 2026 | XR Beni

Image: XR Beni

NTSP Coalition Urge DRC and Uganda to Reject Oil Expansion

Beni Rebels and the Congo Basin Alliance, part of the Notre Terre Sans Pétrole (NTSP) coalition, have joined forces with Stop EACOP partner organisations to send an open letter, signed by 65 organisations, to DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. The letter voices concern over talks to expand oil development in the Albertine Graben and Lake Albert region of western Uganda, and warns against letting existing infrastructure like EACOP become a gateway for pushing oil operations deeper into the DRC.

The letter follows Tshisekedi's May 2026 visit to Kampala, where he proposed jointly developing the shared Albertine Graben reservoir and channelling DRC's crude through Uganda's existing pipeline.

The concern for the communities and campaigners behind this letter is about the future of one of the world's most biodiverse ecosystems. The Congo Basin and Lake Albert region hold irreplaceable rainforest, along with freshwater sources, and countless species and communities whose survival depends on this land staying intact. Going ahead with such a project pushes this fragile region towards the point of no return.

Read the letter | Sign the letter

For more about XR Rebel Actions around the world, follow @extinctionrebellion

Positive News

‘An equal and habitable world is possible’: academics set out sweeping vision for planetary survival | The Guardian

A new Global Justice Report from the World Inequality Lab (WIL) offers an optimistic vision for the future, arguing that it is possible to create a world where both people and the planet thrive. Rather than presenting climate action and economic development as competing priorities, the report demonstrates that the two can go hand in hand. According to the report, global living standards could improve significantly while keeping global warming below 2°C. Researchers suggest that with ambitious international cooperation, cleaner energy systems, fairer economic policies, and more sustainable patterns of consumption, nearly everyone could enjoy a better quality of life by the end of the century.

The vision also includes reducing extreme inequality by ensuring wealth and opportunities are shared more fairly across countries and communities. The report highlights the potential for shorter working hours, greater investment in healthcare and education, and improved gender equality, creating societies that are healthier, more resilient, and more inclusive. Importantly, the researchers emphasise that the resources and technology needed to achieve these goals already exist. What is needed most is political will and global collaboration. At a time when discussions about climate change can often feel overwhelming, the report provides a hopeful reminder that a sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future remains within reach if governments, businesses, and citizens commit to bold and coordinated action.

2025 Imagine Contest Collection - Grist

Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors is a climate fiction initiative from Grist. While Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organisation dedicated to climate reporting, they built this project on a simple belief: facts alone don’t always have an impact on people the way stories do.

The collection pulls in voices from around the world, particularly from communities most affected by climate change. What stands out most is the diversity. Twelve stories scatter across genres, geographies, and emotional registers, making the collection a colourful range through folklore, food, family, ecology, migration, and memory. Every writer worked from the same prompt, "imagine a livable future," and each one arrived somewhere completely their own. In a world where AI-generated media is taking centre stage and originality is taking a backseat, Imagine 2200 is proof that we still have so much imagination left in us. Read the full collection.

Must Reads

World’s largest banks pledged $906bn to fossil fuel companies in ‘unfathomable’ increase in 2025, report finds

While the world races to tackle the climate crisis, the latest Banking on Climate Chaos report reveals that the world's 65 biggest banks poured a staggering $906 billion into fossil fuel companies in 2025, which is an 8% increase from the previous year. As governments and businesses commit to net-zero targets, environmental advocates argue that continued investment in coal, oil, and gas undermines global climate efforts. The report is a timely reminder that where money flows matters, and that banks have a critical role to play in accelerating the shift towards renewable energy and a low carbon economy. Read more about it here.

Opposition and apathy - understanding the real threats to Net Zero - PersuasionUK

In 2019, Theresa May’s government formalized a strategy to achieve equilibrium in the UK’s emissions of greenhouse gases, aiming to reach “Net Zero” by 2050. The route to this goal is a mass decarbonisation of the UK economy by shifting away from fossil fuels in favour of more sustainable energy sources, and the absorption of what little emissions may remain via carbon sinks and carbon capture.

Despite over 100 countries following suit with their own Net Zero promises, the Conservative party and Reform UK are now openly pushing to abandon the policy. Yet the anti-Net Zero sentiment voiced by the right wing political elites does not currently seem to reflect public attitudes, as discovered through this recent research by IPPR. Rather, the majority of British citizens are in favour of the Net Zero mission. Right-leaning media further distorts the narrative, and in 2025 was found to be 160% more negative about the necessity and achievability of Net Zero than public opinion.

The polarisation amongst politicians is problematic and reduces climate change to a partisan issue, whereas voters may not necessarily view global warming as part of the left/right binary so prevalent in the UK’s current divisive party politics. Far right voter opinion is at risk of being swayed by allegiance to a chosen party and shifting to share their antagonistic stance on Net Zero. Left wing parties may be misled by the negativity dominating the news and discussions in parliament, and therefore dilute their climate change politics in response to this illusory backlash. Such consequences pose multiple dangers to the momentum of public concern about climate change at a crucial time.

This Month's Suggested Action

Once again, we'd like to suggest something simple you can do to get started as an activist if handcuffing yourself to airplanes and such isn't quite your speed. This month's suggestion starts with lifestyle changes—you know, the kind we've been told would solve all environmental problems if only everyone would do their part (as if corporate action and government inaction had nothing to do with said problems). It just doesn't end there.

Sit down, take a look at your life, and figure out what changes could shrink your carbon footprint. Maybe if you took public transit to work instead of driving, or ate locally, or used solar power for all your electricity needs you could live more sustainably?

You'll probably discover that at least some of those changes are impossible.

You can't take public transit because there isn't any in your area. You can't eat locally-grown foods because there aren't any or because they're too expensive. Solar power isn't an option. And on and on.

Congratulations; you've found something you can work on!

Wherever you find a structural barrier to living sustainably is a place you can get to work removing those barriers for yourself and for other people. It's OK if you don't know what to do at first. Start where you are with what you know and go from there. Learn about your situation. Ask “why” a lot. Find other people in your area working on the same issue or related issues and work with them. Be flexible—your objective might change as you learn more, and that's OK. The point is to get started.

Watch: The Welcome Table

Josh Fox, known for his award winning documentary “Gasland”, has just launched a new documentary called The Welcome Table. Partly filmed on a levee in New Orleans, this two hour film wanders around the world telling the stories of a group of people who have been displaced by the climate crisis. Interwoven with the moving narratives of how they each lost their homes, there are musical pieces and facts about the impact of the climate crisis on migration and refugees. For example, the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees defines the criteria for refugee status - but the climate crisis is not one of them. Losing a home and community to a wildfire, flood, mudslide or drought - none of that qualifies a person for refugee status. Fox makes it clear, like this past month’s heatwaves, that the impacts of the climate crisis will be felt by everyone, no matter where you are in the world. We are all in the same boat.

HBO's Powerful Climate Documentary Everyone Needs to See | The Welcome Table Official Trailer HBO

Ancestors of XR: Ken Saro-Wiwa (1941-1995)

Nigerian writer Ken Saro-Wiwa was an environmental and human rights activist, born in Ogoniland (present-day Rivers State) in the Niger Delta in 1941. He was executed by General Sani Abacha’s military regime in 1995, alongside eight other activists, and his name has become synonymous with the struggle for environmental justice, human rights and corporate accountability.

Saro-Wiwa first found fame with his satirical writings. His best-known book, Sozaboy (1985), is a darkly comic anti-war novel written in what he called “rotten English”, rejecting the colonizers’ language. In the 1980s, he produced the massively popular Basi & Company, a TV sitcom lampooning corruption and its consequences in oil-rich Nigeria. He knew his subject, having served as a junior administrator in the Bonny oil field and seen firsthand how oil extraction operations degrade the land, erode livelihoods and disrupt the social fabric of local communities.

In the 1990s, he turned from satire to human rights and environmental activism, leading the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People. MOSOP campaigned non-violently against the activities of big multinationals (particularly Royal Dutch/Shell), demanding more political autonomy and a fair share of oil revenues for local people. Protests included peaceful marches attended by up to 300,000 Ogoni people, which drew international attention to the human rights violations in the Niger Delta. Nigeria’s military dictatorship responded brutally, cracking down on the protesters (although the oil companies denied any involvement).

In 1994, Saro-Wiwa and eight fellow activists were arrested for murder and convicted by a secret military tribunal, despite evidence that they were innocent and the charges were politically motivated. They were sentenced to death, in a trial that was widely criticized by foreign human rights groups. The men were hanged in 1995 in Port Harcourt, provoking a storm of outrage worldwide over what was widely considered “judicial murder”. South Africa’s President Nelson Mandela demanded Nigeria’s suspension from the Commonwealth, which lasted for more than three years.

Ken Saro-Wiwa’s execution came to symbolize the global struggle against environmental injustice and repression, exposing how ecological harms are often disproportionately borne by marginalized communities and how deeply intertwined environmental protection is with human rights, democracy, equity, and corporate accountability. Thirty years later in 2025, President Bola Tinubu posthumously pardoned “the Ogoni Nine” as part of Nigeria's annual Democracy Day, but since a pardon implies guilt, many feel it doesn’t fully address the historic injustice done to Ken Saro-Wiwa and the rest of the Ogoni Nine.

From our Readers

We’d like to hear from you! Please email us at: xr-newsletter@protonmail.com

Forward this newsletter to a friend. If this was forwarded to you, join us and subscribe to the XR Global Newsletter. If you have any questions or feedback, we want to hear from you. Get in touch at xr-newsletter@protonmail.com

P.S. Want to take action?Make a donation to help power the rebellion!

Photo: extinctionrebellion_bordeaux

Dear rebel,

Many think of Extinction Rebellion as being just about protests where people get arrested, but there is so much more to this movement. Lots of very active volunteers work behind the scenes keeping the movement going in countries all over the world. Whether you’re a protester, an organizer, a poster on social media, a financial supporter, or someone who shares our goals and helps spread the word, you matter. Our movement is a big tent, and we are grateful you’re here with us.

