The Great Dying: It’s Underway Again
Avazz

(April 5, 2023) — Once upon a time, life almost ended on Earth.

The ‘Great Dying’ was the largest mass-extinction in history — caused by temperatures rising so fast, it killed 90% of all life.

But today the planet is heating even faster, and species are going extinct at a much higher rate. If we don’t change course, scientists warn that total ecosystem collapse is “inevitable.”

We must end the age of fossil fuels, before it ends us.

First, we’ll unite to stop the world’s worst pipeline ripping through East Africa. It would displace thousands of families, shred protected forests — and unleash 1.4 BILLION barrels of oil that we cannot afford to burn. The next 2 months are critical.

We’ll storm shareholder meetings, fuel powerful protests, and fight its construction in court. But launching one epic battle isn’t enough. So we’ll also rise for new Amazon protections, and supercharge a historic lawsuit that would force governments into radical climate action. That one legal case could accelerate our fight like never before.

We are absolutely committed to stopping another Great Dying. But we need you with us.

Avaaz is 100% funded by people like you: the more we raise, the harder we can fight. We can grow our movement into a thundering force for change. We simply have to.

If you’re alarmed by government delays and empty promises while the planet burns, then join us. Let’s make 2023 a turning point for life on Earth.

Humanity is fragile. Our entire existence depends on a delicate balance of ecosystems — and they are unravelling. The planet is warming 10 times faster than any point in the last 65 million years — yet carbon emissions are still rising as governments permit deadly new fossil fuel projects.

Our very survival is on the line, and the latest UN report from climate scientists is clear: we are rapidly approaching the threshold of extreme climate disruption.

But another world is still within reach. One where we protect the web of life, live in harmony with nature, and end the age of fossil fuels, for good. We can get there — but with deadlines this urgent, we need a surge of people-power unlike anything we’ve done before.

This year must be a turning point — and campaigners have now mapped the critical moments when we can have maximum impact. If we raise enough, we will:

• Fight the world’s worst oil pipelines — we’ll unite to stop a deadly oil pipeline in East Africa, exerting maximum pressure on investors, and go all-out to end fossil fuels;
• Support historic legal cases to force accelerated climate action from governments;
• Go all out for the Amazon — mobilising millions of people to fight alongside Indigenous communities and win new protections against illegal logging and mining;
• Demand governments tax corporations and the mega-rich, freeing up funds to tackle inequality and fuel the renewable energy revolution;
• Support vulnerable communities in the wake of climate disasters by reacting at lighting speed with life-saving aid;
• And supercharge bold new campaigns, tackling the biggest threats to humanity and life on Earth.

A History of Extinctions
Wherever you are in the world, this is an invitation to stand with millions of us across the planet. Together we can be an unstoppable force for change — and the next few months are critical.

The power of our movement rests in millions of us coming together on the biggest challenges we face. And we’ve had incredible impact along the way — protecting oceans of unique habitat, forcing leaders to increase their climate ambitions, and championing a new global deal to protect nature. It’s clear that when we come together, all 70 million of us, we are capable of the most extraordinary things. This moment demands nothing less.

With fierce hope and determination,
Mike, Bert, Kaitlin, Camille, Adela and the whole Avaaz team

More information:

• Ecosystem collapse ‘inevitable’ unless wildlife losses reversed (The Guardian)
• Beware a climate ‘doom loop,’ where crisis is harder to solve, report says (Washington Post)
• The Great Dying: Earth’s largest-ever mass extinction is a warning for humanity (CBS News)
• Counting the cost of Uganda’s east Africa oil pipeline – in pictures (The Guardian)

Avaaz is a 70-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world’s people shape global decision-making. (“Avaaz” means “voice” or “song” in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 18 countries on 6 continents and operates in 17 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz’s biggest campaigns here, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

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