2024 is here!
Today’s social and planetary crises result from the oppressive and exploitative human systems created in the past. If we collectively choose to change course and uproot and restructure these systems, we can get the Earth’s systems back into a stable state and secure a safe and just future for all. Will we become stewards of the biosphere and radically rethink our systems, or will we leave broken systems behind and make the lives of young and future generations extremely difficult?
We’re ready for a revolution; you with us? Here are our 24 revolutionary resolutions for 2024 to create the conditions needed for positive change. They’re numbered 1-24, but are all equally important!
- Let’s convince ourselves and those around us that making the world better and safer is always worth it and that there is no other way to radically transform the world than to believe in it and use our collective transformative power to make that change.
- Let’s learn and share knowledge about the boundaries of our planet and the interconnectedness of planetary systems and their interactions because they can all have devastating knock-on effects on the living world.
- Let’s learn from and actively share the knowledge and experiences of frontline communities and stand in solidarity with groups and individuals fighting for climate justice.
- Let’s support initiatives that aim to educate and empower people to tackle the climate crisis by making climate knowledge accessible for those not fluent in one of the major languages – check out Climate Cardinals.
- Let’s challenge the greenwashing claims and schemes obscuring the reality of the impact of the products we buy and demand transparency.
- Let’s work together to protect the fundamental rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly because they are essential to ensure freedom, dignity, equality and justice for all.
- Let’s actively speak out against bigotry and discriminatory behaviour, including racism, sexism, classism, ageism, ableism, xenophobia and homophobia – and encourage others to do the same.
- Let’s support initiatives that advocate for genuine justice for the existential perils young and future generations face by giving youth real power over decision-making outcomes and processes – check out the Future Generations Tribunal.
- Let’s reject human exemptionalism and exceptionalism and call for interspecies justice because we are all part of nature and not apart from it.
- Let’s demand historical responsibility and work towards a collective mindset change that considers the long-term impact of today’s choices instead of focusing on short-term gains.
- Let’s support the ratification of an international ecocide law that aims to make “unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment” punishable by criminal law – check out Stop Ecocide International.
- Let’s speak up and denormalise the widespread exploitation and suffering of fellow animals that have become a commodity in modern-day society.
- Let’s be proud to call ourselves activists and be part of a social movement that fights for systemic change and collective liberation on a liveable planet.
- Let’s join campaigns that aim to protect the environment from harmful practices, including (deep sea) mining, oil drilling, deforestation, animal farming, and investment in environmental degradation.
- Let’s break the silos and begin to see and address the crises we face as intrinsically interconnected. An ecologically safe and socially just future requires better systems thinking, so let’s practice it.
- Let’s integrate ethics into our daily decision-making process, divest exploitative institutions and defund unethical practices by moving our money to corporations that only invest sustainably and ethically.
- Let’s start our journey towards an objective understanding of the truth by embracing subjectivity and recognising and acknowledging our biases, prejudices and limitations of our understanding. When we embrace subjectivity, we should always offer context – and a lot of it.
- Let’s support initiatives that work towards a fashion system that is slow, circular and respectful of planetary boundaries and puts the life and wellbeing of people, our fellow animals and the planet we share before profit – check out ‘total ethics fashion’ from Collective Fashion Justice.
- Let’s support projects that help farmers transition from animal farming to sustainable, low-impact, plant-based agriculture to reduce environmental impacts, diversify agricultural lands and create a resilient food system.
- Let’s push governments and institutes to redirect harmful subsidies, taxes, and investments to healthier, more ethical, and sustainable diets and make healthy foods more accessible and affordable to the public.
- Let’s not be accustomed to the way things are and see and challenge the societal violence around us. We mustn’t uphold the status quo and start practising collective disillusionment.
- Let’s promote active knowledge sharing within the global community on climate adaptation, land and water conservation, and restoration and revegetation.
- Let’s call for biosphere stewardship, the protection of crucial carbon sinks and a shift towards nature and people-positive food systems – check out and endorse the Plant Based Treaty.
- Let’s appreciate and enjoy the learning process and embrace every step we make to improve the world we live in. Because saving the planet and its inhabitants is not a burden; it’s a positive thing, something to celebrate!
Do you have any resolutions to add to this list? We would love to hear from you!