This newsletter is brought to you by XR Global Support, a worldwide network of rebels who help our movement grow and need money to continue this crucial work.

XR GLOBAL CLIMATE JUSTICE CAMPAIGN

Action Highlights

May 2026 | XR Roma

Photos: @XR Roma, @XR Parma and @XR Italia

As part of the General Strike against the economy of war, Extinction Rebellion Roma, in collaboration with Extinction Rebellion Parma and Extinction Rebellion Italia, staged a symbolic direct action in May 2026 at Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (ENI), the Italian multinational energy headquarters, colouring the waters of the European Union lake green and unveiling a large banner depicting the company’s logo burning the Palestinian flag. The action sought to highlight the links between fossil fuel extraction, militarism, and environmental destruction, drawing attention to ENI’s partnership with Delek, a company identified as a major fuel supplier to the Israeli military. Activists used the action to spotlight ENI’s broader environmental and social impacts, citing its operations in communities across the world that have experienced pollution, ecological degradation, and associated health concerns. The protest also emphasised the role of major fossil fuel corporations in driving greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to the climate crisis.

The demonstration marked the beginning of Spring Democracy, an international wave of mobilisation that will see climate justice and anti-militarist movements across Europe take coordinated action over the coming month. Participants argued that environmental destruction, armed conflict, and social injustice are interconnected outcomes of an economic model based on fossil fuel dependency, resource extraction, and the pursuit of endless growth. Through this action, XR called for greater accountability from corporations profiting from environmental harm and conflict, while urging governments and communities to support a transition towards peace, climate justice, and more equitable economic systems.

Photo: @extinctionrebellion_bordeaux

May 2026 | XR Bordeaux

Extinction Rebellion Bordeaux marked the start of Pride Month with a loud and colourful parade that celebrated our ecological, queer, and antifascist movement. See more photos @extinctionrebellion_bordeaux

Must Reads

Criminalisation of climate protesters in UK is counterproductive, research finds - The Guardian

A study of 1,375 climate activists found that arrests, fines, and jail terms actually increase activists' determination to take direct action. Rather than deterring protest, stricter legal measures intensify grievances and encourage more disruptive forms of action. The anonymous survey, circulated amongst the XR mailing list, argues that states and governments are focusing on punishing dissent rather than addressing climate issues and recommends a presumption against criminalising climate protest, as punishment can be seen as incompatible with liberal democracy. This article goes beyond climate activism to ask a bigger question: what happens when governments criminalise dissent on issues that affect us all? It offers evidence that crackdowns backfire, and at a time when new laws are quietly reshaping what protest is even legal, it gives you the facts to form your own informed views.

Patagonia sues drag queen Pattie Gonia for trademark infringement- The Guardian

Patagonia has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Pattie Gonia, an environmentalist drag queen who has raised nearly $4 million for climate nonprofits. The lawsuit centres on Pattie Gonia’s September 2025 trademark application for the "Pattie Gonia" name, which Patagonia claims poses a long-term threat to its brand by overlapping with its own clothing and environmental advocacy work. The dispute went public in May when Pattie Gonia posted on Instagram accusing Patagonia of trying to "erase an activist," to which Patagonia responded with a list of demands: withdraw all trademark applications, stop using their logos, and stop selling merchandise as Pattie Gonia. This is where it gets uncomfortable for Patagonia. The brand has built its entire identity around environmental activism, sustainability, and doing good in the world, yet here it is, deploying legal resources against a climate activist with over two million followers who has called the suit "a betrayal of the company's core mission." Suing a queer climate activist and draining funds meant for the planet, while claiming to care about the planet, is exactly the kind of contradiction that lessens trust in corporate environmentalism.

This Month's Suggested Action

We know not everyone can jump in on an XR action, but in today's world, emailing government officials and recycling doesn't feel like enough. So we like to suggest steps people can take to get involved with activism locally.

Today we're talking about rivers and streams.

First, find a river or stream in your area and figure out where it goes, from where the headwaters rise to where the stream enters a larger river, lake, or the sea. Next, visit as much of the stream in person as you can. How wild is it? How clean is it? Do people use it for recreation? Irrigation? Are parts of it channelized or paved over? What animals live in or near it? Depending on where you live, your stream or river might only have water part of the year. It still counts.

Now, adopt the river/stream. Doing a trash pick-up is a good way to start. Get friends to help, if you can, and plan to do it at least once a year. Maybe your trash pick-up will evolve into a huge community tradition with hundreds of volunteers working along miles of river. Maybe you'll discover some other threat to your river that you can do something about. Maybe you can get involved with a citizen-science project or start teaching others about your river and its issues. Or maybe you'll just visit your river sometimes and pick up trash once a year. Where you go with the project really depends on your interests, abilities, and resources, which may be very different from someone else's.

The important thing is to find your river.

Book Review: What We Can Know by Ian McKewan

Ian McKewan is a prolific English novelist who is well-known for books like Atonement and The Children Act, both of which have been made into critically acclaimed films. Now, McKewan is confronting the climate crisis. He approaches it from the POV of what he knows and lives – writers in England and people studying English writers. The first half of the book is set in the future when the full impacts of the climate crisis have become manifest and have significantly altered the geography and reality of daily life in the United Kingdom. The second half circles back to somewhere around now when some people are trying to push for change but most are too wrapped up in their own lives and loves to grasp what is at stake. The title is almost a question - can we ever know what really happened in the past? Can we ever really know what other people’s lives were really like? Despite its weighty topics, What We Can Know is a highly readable novel and might also be a unique way to slide the climate crisis into the headspace of anyone you know who thinks ecological concerns aren’t their problem.

Positive Reads

Two months in, the Iran war has changed the global energy system forever - Grist

The outbreak of war in Iran and the blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz have cut off 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG), triggering a historic energy crisis. However, because modern renewable alternatives are now cheap and viable, this disruption is providing the ultimate catalyst to permanently break the dominance of fossil fuels and accelerate a cleaner future. While vulnerable oil and natural gas supplies are declining, clean energy alternatives like solar power are surging to record breaking adoption rates worldwide. Even as countries temporarily utilise legacy coal plants to keep grids stable during the transition, the crisis is ultimately fast tracking a historic, permanent shift toward secure, self reliant, and zero carbon energy independence. Grist Newsletter shares more information on the world’s pathway to alternative energy systems.

Solutions Desk - Environmental Journalism and Education - Mongabay

Although solutions journalism, which focuses on the responses to issues and not just the problems, has been around for over 25 years, it isn’t very common in the climate world. Sometimes accused of being “feel good” puff pieces, this kind of journalism is very important as people try to understand how to have maximum impact with their climate efforts globally. Mongabay, known for its climate reporting, now has a Solutions Desk which highlights the results, positive and negative, of real climate projects around the world.

Quick Watch

Watch The Business of Adapting to Flood Risk - Bloomberg

Greenhouse gases blanketing the earth are warming our climate, leading to rapid glacial melt and thermal expansion within our ocean waters. The consequence is a drastic rise in sea levels, triggering devastating mass flooding worldwide that accounts for half of all natural disasters annually.

This video delves into the ambitious and extremely costly projects which attempt to protect coastal metropolises against this looming disaster. Gigantic sea walls guard the coastline in Jakarta, cavernous concrete tunnels lie waiting beneath a Tokyo suburb -- a natural disaster can cause billions of dollars of damage in a matter of hours, but advance investments into these kinds of adaptations in high-risk areas can massively ease such expenses. Such infrastructure is becoming a sought-after commodity on a planet that saw $320 billion in damage from natural disasters in 2024 alone.

However, despite their efficacy and, often, necessity, these lavish projects are immensely expensive and invasive. For example, sea walls can block ports and cut off entire communities that rely on fishing. Other propositions seem overzealous, such as moving the entire capital of Indonesia further from the ocean. In poorer nations, such development is simply unaffordable; their limited ability to adapt leaves them extremely vulnerable to natural disasters.

The bottom line is that these costly defence projects are not permanent solutions, as they do not target the roots of the climate crisis. Without addressing the very reason the global temperature is being driven up so rapidly, the sea walls will always need to be rebuilt higher, and the flood tunnels ever deeper. Can we live happily in a society which is constantly anticipating an even bigger, deadlier disaster than the last? It is futile to put a band aid on a bullet wound; we need to be working to heal the deep scars that are splitting our earth open.

Rebel with your wallet

From our Readers

We’d like to hear from you! Please email us at: xr-newsletter@protonmail.com

Forward this newsletter to a friend. If this was forwarded to you, join us and subscribe to the XR Global Newsletter. If you have any questions or feedback, we want to hear from you. Get in touch at xr-newsletter@protonmail.com

P.S. Want to take action?Make a donation to help power the rebellion!

Photo: @xrdeutschland

Dear rebel,

It is often said that the lack of climate action is due to the slow creep of climate change. That at our core humans are animals who respond best to immediate threats and pleasures. But it is also true that the climate crisis triggers our fight or flight response. Once in a while, you might see an article touting the best places to live to avoid climate change. The fear of fire or floods in your backyard might inspire you to move someplace where you and your family will be safe. Despite your connection to your hometown, you might be tempted to flee.

The reality, however, is that, as the Conservation Law Foundation wrote, 'there is no safe haven from climate change'. We have seen fires envelope comfortable neighborhoods and hurricanes level secluded communities. If left unchecked, climate change will affect every place on earth, and in the meantime, extreme weather events will continue to catch us unawares. In many countries, the growing number of climate refugees proves this is already the case. Climate change is global, mathematical, and amoral. It has no conception of your family or your home.

But if you ever feel like the world sees your community as no more than a group of huddled frightened animals, please remember that XR Global sees you differently. We see you no matter where you are, no matter if climate change is a distant fear or a present threat. We see you and we want to hear from you. We want you to share your fears, your needs, and your advice. We can prove to you that likeminded people are closer than you might think, and that together we can turn our desire for flight into a movement to fight the climate crisis and the systems that are letting it unfold. So the next time you feel lost out in the storm, let us be your lighthouse beacon. Let us be your gathering place to find friends, resources, and a plan for what to do next.

This newsletter is brought to you by XR Global Support, a worldwide network of rebels who help our movement grow and need money to continue this crucial work.

XR GLOBAL CLIMATE JUSTICE CAMPAIGN

Action Highlight

Photo: @xrArgentina

April 2026 | XR Argentina

On Tuesday, April 28, activists from XR Argentina interrupted the seminar "Mining: The Vision of the Provinces" to denounce the destruction caused by mega-mining. The unconstitutional modification of the glacier law will allow companies to mine on glaciers and periglacial environments which will endanger ecosystems, populations and local economies.

The seminar was part of the EFI Expo, one of the main business and financial meetings in Argentina. The Secretary of Mining of Salta (Gustavo Carrizo), the Minister of Mining of Catamarca (Teresa Regalado), the Minister of Mining of San Juan (Juan Pablo Perea) and the Minister of Energy and Environment of Mendoza (Jimena Latorre) all attended and were promoting the myth that mega-mining is progress. XR Argentina is keeping this issue in the public eye. Follow @xrargentina on Instagram.

Action Update

Photo: @xr_kaltim.bungaterung

April 2026 | XR Global Support 2025 Financial Report

Donations are the lifeblood of Extinction Rebellion. They allow us to support rebels across the world who are stepping up for climate action, helping them organise in their communities, running campaigns, and building the tools and connections that make global coordination possible.

With the release of our 2025 XR Global Support Financial Report, we're pausing to reflect on what your generosity has made possible. We operate transparently - we want you to see exactly where funds go and how decisions are made and, most importantly, the real impact your contributions have on the ground.

This report is our chance to celebrate the impact of every contribution while also being open about the challenges of keeping things running. Donations keep us going and keep us pushing for the change our planet so urgently needs. Read the 2025 Financial Report

Must Read

Climate Justice Flotilla sails to deliver its demands at the High-level conference centre in Santa Marta

In April 2026, the Climate Justice Flotilla carried out a transnational sailing campaign across the Caribbean to advocate for climate justice, ocean protection, and a just transition away from fossil fuels. Activists, Indigenous leaders, researchers, and civil society organisations travelled from Sint Maarten through the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao) toward Santa Marta, Colombia, ahead of an international conference focused on transitioning away from fossil fuels. Throughout the journey, the flotilla hosted community dialogues and amplified the voices of frontline communities most affected by climate change and environmental exploitation. The campaign called for an end to fossil fuel expansion, climate reparations, debt cancellation for the Global South, and stronger global solidarity for a more just and sustainable future. Read more to explore the highlights and impact of the campaign here: Climate Justice Flotilla

This Month's Suggested Action - Mini Treasure Hunt

Take a short, ten-minute walk through your neighborhood. Set a timer, if you want. On your walk:

1. Look for three hidden treasures in your surroundings. These can be anything that catches your eye such as something beautiful, unusual, meaningful, or often overlooked (like a plant growing through concrete, a mural, or a shared community space).
2. Take a photo of each treasure you find.
3. After your hunt, choose a close friend or family member to share your finds with.
4. Explain why you picked each one and what made it feel like a 'hidden treasure' to you.

This is a fun way to slow down, notice your environment more closely, and connect your everyday surroundings with stories worth sharing.

Focus: First Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels Conference, Santa Marta, Colombia, 24 - 29 April

The Santa Marta summit in Colombia just delivered something the climate movement has been waiting decades for: nearly 60 countries sitting down to discuss how to phase out fossil fuels. Governments were asked to develop their own national roadmaps away from oil, gas and coal, and a brand new independent science panel (free from government veto) was launched to provide advice and guidance that countries need.

The biggest obstacle remains financing, particularly for Global South nations still locked out by punishing borrowing costs, even as renewables are now cheaper than fossil fuels. The commitment in the room was real and for the first time in a long time, we feel hopeful of what’s to come! Read more here and about the background here.

Book Review

Place-based Solutions, by Charles Curtin

Charles Curtin is a conservation scientist who has discovered that saving ecosystems requires paying attention to and supporting human communities, and that conservation can't be separated from communication, respect, and justice. That's a lesson XR is familiar with, too, which is why Curtin was interviewed for the XR blog awhile back (see here). But now he's apparently decided that attending to communication, respect, and justice doesn't work if you're a self-deluded jerk—which most people are, to some extent.

Place-Based Solutions is all about self-transformation, how to stop being a self-deluded jerk so you can build functional collaborations capable of supporting communities that can (maybe) save the world. Being an academic, Curtin doesn't quite describe his book that way, but that's what it is.

It's a well-constructed, engaging presentation of principles and practices useful for becoming the sort of person, for becoming the sort of people (for the work can't really be done alone) the world needs us to be.

Positive Reads

Who’d have thought a fossil-fuel shill like Trump would be the one to spark a green revolution? - Guardian

From electric car sales and heat pump installations through to batteries, the US attacks on Iran may prove to be the inflection point in the global energy transition. George Monbiot recognizes the incredible irony of Trump himself possibly bringing about the end of the fossil fuel industry.

Oil giant BP suffers shareholder revolt over climate transparency at tense AGM - CNBC

Shareholders pushed back hard at BP’s AGM, soundly defeating an attempt by BP to abandon climate disclosure commitments and to move to virtual-only AGMs.A chair was elected, but since such elections are typically unanimous, the fact that 18.2% of shareholders voted against the chair counts as an almost unprecedented reprimand. Shareholder activist group Follow This attempted to introduce a motion ahead of the AGM requiring that BP plan for a future of falling fossil fuel demand. The measure was rejected by the Board before the AGM which led many to vote against the chair at the AGM. It was all a refreshing challenge to business as usual.

Film to watch

Landmarks - Nuestra Tierra

Landmarks, directed by Lucrecia Martel, is a deeply moving documentary that explores loss, resistance, and the powerful connections between people, land, and identity. Through the story of Indigenous leader Javier Chocobar and the struggles of the Chuschagasta community, the film sheds light on the lasting impacts of colonialism, violence, and dispossession, while also highlighting the resilience of communities fighting to protect their home and heritage.

What makes the documentary so impactful is its emotional depth and relatability. Beyond the political context, it speaks to anyone who has ever felt connected to a place, experienced injustice, or fought to preserve their identity and community. Through intimate storytelling and powerful visuals, the documentary reminds viewers that the fight for justice is ultimately about dignity, memory, and belonging. It is a touching and thought-provoking film that leaves a lasting impression.

Watch the Landmarks trailer here

Rebel with your wallet

From our Readers

We’d like to hear from you! Please email us at: xr-newsletter@protonmail.com

Forward this newsletter to a friend. If this was forwarded to you, join us and subscribe to the XR Global Newsletter. If you have any questions or feedback, we want to hear from you. Get in touch at xr-newsletter@protonmail.com

P.S. Want to take action?Make a donation to help power the rebellion!

Photo: @phuerza @XRargentina

Dear rebel,

You are probably reading this newsletter in the midst of your busy schedule. In between dropping your children off at school and going to work. In between one meeting and another. While the leftovers reheat in the microwave. Nearly all of us spend our days overwhelmed by daily tasks and frustrations. Work, money, school, childcare, healthcare—these things consume and define the majority of our time. And if you’re like us, in the background is a constant hum of grief, or anxiety, because you’re aware civilians are being bombed in countless armed conflicts around the world. You’re aware that countless species are teetering on the edge of extinction, that the weather has been strange lately, and that our planet is tumbling towards a host of disastrous climate tipping points. But we can’t stop to think about that. The bills still have to be paid, and our families still need food and housing, and so we get up every morning and fight the little fires of our lives.

The result is that a mass cognitive dissonance has settled over our society like smoke. We cannot reconcile both the day-to-day and the existential, cannot hold them both in our hands. This is not shameful; it’s our natural survival instinct. But if you’re like us, even as you gulp scalding coffee on your morning commute, you feel a deep-seated despair, maybe even anger, because part of you knows you don’t have the time or security to devote yourself to activism, but you can’t watch your children grow up in this tortured world.

We’re here to tell you that there is a middle ground. Since the beginning, XR has felt strongly that there is a place for everyone in the movement, no matter your skills or constraints. That’s why this month, we are introducing a new Suggested Monthly Action in this newsletter, aimed to give all of us a chance not only at activism, but at community building and resilience. So if you’ve been feeling stuck, conflicted, or hopeless, but you have just a few more spare minutes, read on.

This newsletter is brought to you by XR Global Support, a worldwide network of rebels who help our movement grow and need money to continue this crucial work.

XR GLOBAL CLIMATE JUSTICE CAMPAIGN

Action Highlight

Photo: @XRtravelagency & @extinctionrebellionnl

22 March 2026 | XR Netherlands, Schiphol Airport

In late March, Dutch XR members protested at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport by pouring pink paint over the statues of the four founders of major Dutch airlines KLM, Transavia and Martinair. The demonstration condemns the celebration of figures who have contributed so extensively to the detriment of our environment through the crippling amounts of CO2 that plane travel releases into our atmosphere. The Instagram video posted from the action further juxtaposes these wrongly venerated figures with the “true heroes of the sky” - the winged creatures of the natural world, which are so significantly impacted by the rapidly growing aviation industry.

A key target of this protest, and others preceding it at Schiphol airport, is the “Flying Blue” programme; KLM and Air France’s loyalty programme incentivising customers to book more frequent flights to access discounts on future travel. Such profit-oriented programmes normalise excessive flying and feed into a vicious cycle of an exponential increase in passenger flights whilst discouraging people from opting for modes of transport with a lessened environmental impact, such as trains. Frequent fliers make up only a small percentage of the population, even in the world’s richest countries, yet the impact that an individual’s “flight print” can have on the environment is astronomically disproportionate. By 2050, the aviation sector could be responsible for a quarter of all emissions. Whilst flying on occasion for long-distance travel is often unavoidable, such programmes encourage and reward unethical behaviour. The “miles” accumulated through unnecessary travel should not be a currency to unlock benefits but rather a stamp of shame upon those who prioritise convenience over their ecological responsibility. Learn more and follow XR Netherlands and @XRtravelagency here.

