Inspiring global action leads the way

Sometimes the movement calls people to action in ways that threaten their very existence - they know that a lack of action, no matter how dangerous, leads to the acceptance of destruction in the very near future.

We stand in solidarity with the resistance efforts of villagers in Bangladesh who bravely continued to peacefully protest plans to build two coal plants Wednesday after clashes with police left at least four protesters dead the day before. The violence came days after locals began non-violently demonstrating against the development that escalated after the demonstrations were banned by police on Tuesday.

Villagers continue to peacefully protest plan for coal plant creation in their community after death caused by police violence in Bangladesh

Climate democracy issues like the building of these new coal-fired plants in farming villages affect more than the water and air quality of community members. Dirty corporate projects are not only harmful to the environment, they also threaten the lives of residents by pushing thousands out of their homes, schools and places of worship due to corporate land grabs, and create climate refugees. The deaths last week in Bangladesh mark the largest loss of life during anti-coal protests since 2 demonstrations in India left six dead four years ago. Communities all over the world are building democratic power to take on the dirty energy corporations that threaten their homes and ecologies.

This issue of Democracy News connects local efforts to push back against corporate destruction globally to grassroots efforts focused on stopping environmental destruction and bolstering climate democracy here in the U.S. as we prepare for Earth Day to May Day.

Read on to learn more…