In the Netherlands and around the world, there is growing awareness that the current economic system is not working. Diverse social movements let their voices be heard in 2023, calling out loud and clear for justice and systemic change. In the Netherlands, Extinction Rebellion activists occupied a highway to bring attention to the urgent need to end fossil fuel subsidies – a policy Both ENDS has long advocated for.
In Argentina, Indigenous peoples mobilised in resistance to the lithium rush, which threatens their communities and the fragile ecosystems they have long cared for. In Asia, women environmental human rights defenders have built a regional movement against mining and for democratic governance and corporate accountability. They are demanding recognition of women’s leadership in protecting life systems, cultures, biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods. Their efforts give us hope in a world facing multiple crises.