Action Update

Photos: @phuerza @XRargentina

8 April 2026 | XR Argentina, Glacier Law Protests

Whilst the Argentinian government approved the gutting of the Glacier Law in order to allow mining companies like Barrick Gold, Glencore, Lundin Mining, BHP, Rio Tinto and Shandong Gold to access and pollute water, thousands of XR protestors continued to defend water and glaciers all around the country. This legal change jeopardizes 39 water basins, which serve more than 7 million people, and nearly 17,000 glaciers. The mining companies have been polluting the Andes Mountains for years with cyanide, mercury and heavy metals. Now, the government has authorised mega-mining on glaciers and periglacial environments. The government responded to the protests with repression and arrests. But the XR protesters will not give up because defending our water can never end. Follow the struggle @XRargentina

Action Update

Photo: Gerald R Nestor,BCN Stories

13 March 2026 | Campaign to save Bugoma Forest, Uganda

A press release issued on 11 March 2026 by Bugoma Jungle Lodge, together with tourism and environmental stakeholders, has sounded the alarm on the continued destruction of Bugoma Forest which is one of Uganda’s most ecologically significant tropical forests. Following a joint field visit, stakeholders reported extensive deforestation driven by illegal logging, charcoal production, and agricultural encroachment. As highlighted in coverage by The Cooperator News, thousands of hectares have already been lost, with the forest’s degradation further intensifying.

Beyond the immediate environmental damage, this crisis speaks to broader issues of climate justice and sustainable development. Bugoma Forest plays a vital role as a carbon sink, a biodiversity hotspot, and a source of livelihoods for surrounding communities. The forest’s destruction disproportionately affects vulnerable populations while contributing to global climate instability. For young people, this moment represents more than just a conservation issue, it is a call to action. Protecting Bugoma is about safeguarding ecosystems, holding institutions accountable, and ensuring that development pathways prioritise both people and the planet. Strengthening community-led conservation, enforcing environmental protections, and amplifying youth voices in decision-making are critical steps towards reversing this damage.

Must Read

Britain’s Leaders Are Hiding From AMOC Disaster from ZNetwork

Are you worried about AMOC? Do you even know what it is? XR’s first demand is so simple yet so difficult: Tell the truth. Mainstream media so often skips over the most important climate issues facing us. This clear article by journalist Adem Ay lays out the basics of AMOC and explains why all governments should be taking it seriously right now.

This Month's Suggested Action

Find Your Forest

One of the best ways to deal with the anxiety and grief that modern life brings is to fight back—get involved, become part of the solution, make a difference. Build hope. But we know lots of people don't know how to get started—and we understand that a lot of what XR does, a lot of what this newsletter covers, is the sort of work that risks arrest, something not everyone is able to do.

So, starting right now, each newsletter issue will include a challenge, something simple, legal, yet potentially very impactful that you can do THIS MONTH. Are you ready?

Your Mission:

Pick an open, wild-looking area in your community and find out who owns it.

That's it. Bonus points if you can also find out whether it's protected in any way and what services, if any, its wildness provides to your community. Does it improve your air quality? Filter your groundwater? Do people recreate there? Is it culturally important? But the main thing is to identify your spot and find out who owns it.

Your spot does not have to be large or pristine. It can be an empty lot or a weedy ditch. On the other hand, you could have a patch of old-growth forest or a marsh that supports migratory birds. Whatever it is, find out who owns it, who has the legal power to make decisions about it.

Why This Mission Matters:

Green spaces, even small ones, can be ecologically, historically, and culturally significant. Unfortunately, they're also often under threat. Community push-back can save them, and in fact the fight to save a local green space can be the reason the community comes together. Finding out where your green space is and who owns it is your first step towards finding out what threats may exist and what options you might have for getting involved.

Solidarity

Help a Latin American rebel fight for the glaciers

One of the XR protestors arrested in Argentina during the Glacier protests (see our Action Update above) has been charged with property damage. She wants to fight the charges and make a case for the need for civil disobedience when life itself is under threat. For her legal case she needs $4800. XR Netherlands has set up a GoFundMe for her here.

Positive Reads

China’s emissions really do look like they’ve peaked - Carbon Brief

China’s CO₂ emissions have been flat or falling for 21 months, with what looks like a 0.3% decline in 2025. Clean power met all electricity-demand growth as solar, wind and nuclear rose, pushing coal generation down 1.9%. Chemicals emissions are now the outlier, up by 12%. If this is China’s peak (still to be officially confirmed) it’s the climate story of the century. Read more here: Carbon Brief

Why sodium-ion batteries are happening now - CleanTechnica

Batteries are essential for the energy transition and it’s infuriating to think about the decades wasted researching fossil fuel extraction instead of renewables. One important distinction is between batteries using lithium (volatile prices and requires mining) and those using sodium (cheap and abundant) but sodium-ion batteries have lagged behind. Until now. Find out why here.

‘Reimagining matter’: Nobel laureate invents machine that harvests water from dry air - Guardian

Billions of people experience water scarcity and individuals living in arid and storm-prone areas have an elevated risk of lacking access to safe drinking water. Professor Omar Yaghi, the 2025 Nobel Laureate in chemistry, has developed a technology to provide people with water – from air. Yaghi’s revolutionary technology generates drinking water by pulling water from the atmosphere, even in desert environments. Learn more about Professor Yaghi and his company here.

Book Review

Eat Like a Fish by Bren Smith

Bren Smith has a vision for saving the world. It involves shellfish and sea vegetables.

The idea here is that if enough people take up what he calls restorative ocean farming, we can solve most of the dire problems we now face. He makes his case well.

In Eat Like a Fish, Smith uses a combination of engaging memoir and informative essay to explain that all the major ways most of us source food are environmental nightmares that contribute significantly to climate change, can't feed the growing human population adequately, and mostly don't pay a living wage anymore--but restorative ocean farming restores habitat, sequesters carbon, can produce a lot of food, and has a low cost of entry for new farmers. Smith even provides instructions for starting your own farm and for cooking with sea vegetables.

Of course, it's not quite that simple. Smith does over-state his case in places (for one thing, shellfish cannot feed all of humanity because some humans are either allergic or keeping kosher), but he's right that restorative ocean farming can become a big part of our solution.

Rebel with your wallet

From our Readers

We’d like to hear from you! Please email us at: xr-newsletter@protonmail.com

Forward this newsletter to a friend. If this was forwarded to you, join us and subscribe to the XR Global Newsletter. If you have any questions or feedback, we want to hear from you. Get in touch at xr-newsletter@protonmail.com

P.S. Want to take action?Make a donation to help power the rebellion!

Dear rebel,

These days the word “war” is tossed around nearly as casually and as often as “lunch.” An idea that should be alarming has lost its impact simply because of how widespread armed conflict has become in our news cycles. Similarly, terms like “genocide,” “climate crisis,” and “extinction” have also lost their weight. What we often forget when disasters multiply is that they are likely connected. The extraction of oil is often accomplished by violence, and the ensuing wars use more fossil fuel, which degrades the climate and harms citizens, and so a cycle is created. What seems like a myriad of disasters is in fact one vast, interconnected, systemic crisis.

So what do we do with that? What do we do in the face of a sorrow so enormous we sometimes can’t even feel it? Perhaps simply acknowledging the complexity is one place to start. Perhaps when we hear what politicians are doing, we will remember that their actions impact average citizens. Perhaps we will acknowledge that discussions of oil prices and fossil fuel use aren’t a way of ignoring those citizen lives, but of trying to find a way towards a better future for all of us. Discussing one part of a crisis is a way of approaching it and understanding it, not ignoring all its other parts.

It also means that any issue you choose to act on has more of an impact than you might think. If you are a climate activist, you are also a human rights activist and a political activist and more. Just like how XR groups in the DRC, the UK, and the Netherlands, all organizing actions around local issues, are really working together to create a global movement.

The important thing is to act. If you’re wondering how to start, read on.

This newsletter is brought to you by XR Global Support, a worldwide network of rebels who help our movement grow and need money to continue this crucial work.

XR GLOBAL CLIMATE JUSTICE CAMPAIGN

Action Highlight

February 2026 | XR Beni DRC

Photo: XR Beni

On 26 February 2026, members of Extinction Rebellion Beni (XR Beni) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) held a peaceful gathering at the Malepe roundabout to voice a strong message: the country’s forests and lands should not be sold or exploited for profit. The protest was organised in response to proposed aviation expansion and new oil developments in the country, projects activists warn could seriously harm ecosystems, local livelihoods, and the long-term wellbeing of communities in the region.

Rising emissions from aviation intensify the climate crisis, which communities in the DRC are already experiencing through flooding, changing agricultural cycles, food insecurity, and displacement. At the same time, XR Beni argued that international corporations and political interests continue to increase fossil fuel extraction, threatening fragile ecosystems and biodiversity hotspots such as the Congo Basin rainforest, one of the world’s most important carbon sinks.

XR Beni’s demands include scrapping aviation expansion projects, halting new oil and gas developments in the DRC, investing significantly in renewable energy that benefits local communities, and ensuring a fair energy transition that protects both human rights and the environment. The DRC contains one of the largest tropical forest systems on Earth, which plays a critical role in regulating the global climate while supporting the livelihoods of millions of people. These forests should not be sacrificed to the interests of multinational companies. Members of XR Beni reaffirmed their commitment to continue organising and speaking out as long as their lands, forests, and communities remain under threat: “The era of fossil fuels must end. The time for climate justice is now!” For more information follow: Extinction Rebellion Beni (@xrbeni)

Photos: XR Beni

Action Roundup

January 2026 | XR Friesland, Netherlands

Stop Fossil Advertising

On January 23rd, Rebels in the Netherlands performed a massive undertaking – they replaced 700 bus shelter advertisements with posters demanding an end to fossil fuel advertising and business as usual. Learn more about their action here and follow @xrfryslan for more updates.

February 2026 | XR UK

Photo: XR UK

In February 2026, nearly 300 people gathered outside the offices of OpenAI in London for the UK’s first ever anti-Artificial Intelligence march, titled “March Against the Machines.” The demonstration is already being described as the largest public protest focused on AI globally to date. The march was organised by a coalition of civil society groups, including Pull the Plug, PauseAI UK, Mad Youth Organize, Blaksox, and Assemble. Participants gathered to express growing public concern about how AI is being developed, governed, and deployed, particularly by some of the world’s most powerful technology companies. From OpenAI’s offices, protesters marched through central London, stopping at the offices of Google UK, Google DeepMind, and Meta. The route symbolically highlighted the concentration of AI power in a handful of large corporations whose technologies increasingly shape economies, governance systems, and everyday life. Read more about the demonstration here and here.

Positive News

Reducing Construction Emission

Alternative building materials are essential for reducing carbon emissions of the construction industry. “Rammed earth” is a building method that uses locally-sourced compressed soil instead of high-emissions materials like concrete. The use of rammed earth in building presents a pathway to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of the third largest source of global emissions – the construction industry. Read this article to learn about the development of rammed-earth building.

Must Read

Fossil fuels, war, petrostates, ecocide, social injustice. It’s all connected in the worst way, as this article from EuroNews highlights: ‘A world chained to fossil fuels’: Does the war on Iran prove it’s time to quit oil for good?

Book Review

"Disasterology" by Samantha Montano

Disasterology is that rare book that works both as a serious exploration of a scholarly topic and as a story about somebody's life. The topic is what humans do before, during, and after big events, such as floods or fires, to make things either worse or better. The official term is “disaster management,” but as that tends to confuse friends at parties, people in the field have taken to calling it “disasterology.” The life is that of the author, Samantha Montano, who, as a teen, volunteered to help with the recovery after Hurricane Katrina and more or less just kept going.

Climate change is the backdrop, the context, explicitly acknowledged in every part of the story, although Montano's focus is not on emissions and sequestration but on dealing with the disasters that result. It's well-written, engaging, informative, with a list of practical steps at the end that readers can take in their own communities—these aren't “little steps that add up,” like changing light-bulbs, either. It's the nuts and bolts of community organizing, and it can save lives.

Quick Watch

You Told Us To Talk About The Weather - Climate Short

“In the past 6 hours, 94% of BRITS have spoken about the weather. In the past 5 years, 7000 Brits have been arrested for speaking out about the climate crisis.” Narrated by Michael Sheen, this 5 minute video is a dark and poetic exploration of climate anxiety.

Film Launch

The Cost of Growth is a 90-minute documentary about communities that are resisting extraction, building solidarities, and exposing the violence behind Europe’s economic systems. Featuring well-known names like Greta Thunberg and Jason Hickel, the film is a non-profit project. Although not yet available online, the producers are looking for groups who can organize screenings, online or in person. Find out more here. A screening toolkit is available.

Rebel with your wallet

Readers!

Forward this newsletter to a friend. If this was forwarded to you, join us and subscribe to the XR Global Newsletter. If you have any questions or feedback, we want to hear from you. Get in touch at xr-newsletter@protonmail.com

P.S. Want to take action?Make a donation to help power the rebellion!

Photo: Jordan Ellis & XR South Australia

Dear rebel,

This month, the United States repealed the legal ruling establishing that greenhouse gases are a threat to public health. This will allow US vehicles to be less efficient and more polluting but cheaper to make. We understand that sometimes sustainable solutions can sound like pipe dreams. Transportation that doesn’t pollute? Solar and wind power? Divestment? A future where we’re free of fossil fuels? This is the real world, you might say. We can’t risk the inconvenience. We can’t jeopardize profits. It makes us wonder: what is the real world you’re talking about? Is it the world of fossil fuel companies and car manufacturers racing to burn up a finite resource? Is it the currency zipping through online bank accounts? Or is it the measurable increase in global temperatures? The biodiversity loss affecting ecosystems across the globe? The people suffering from pollution and extreme weather in their communities?

One thing is certain: The real world operates on physics and biology, and science cannot be dismissed with the feckless cry of 'hoax'. The worlds of money and power, however, can be changed. And we must change them if we want the real world to be one that can sustain us. The solutions given above are just examples of what can work for different communities, and all communities must work together to discover their solutions and advocate for their future. In this month’s newsletter, you’ll see some of those solutions at work. You’ll see direct actions, better ways to spend money, and resources to learn about what the real world really looks like—and how we can make it look together.

This newsletter is brought to you by XR Global Support, a worldwide network of rebels who help our movement grow and need money to continue this crucial work.

XR GLOBAL CLIMATE JUSTICE CAMPAIGN

Action Highlight: XR Kigali - Cancel the Debt, Heal the Planet

Photo: XR Kigali

In November 2025, activists from Extinction Rebellion Kigali organised a 'Cancel the Debt, Heal the Planet' action in Kigali**,** Rwanda, calling attention to the connection between sovereign debt, climate vulnerability, and environmental justice. The action aligned with broader global climate justice campaigns that argue many lower income countries are constrained by debt repayments that reduce their ability to respond to climate impacts and invest in sustainable development.

The protest brought together youth leaders, grassroots organisers, and climate advocates in a coordinated, non-violent demonstration designed to be both educational and visually engaging. Through placards, coordinated messaging, and symbolic protest elements, participants highlighted how debt pressure can divert public funds away from climate adaptation, disaster preparedness, renewable energy transitions, and ecosystem protection. Messages throughout the action stressed that countries facing the harshest climate risks are often those that contributed least to historical greenhouse gas emissions.

Public engagement formed a key part of the event. Activists interacted with passersby and explained the idea of climate debt and financial justice and encouraged discussion about fair climate finance and accountability from major polluters and international lenders. Youth speakers emphasised the long-term consequences of delayed climate action and the importance of redirecting financial resources toward community resilience and locally led environmental solutions.

The action also helped strengthen collaboration among regional climate justice groups and amplified African perspectives within the global debt and climate conversation. Overall, the Kigali mobilisation reinforced a central message of the campaign: addressing the climate crisis effectively requires both ecological action and economic reform working together.

Action Roundup

January 2026 | XR Australia and XR South Australia: Pedalling to Climate Disaster

Photo: XR Australia

On 22 January, South Australian rebels protested at the Tour Down Under (TDU) cycling event over its sponsor, Santos, an oil and gas company fueling climate change. Activists held a 'Dump Santos' rally with banners, chants, and managed to get onto the race-track with 'Love TDU, Dump Santos' signs, which resulted in four rebels getting arrested. The rebels argue that a company profiting from fossil fuels has no business sponsoring a sporting event that celebrates health and endurance.

The irony was impossible to ignore: while Santos pushed its greenwashed image, the race itself was cut short due to extreme heat and high fire danger risk, as a direct consequence of the climate crisis the company helps drive.

Santos is an Australian‑headquartered oil and gas producer with extensive operations in Australia and Papua New Guinea, with plans to expand. Critics, including the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR), say Santos’s claimed net‑zero target is “greenwashing” because the company continues to push for fossil fuel expansion and relies heavily on unproven carbon capture technology rather than setting stringent emissions cuts. In other words, Santos is promising a clean future while still pumping more carbon into an already overheated planet. Follow Extinction Rebellion South Australia here and XR Australia here.

February 2026 | XR Argentina: Patagonia on Fire

Images: XR Argentina

Rebels in Argentina are protesting the wildfires currently destroying Patagonia. They are among the worst in decades and have already consumed more than 45,000 hectares in the last two months. Thousands of residents and tourists have been evacuated.

This devastation is a planned ecocide by a government that prioritises business over life. Tens of thousands of hectares are already lost while authorities are unbothered, leaving fire brigades underfunded and biodiversity in ruins. Indigenous communities, the guardians of land and water and life, are being criminalised and scapegoated for defending their territories, including facing harassment and legal attacks instead of support for their vital role in protecting ecosystems. Follow XR Argentina here.

Positive Action

Education Superheroes Climate Fresk

Photo: Climatefresk.org

Born in France in 2018, the Climate Fresk movement has now educated over 2.3 million people in 168 countries across the world. At its heart, it’s a collaborative workshop that gets participants thinking about the causes and effects of climate change. But for many, it’s a turning point in their lives, motivating them to set up new green initiatives in their schools, workplaces and beyond.

Like Extinction Rebellion, Climate Fresk adopted its organisational model from Sweden’s Pirate Party, first codified in Rick Falkvinge’s 2013 handbook Swarmwise. He described the “swarm” structure: a light central scaffold that empowers people with shared tools, enabling an autonomous movement that scales quickly through decentralisation and initiative.

Already over 100,000 trained 'Freskers' worldwide deliver the 3-hour workshop in over 45 languages, using a standard set of cards based on the latest IPCC data. The workshop guides participants towards a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms at play in climate science, how they’re interlinked, and the need to seek systemic solutions.

After taking part in a workshop, it’s only a small step to becoming a trained facilitator yourself so you can carry the knowledge out into your own communities. Demand for Climate Fresk workshops is huge – it’s a fun, sociable and collaborative way to learn about climate issues that’s also accessible to all audiences (there are special sets of cards for younger players).

Just eight years after its inception, the basic Fresk concept has morphed into a whole rich ecosystem promoting climate literacy. There are now affinity groups focusing on biodiversity, digitisation, the circular economy, soil or ocean health, textiles, and even scenario-building for business decision-makers, such as 2 Tonnes. If you’re casting around for a way to have an impact in your community, this could be for you! Lots of the workshops and trainings are online and the Fresker network is worldwide.

