TOGETHER WE CAN TRANSFORM THE ENERGY SYSTEM

The 'People Power Now!' Energy Manifesto, published by Friends of the Earth International in November 2018, calls for a systemic overhaul of the global energy system to achieve climate justice and energy sovereignty. The document argues that the current economic model, driven by corporate profit and the commodification of nature, is unsustainable and must be replaced by a people-centered system based on 100% renewable energy, energy sufficiency, and social equity.

• The document advocates for a complete 'system change' rather than incremental fixes, arguing that the current economic model of resource management and distribution has led to ecological and social crises. This transformation requires dismantling systems of racism, colonialism, patriarchy, and capitalist exploitation to create a society based on equality and peoples' sovereignty.
• Energy is defined as a 'common good' and a basic human right rather than a commodity. The manifesto asserts that shared resources like sun and wind should not be exploited for corporate profit, noting that approximately 1.1 billion people globally lack access to electricity.
• The concept of 'energy sufficiency' is proposed as a middle ground between energy poverty and dangerous overconsumption. This involves ensuring universal access for basic well-being while ending energy waste and excessive consumption by elites and corporations, particularly in the global North.
• The manifesto demands a global transition to 100% renewable energy, which must include a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels and a total ban on new 'dirty energy' projects. This ban specifically includes nuclear power, mega dams, industrial agrofuels, biomass, and waste-to-energy incineration.
• Renewable energy technology should be prioritized as small-scale and decentralized to avoid 'green land grabbing' and the inefficiencies of centralized grids. The document emphasizes the need for technology transfer to the global South and the removal of intellectual property rights as barriers to a just transition.
• Energy sovereignty and democracy are demanded to ensure that energy production and use are owned and controlled by the people. This includes the right of communities to free, prior and informed consent regarding energy infrastructure and the prioritization of marginalized voices, including women.
• A 'just transition' is required to protect energy sector workers and frontline communities. This involves ensuring workers have a say in the future of energy and food systems, and providing the necessary skills and training to move into new sectors as dirty energy industries shut down.
• The document calls for significant climate finance from developed nations to the global South as a repayment of 'climate debt'. It suggests that funds could be raised through redirected military spending, an international Financial Transaction Tax, and ending tax havens.
• Climate justice is linked inextricably to social and gender justice. The manifesto highlights that women are disproportionately affected by climate change due to patriarchal divisions of labor and are often excluded from energy decision-making processes.
• The manifesto identifies corporate interests and unfavorable government policies as primary obstacles to people-led energy revolutions. It specifically calls for an end to subsidies for fossil fuels and the dismantling of international trade agreements that allow corporations to overrule democratic decisions.

APA

Cadena, L., Ali, A., Bhatnagar, D., & Shaw, S. (2018). TOGETHER WE CAN TRANSFORM THE ENERGY SYSTEM. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/14-FoEI-PPN-manifesto-ENG-lr.pdf

Chicago

Cadena, Lucy, Ahlyah Ali, Dipti Bhatnagar, and Sara Shaw. TOGETHER WE CAN TRANSFORM THE ENERGY SYSTEM. Friends of the Earth International, 2018. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/14-FoEI-PPN-manifesto-ENG-lr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cadena |first1=Lucy |last2=Ali |first2=Ahlyah |last3=Bhatnagar |first3=Dipti |last4=Shaw |first4=Sara |title=TOGETHER WE CAN TRANSFORM THE ENERGY SYSTEM |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=November 2018 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/14-FoEI-PPN-manifesto-ENG-lr.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cadena2018together, author = {Cadena, Lucy and Ali, Ahlyah and Bhatnagar, Dipti and Shaw, Sara}, title = {{TOGETHER WE CAN TRANSFORM THE ENERGY SYSTEM}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2018}, month = nov, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/14-FoEI-PPN-manifesto-ENG-lr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }