For 22 years Earthworker Cooperative has brought the climate movement together with the labour movement to build cooperative manufactories and other cooperatives to enable communities to find ways out of the climate emergency. Today it is supporting a growing network of cooperatives in manufacturing, energy, and service sectors, including the award-winning Redgum Cleaning Cooperative.
All over Europe, people are rising up to fix climate breakdown – demanding urgent transformation to a fair, fossil free future. Communities, cities and people are at the forefront of building community-owned renewable energy, creating green jobs, and tackling energy poverty. Here is one such story from the frontlines of climate hope, from Belgium.
The liberalisation of markets ordered by the EU left the oligopolistic Spanish energy market basically unscathed. Endesa and Iberdrola alone have an 80% market share. Green energy suppliers are still scarce, and community-owned solar parks are not widespread. The cooperative Som Energia, founded by staff and students of University in Catalonia seven years ago, promises to change this. Its goals are – much like similar projects in other countries – to promote climate protection and the energy transition, in combination with an economically viable business model.
Costa Rica is an outstanding example of a country with universal public services delivery. It has extended electricity services – as well as water, health and education – to all social groups and every region of the country, with remarkable indicators for equity, quality, affordability, public ethos and environmental sustainability.
Bristol is the largest city in the south-west of the United Kingdom. It has a strong history of environmental and sustainable initiatives, and was awarded Green Capital of Europe in 2015. This award was won partly thanks to the richness of grassroots sustainability initiatives, including urban food growing projects and community energy projects.