Must Read

The UK government didn’t want you to see this report on ecosystem collapse. I’m not surprised

A distressing report conducted by the British intelligence agencies on Global Biodiversity Loss, Ecosystem Collapse and National Security provides a horrifying analysis of the true threat of the environmental catastrophe which the modern world faces.

The information was supposed to be made public in October 2025, yet it arrived in our hands months later, having been blocked by Parliament until January 2026. Furthermore, the report is an abridged version only and omits the more chilling conclusions which have since been revealed by The Times. The reason for this appalling reluctance for the study to reach public eyes? The implications for the nation’s future are so terrifyingly severe and expose the alarming negligence of all governments.

Large-scale crop failures, widespread natural disasters, and uncontrollable disease outbreaks loom in the future, triggering mass migration, intense global competition for limited food and resources, and likely escalating into military conflict. We are racing towards a tipping point of mass global instability, where no government has the means to protect its citizens. So why are politicians ignoring their last window of chance to make a difference?

Must Watch

Voices Along the Oil Pipeline

Voices Along the Oil Pipeline is a short, captivating documentary that follows a Ugandan mother whose life was upended by the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). Through her struggle with displacement, documentary director Faridah Mbabazi brings a deeply personal lens to a project framed as 'progress and innovation'. Environmental groups and civil society organisations have raised concerns about resident displacement, compensation disputes, environmental risks, climate impacts, and threats to local livelihoods and ecosystems. Activists, including Ugandan rebels, spotlight one mother’s story as emblematic of the broader social costs borne by vulnerable communities. The documentary echoes concerns raised by regional and international campaigns, including Stop EACOP who have been denouncing the social and environmental impacts of the Total pipeline for years. This documentary is a deeply human, must-watch account that asks who truly pays the price for so-called progress.Watch Voices Along The Oil Pipeline (13 minutes) Follow XR Justice Movement Uganda.

Visit the XR Archives to see our actions on EACOP

Quick Watch

XR 2026 Campaign

Die ins, protests, marches, speeches, posters, chants, music, and art are just a few ways XR Rebels across this beautiful planet offer their time and solidarity to fight to keep Earth beautiful and healthy. Donations help make this powerful work possible. With gratitude, XR Global welcomes donations here. View XR Global’s 2026 campaign donation video here.

Worth a Second Look

Community & XReadiness

The beginning of this year has been gruelling for many people around the world. From murders by ICE through climate disasters, each week has brought discouraging news. Australia has experienced extreme heatwavesand there have been devastating fires in Patagonia. Meanwhile, there have been dangerously cold temperatures in much of the USA and Canada. Large parts of Europe have had back-to-back storms causing extensive damage from Ireland and the UK in the west, to Portugal and Spain in the south. Mozambique,Zimbabwe and South Africa have experienced widespread flooding.

How can we be ready for these events and not lose our energy and hope moving forward? By creating community in whatever way makes sense where you are. The Singing Resistance in Minneapolis is an inspiring example. And for practical ideas about how to get through whatever may be coming in your area, have a look at the checklists in the XReadiness Guide, free online. Read more about why community and preparedness go hand in hand here.

Film Review

Rebellion

Back in 2018, two young filmmakers were asked if they’d be interested in filming a new climate group just starting to organize. No one knew if anything would come of it, but they gamely went along, working practically every weekend for nearly six months, and recorded a tremendous amount of material. All this preparation paid off with the unbelievable success that was Extinction Rebellion’s launch in 2019 when XR shut down London for ten glorious days. Directors Maia Kenworthy and Elena Sánchez Bellot kept their cameras rolling throughout and kept going because the hardest thing after one success is repeating it. Clocking in at just an hour and a half, their documentary, Rebellion is a fascinating fly-on-the-wall look at how XR began, grew, fractured, evolved, and is still here. It is equally compelling for those new to XR and for those who have been around since the early days. Nominated for a Bafta, Rebellion originally came out in 2022 but it has recently become more widely available to rent and watch online. Watch the trailer here.

Rebel with your wallet

From our Readers

We’d like to hear from you! Please email us at: xr-newsletter@protonmail.com

Forward this newsletter to a friend. If this was forwarded to you, join us and subscribe to the XR Global Newsletter. If you have any questions or feedback, we want to hear from you. Get in touch at xr-newsletter@protonmail.com

P.S. Want to take action?Make a donation to help power the rebellion!

Photo: XR Venezuela

Dear rebel,

We look to the new year as a starting line, a time to take our futures where they are meant to go. But the first month of 2026 has felt less like an open road and more like a racetrack taking us back to where we’ve been. The United States’ actions in Venezuela, while illegitimate and aggressive, also demonstrate a nation repeating its history of extractivism and militarism. Meanwhile, other countries are experiencing a similar feeling of deja vu. In Scotland, investments made in the hope of augmenting wealth for individuals are in reality diminishing our ecosystems’ chances to thrive. In Argentina, mining companies seek growing profits at the expense of shrinking glaciers. We have seen all these narratives of greed before. It’s time to change direction.

To sustain climate action, we must surpass the short-lived burst of enthusiasm that the new year brings. We must remember the patterns of destruction that will stay strong unless we fight them every step of the way. We must remember that the paths taken to social and environmental health will vary depending on the community, but that our destination is the same. We must forget our tendencies to fight with our allies and focus instead on solidarity and community. No matter what our individual journeys towards a regenerative future look like—whether they involve growing healthy food, fighting legal battles, or marching in the streets—we must start now, and our pace must be steady and unyielding. If you’re wondering where and how to start, read on. There is plenty of room for you to walk beside us.

This newsletter is brought to you by XR Global Support, a worldwide network of rebels who help our movement grow and need money to continue this crucial work.

COMMIT TO CHANGE IN 2026

Action Highlight

Photo: XR Venezuela

Venezuela - XR statement

In response to the United States’ recent assault on Venezuela, XR Latin America prepared a statement of their official position, which is available here. The letter opens stating, “As a socio-environmental movement, we cannot remain silent in the face of the illegitimate and violent actions of the United States in Latin American territory.” The criminal Trump administration’s militaristic expansion of the U.S.’s reliance on fossil fuels by looting oil and resources from Latin America, most recently from Venezuela, highlights that the U.S. “has become the principal threat not only to Latin America, but to humanity as a whole, posing a direct danger to nature, biodiversity, and the planet itself.” XR Latin America’s letter concludes with a powerful call to action, urging socio-environmental movements to adapt their strategies in light of the rise of violent, fascist, and authoritarian capitalistic leadership. XR Rebels must resist this violent entrenchment of fossil fuel reliance and continue to fight for a healthy and safe future for our planet. Official Statement on Venezuela

Action Roundup

XRScotland - Strathclyde Pension Fund

Image from XR Scotland

Scottish Rebels joined climate and trade union groups outside the Strathclyde Pension Fund’s 50th anniversary in Glasgow to express their anger and deep concern over how workers’ pensions are being invested. Holding an “unhappy birthday” protest, they highlighted the fund’s links to arms-related industries and called for an end to investments in some of the world’s biggest polluters (Shell, TotalEnergies, and Eni, to name a few) which are driving climate breakdown and contributing to the suffering of people in Gaza. Protesters appealed for compassion and accountability, urging the fund to divest from destructive industries and redirect money toward investments that respect human life and help build a fairer future for all. The Strathclyde Pension Fund invests over £400 million in fossil fuel companies. Read the full breakdown here.

Argentina - Glacier Law

Image: XR Argentina

Although Argentina was the first country to implement legal protections for glaciers and periglaciers, the nation’s President Javier Milei recently proposed amendments to Congress that would allow mining, fossil fuel exploration, and industrial activity in glacial and periglacial areas. On December 4th and 22nd, XR Argentina carried out actions in front of Argentina’s Congress in protest of the proposed amendments. Protecting these glaciated areas is critical for the preservation of Argentina's most precious water ecosystem. Learn more about the actions here.

Positive News

Alaska Tests a Theory: Solar Farms Help Nearby Crops Grow

Alaska might seem an unlikely place for groundbreaking solar energy projects, but both food and energy are very costly there, and the northerly state’s natural gas deposits are running out, so innovation is key – and bi-facing (or bifacial) solar panels could be part of the solution. Researchers in the young science of agrivoltaics are studying whether the same land can be used to produce both food and energy. Their testing ground is Alaska’s largest solar farm, which generates power for 1,400 homes. Could edible crops be grown between the arrays of solar panels, creating a combined food/solar farm?

Apparently, yes. Firstly, those bi-facing solar panels catch winter sunlight reflecting off the snow onto their backside. This can account for thirty percent of the energy produced in some seasons. As for the plants, too much sunlight would harm them – and with the Arctic warming four times faster than the rest of the planet, researchers observed that plants grow bigger if they have some shade. Not only do the solar panels offer protection from solar stress, but they also hold heat that can extend the growing season. Although it’s currently unclear whether the federal government will continue funding the project for the full three years originally planned, the scientists are enthusiastic about results they’ve measured even with only one season of data.

Must Reads

Australia to offer three hours free solar per day to millions

Australia has announced a new federal energy initiative called the “Solar Sharer” scheme that will give households at least three hours of free solar-generated electricity each day during peak sunshine hours. This initiative will be implemented from mid-2026 in the states of New South Wales, South Australia, and southeast Queensland. The programme is led by energy minister, Chris Bowen and aims to help consumers cut their energy bills. Importantly, the free power will only be available to households with smart meters, so households that do not have their own rooftop solar panels are encouraged to request a smart meter, broadening access to the benefits of Australia’s solar boom. Additionally, the government hopes the scheme will shift overall electricity demand away from expensive evening peak periods while reducing pressure on the grid and potentially lowering costs for all users. Learn more here.

Quick Watch

Lost

The Red Rebels is a performance-art protest group which emerged from a UK branch of Extinction Rebellion, and is now expanding internationally. In this video, their unique and rousing approach to protest marks the World Biodiversity Loss Day, in mourning of species lost in our diminishing world. Cloaked in blood-red with painted faces, solemn expressions, and raised arms, their funeral-like procession through Ghent demands the attention of passersby. Through this colour, symbolism, and movement, their performance evokes an emotive response to the tragedy of biodiversity loss, and a deeper reflection on what threatened species still remain.

The fight against climate change has always been complex and multifaceted, and the enormity of its ambition to raise awareness of our dying world to people who don’t want to listen constantly demands new angles. Through their theatrical spin on protest action, the Red Rebels visually portray the abstract notion of loss, which is in its very nature invisible and intangible. The group captures the impacts of climate change which are not only damaging in a scientific and socioeconomic sense, but in a psychological one too. Any spectator can feel the stirrings of the rage, grief, and mourning of the climate crisis.

Book Review

Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World

In 2020, Jeff Bezos launched the Bezos Earth Fund by pledging $10 billion to “fight climate change and protect nature” while Amazon, the company he founded and still owns 8% of, has been destroying the planet and driving climate change since 1994. This isn’t an anomaly – it’s the rule, as journalist and author Anand Giridharadas explains in his book, *Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World.*

Although Winners Take All was written in 2018, the thesis is as urgent as ever: the people in power organize everything, including their philanthropy, to make sure they stay in power. Giridharadas explains that most philanthropic organizations in the world are based on principles outlined by robber baron Andrew Carnegie in 1889 in his essay “Gospel of Wealth”, namely that the rich have an obligation to society to “give back”. However, Carnegie ignored the fact that it was the industrialists’ capitalist exploitation that pushed people into poverty.

The current generation of tech billionaires has created a new “gilded age” in which the disparity between the wealthiest and the poorest has never been greater. And their so-called generosity is just another way to make sure the world doesn’t change.

Avoid Amazon. Support local bookshops in person when you can. Online buy your books at Bookshop or Hive(UK).

Dispatch from the UN

The Global Environment Outlook (GEO) is the UN Environment Programme’s flagship report on the state of the planet, published roughly every six years to guide global action on the environment. The seventh edition, GEO 7, released in December 2025, was produced by 287 experts from over 80 countries and delivers a very clear warning: climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and land degradation are accelerating, and our current development paths are driving the world toward ecological collapse.

The report also lays out urgent, actionable steps that could protect ecosystems and build a fairer and more sustainable future. Yet, according to the BBC, GEO‑7 was released without its usual “Summary for Policymakers”, after governments including the US, Russia, and Saudi Arabia couldn’t agree on the science and recommendations (such as calling for a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels and major cuts to harmful subsidies). This bureaucratic deadlock could weaken the report’s urgent message, leaving those with the power to act unaware of the crisis unfolding. Meanwhile, communities and ecosystems around the world continue to suffer, reminding us that inaction has real human and environmental costs. Read the full GEO-7 Report here

Worth a Second Look

How to have a conversation with a climate change sceptic

Have you ever felt the frustration of dealing with a blatant climate change denier? How to have a conversation with a climate change sceptic offers us a quick guide to consult the next time you encounter one of these difficult interactions. Although compassion may not be the first emotion you feel surge within, author Nikki suggests reacting with compassion over judgement. It may be difficult for the average citizen to understand the severity of the climate crisis we are facing, when the world appears to remain so unnervingly calm. Our governments steer clear of words like “emergency” and “crisis”, instead framing climate change as a “debate”. The media fabricates the impression that climate change is still a distant problem, one for future generations. For now, it is simply easier to deny that we all live in a house on fire.

This intentional ignorance from world leaders is a major hurdle to widespread recognition of the climate crisis, paired with the murky waters of false information in the age of the internet, where a voice is given to self-proclaimed professionals, and legitimate fact-checking is too often neglected. Interpreting climate change through politicians and media is more often an exercise in smoke and mirrors, yet scientific journals consistently prove the abnormality of global temperature rise and extinction rates with terrifying clarity. This XR blog post provides clear, scientifically-backed responses to common myths which people may use to shield themselves from the distressing truth of the state of our planet.

Stand with the Global South - Power the Rebellion

We Love to Hear From our Readers

Please email us at: xr-newsletter@protonmail.com

P.S. Forward this newsletter to a friend. If this was forwarded to you, join us and subscribe to the XR Global Newsletter.

Photo: XR Medellin

Dear rebel,

Extinction Rebellion’s Eighth Value is to avoid blaming and shaming. In other words, “We live in a toxic system, but no one individual is to blame.” Our core demands are of changes that need to be made by those in power. Because of this, some say that XR believes the majority of people have no responsibility regarding the climate crisis, and that we expect governments and corporations to do the right thing all on their own.

We would like to set the record straight on this. To avoid blaming and shaming does not mean condoning the use of fossil fuels or rampant consumerism. It means understanding that not everyone has the money to buy an EV or the flexibility to ride their bike to work. It means lending a hand instead of pointing a finger. It means turning towards community instead of division.

If XR members felt no personal responsibility, there would be no reason for this newsletter. Instead, you’ll see that people across the globe are choosing to stand together in the streets of their home towns and demand the changes that those with power are resisting. You’ll see Ecuadorians celebrating the power of their own voices, and Peruvians defending their land. You’ll see citizens voting in local politicians who will defend our ecosystems, and calling out those who do not. You’ll have the chance to read XR Global Support’s brand-new guide on survival, resilience, and community. And we hope you will feel inspired, in the words of our Eighth Value, to “embrace change that creates unity in diversity.”

This newsletter is brought to you by XR Global Support, a worldwide network of rebels who help our movement grow and need money to continue this crucial work.

BEST HOLIDAY GIFT EVER: A LIVEABLE PLANET

Action Highlight

Vozes de la Selva - Voices from the Jungle

Photo: XR Medellin

The 30th Conference of the Parties (COP) was controversial even before it began. True to form, COP30 was promoted to be a beacon of climate cooperation, however it turned out to be a largely divisive event. For months, a powerful wave of resistance has been building across Latin America as Indigenous communities and frontline groups unite with XR under the banner “Vozes de la Selva” to demand that their voices be placed at the center of all climate decisions. River flotillas in the Andes in Ecuador, youth-led climate carnivals in Chile, road blockades in Colombia and Peru, and local communities marching through the COP30 venue are all bold examples of actions united by shared demands for real climate justice. And even with COP30 now over, the movement hasn’t slowed. Actions continue across the region with more already planned for the months ahead. A reminder for us all: Real climate justice cannot happen without the people who protect the land.

November, 2025 | Bolivia

Photo: XR Bolivia

Once again, the people find themselves betrayed by a government that hides destruction behind the false promise of “development,” sacrificing lives and territories for the benefit of powerful interests. In mid-November, rebels in Bolivia joined members of more than sixty other organizations to launch a non-violent national action in defense of what should never be under threat: the constitutional right to a healthy environment.

But the Bolivian government is trying to merge the MMAyA (Ministry of Environment and Water) with Rural Planning, while insisting on keeping Oscar Mario Justiniano as the head of environmental policy. Justiniano is openly tied to aggribusiness and deforestation. And so rebels walked through the streets of La Paz carrying posters and displaying a symbolic “buffet” of local produce, each item pierced with empty syringes to illustrate the unnatural and harmful agricultural methods that could soon become a reality for Bolivians. They also held a peaceful protest outside the Ministry of Economy and Finance, offering fruit to the guards as a gesture of unity. More actions are planned. Even in the face of uncertainty, Bolivia’s people stand united in protecting their environment, knowing their future is inseparable from the land. Follow XR Bolivia here.

November 2025 | Amazon, Peru

Photo: XR Peru

In recent weeks, Extinction Rebellion Peru (XR Peru) has drawn renewed attention to the mounting crisis faced by Indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon. Through their initiative titled Voces de la Selva “Voices from the Jungle”, XR Peru spotlighted stories from communities in regions such as San Martín and Loreto, places under severe pressure from land grabs, extractive activities, and the expansion of industrial monocultures like oil-palm plantations. In a recent Instagram post, the group urged broader audiences to hear the perspectives of Indigenous leaders, elders, and local people who view the forest not as a resource to exploit but as a living network that sustains their cultures, livelihoods, and identities.

This action matters because the stakes are enormous. Over the past decade, the relentless spread of oil-palm agriculture across the Amazon has driven widespread deforestation, degraded ecosystems, and displaced whole communities. In many areas, including the traditional territories of Indigenous communities, old-growth rainforest has been destroyed to make room for plantations, often with little regard for the rights of those who lived there for generations, often with little regard for the law.

For Indigenous and traditional communities, the forest is the source of food, water, medicine, cultural identity, memory, and spiritual connection to their ancestors. The loss of forest translates into the loss of livelihoods, ancestral knowledge, and biodiversity, as well as disruption to social and spiritual bonds passed down through generations. XR Peru’s “Voices from the Jungle” highlights exactly this: the forest does not need to be urbanized; it needs to be understood. ​​XR Peru’s action raises Indigenous voices by sharing firsthand testimonies and reframing the narrative about “development”, contributing to a vital movement of resistance and solidarity.

November 2025 | Medellin, Colombia

Photo: XR Medellin

In Medellín on November 8th 2025, Extinction Rebellion Colombia (XR Colombia), together with local supporters, celebrated a moving event described as a “Celebration of Life and Song to the Water". Through ritual, music, and gathering, the event aimed to re-affirm water as sacred, vital, and communal, countering the view of water as mere commodity, resource, or infrastructure. The gathering served as both a symbolic gesture and a call to protect water and ecosystems, honouring the deep connection between people, nature and the future of life. This resonates with a broader ethos within XR: waterways are not passive resources but living relationships deserving care. Just days later, from November 20th to 22nd, XR Colombia’s efforts intersected with a landmark national event: the Congreso Internacional de Gobernanza Cultural para la Paz: Voces Trenzando Territorios in Cali. This congress brought together over 600 representatives from communities, social and cultural organisations, public institutions, and academia. Its purpose was to build a new framework for cultural governance, democracy, and peace in Colombia which is rooted in the diversity of communal cultures and popular expression.

During those days in Cali, participants engaged in dialogues, artistic exchanges, community-led workshops, and territorial mobilisations under themes such as listening, building collective identity, and mobilising for cultural rights. The outcome will include a national pact, also known as a “Manifiesto Nacional por las Culturas Populares, los Derechos Culturales y la Gobernanza Cultural”, intended to shape public policy and recognise cultural communities as central actors in Colombia’s future. XR Colombia’s participation and alignment with this congress signal a powerful recognition emphasising that environmental and climate justice cannot be separated from cultural justice, community memory, identity, and social inclusion. Colombia continues to grapple with environmental degradation, water insecurity, and historic inequalities linked to cultural marginalisation. Actions like these help shift dominant narratives from extractive and exploitative approaches to ones rooted in respect for life, community, memory and inclusivity.

Action Update

November, 2025 | Ecuador

Following on from our report in last month’s newsletter, XR rebels in Ecuador are celebrating a major victory as the public voted overwhelmingly against the installation of foreign military bases and a change to Ecuador's Constitution. President Noboa’s proposal to establish a US base on the Galapagos Islands alarmed environmentalists, as the archipelago is home to more than 20% of the world’s biodiversity. Many feared that a change to the Constitution would have allowed increased extractivism. Ecuador was the first nation in the world to recognise nature as having rights, as declared in its 2008 constitution. However, economic reliance on the mining of gold, copper, and oil means that environmentally sensitive areas and Indigenous territories are still endangered. To modify the constitution would have been a significant step backward when our earth is begging for a step forward.

XReadiness - Creating Community Now

The last thing anyone needs now is paranoid prepping and doom-laden warnings. That’s why a group of rebels from all over the world came together to create a different kind of guide. We noticed a lot of government materials that encouraged emergency preparedness, but then left out most of the details about what that actually means. And we saw lots of prepper websites that assumed whatever happens, you’ll be alone in your private bunker eating canned peaches. None of that is very helpful for most people (if you have a bunker, this isn’t for you). Of course we’re also worried about living through the climate crisis and the other emergency situations that may arise from it, but we see this as a time to get ready by building community now —for before the crisis and for after the crisis, when we want to rebuild differently and so much better.

With these goals, we created a manual that is practical and aims to help people actually prepare for whatever might be coming by including simple, actionable and adaptable checklists that individuals, families and groups can use to be more prepared every day. The components are all available FREE to read on the website and also to download for free. Printed packs are also available to order (great gift idea!). And you can learn more about the project here.

Positive News

After Jamaica’s Disastrous Storm, Solar Power Is a Bright Spot

In late October, Hurricane Melissa devastated Jamaica. In the wake of the disaster, electricity was not available across much of the island nation due to downed and damaged powerlines. But some residents found themselves lucky. Many Jamaicans with solar panels had electricity immediately after the storm and were able to support their neighbors by offering spaces to store perishable food and medicine and the opportunity to call loved ones. In a hurricane-prone nation, solar energy is increasing communities’ resiliency to storms like Hurricane Melissa. Read the full story here and learn more about relief efforts here.

Dispatch from a City Near You

C40 represents a coalition of 97 cities - nearly a billion people - all around the world that are working to reduce fossil fuels emissions 50% by 2030, to build climate resilience, and to advance justice in climate action. C40 works to help cities set and achieve ambitious climate goals. In places like the United States, which currently has a federal administration that is hostile towards climate action, networks like C40 provide a useful space for cities to work to reach critical climate goals. Recent sub-national elections in the United States show that many states and cities there are serious about mitigating climate harms. Find out more here.

Humans of XR

Berta Cáceres was a Honduran land rights activist from the Lenca people who was murdered in 2016 by forces behind a controversial hydroelectric project she opposed. Born in 1971 in La Esperanza – a rural town, the highest in Honduras – Berta inherited a strong sense of social justice and solidarity from her midwife mother and was already politically active as a teenager. While at university, in her early 20s, she co-founded the Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) to oppose illegal logging and government-backed extractive projects, including mines and hydroelectric dams on environmentally sensitive or sacred Lenca territory.

Her passionate commitment to protecting the land and Indigenous rights was rooted in her lived experience and a sense of community survival and dignity, rather than abstract ecological theory. Following a US-backedmilitary coup in 2009, violence against activists in Honduras increased dramatically – especially towards Indigenous people. Courts twice issued warrants for Cáceres’ arrest, and she was forced into hiding for long periods. Despite the strain on her family life, the mother of four always held up motherhood as a source of strength, rather than a barrier to her political work.

The highest-profile campaign she led was against the Agua Zarca mega-dam on the Gualcarque River. It would have been Central America’s biggest hydropower project, choking off the local community’s main source of irrigation and drinking water. After years of peaceful protests had no effect, activists occupied the construction site in 2013. This drew massive media attention and finally forced international engineering companies and investors to withdraw from the project, citing concerns over human rights violations.

In 2015 Cáceres won the Goldman Environmental Prize, the “Green Nobel” honouring grassroots activists around the world. She famously said “We must undertake the struggle … wherever we may be, because we have no other spare or replacement planet. We have only this one, and we have to take action".

She always knew how dangerous her work was, and in March of 2016 she was murdered. While tributes poured in, her killing also sparked global outrage, culminating in the conviction of the gunmen and exposing how powerful corporate and political interests are complicit in the criminalization of activists and the suppression of human rights. Berta Cáceres is remembered as a fearless defender whose heroism continues to inspire rebels around the world today.

Must Watch

The Snake and The Whale

Image: The Snake and the Whale

This engrossing 98 minute documentary is about a problem that humans created and the refusal by a small, powerful minority to fix it. The film unfolds slowly, following the investigation by journalist and director John Carlos Frey, and becomes increasingly enraging and heart-breakingly tragic. The Southern Resident Orcas of the Pacific Northwest feed on salmon but they are starving to death because the salmon population has been decimated by four dams on the Lower Snake River. This issue is ongoing, and multiple local organizationsincluding Indigenous groups are working to shed light on the imminent yet preventable extinction of these killer whales. The film profiles inspiring individuals who have given their lives to studying and defending the whales. These experts realized that the problem was far upstream and have worked tirelessly to understand the complexities of dams, rivers, hydro power, and salmon life cycles. This award-winning film should help the plight of the orcas reach a wider audience and increase pressure on local politicians to remove the dams. Not yet in wide release, it is being screened around the world. Follow here for updates.

Worth a Second Look

How to stop funding fossil fuels by moving to an ethical bank

As we continue in our quest to create more awareness of banks funding fossil fuels, we’re digging up a blog post from the archives from 2020. Five years on, this article is truer than ever, revealing just how entrenched financial institutions remain in supporting industries that drive the climate crisis. The article exposes how most banks openly fund fossil fuels and calls on people to take control of their money. It urges switching to ethical banks that invest in renewable energy and sustainable projects, offering a bold five-step guide to make a real difference.

Rebel with your wallet

Forward this newsletter to a friend. If this was forwarded to you, join us and subscribe to the XR Global Newsletter. If you have any questions or feedback, we want to hear from you. Get in touch at xr-newsletter@protonmail.com. Follow us on your favourite platform!

P.S. Looking for a sustainable holiday gift? Make a donation to help power the rebellion!

We know that the last thing anyone needs now is paranoid prepping and doom-laden warnings. That’s why a group of rebels from all over the world came together to create a different kind of guide. We noticed a lot of government materials that encouraged emergency preparedness, but then left out most of the details about what that actually means. And we saw lots of prepper websites that assumed whatever happens, you’ll be alone in your private bunker eating canned peaches. Neither of these scenarios is very helpful for most people (if you have a bunker, this isn’t for you).

Of course we’re also worried about living through the climate crisis and the other emergency situations that may arise from it, but we see this as a time to get ready by building community now —for before the crisis and for after the crisis, when we want to rebuild differently and so much better.

With these goals, we created a manual that is practical and aims to help people actually prepare for whatever might be coming by including simple, actionable and adaptable checklists that individuals, families and groups can use to be more prepared every day. We hope we will never need our Go Bag or our Stay Shelf but we know that around the world, most of the climate disasters that are already happening have taken place with very little warning. For so many people, there hasn’t been time to get a Go Bag ready. That’s why you need to have it there by the door now, just in case. We have included five checklists: Emergency Plan, Go Bag, Stay Shelf, Car Kit and First Aid Kit.

In addition to getting physical items ready, one of the key aspects of XReadiness is starting a conversation. Sitting down with your family, your friends, your neighbours and working out what you would do in the event of a possible situation, like a flood or a prolonged power failure. How would you communicate without cell phones? Do you have a meeting point? You may be surprised by how many people have been worrying about these things alone. We want to talk about them together and make plans that include everyone, especially those who are more vulnerable.

But the ethos of this guide is not just to push you into preparedness, but to encourage you to turn towards those around you. We have the opportunity to teach and learn from each other, and thus become stronger, more resilient communities. The heart of XReadiness is the commitment to learning skills that take time and creating real community with those around you. Modern urban life has allowed many of us to skip mastering things like cooking from scratch, first aid, sewing, using a compass or growing our own food. But we still have time to learn these things and to share the knowledge we already have. This might mean taking a CPR course or asking your local municipality to set up a community garden. Maybe it’s learning how to grow cherry tomatoes in a windowbox. Maybe it’s starting to knit with your grandmother. Or teaching your nephew how to use a compass and read a map. No one individual will have all these skills which is one more reason why we need to work together.

Many of us live in anonymous cities. But being ready takes a village.That might mean introducing yourself to your neighbours for the first time. Or participating in a local association. Or joining your nearest XR group. It might mean getting outside and finding the green spaces in your neighbourhood. Or volunteering at your local library. Creating community isn’t a linear path but it is always worth it.

We hope you never experience a serious climate emergency, but we hope you will create the community to see you through one. Action is where readiness begins.