An unstoppable movement
Looking back at 2025, it’s not our achievements that stand out but our sense that we are part of a still growing and unstoppable movement for climate justice – with you, our supporters and partners.
Very little of our work was done alone. Most of it was planned and grew wings within a large community of fellow activists and citizens.
Appreciating this bolsters our courage at a time when climate breakdown continues escalating, to the point that the first climate tipping point has been reached – the widespread dieback of the world’s warm-water coral reefs – and governments have taken only small steps forward at COP30, rather than the leaps needed to protecting a liveable planet Earth.
As UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said, “Climate change is undeniable. Climate action is unstoppable. And climate solutions provide opportunities that are unmatchable.”
Our collective climate action is battling the crisis, clearly naming the fossil fuel industry as an enemy of humanity, and promoting the opportunities in transition. It includes advocacy directed at governments, universities and financial institutions; marches; pledges; community workshops; new communication campaigns, and court cases.
In 2025, Fossil Free SA ramped up our campaigns, launched new projects, and our mission broadened to include supporting the principle of a Just Energy Transition in South Africa – a transition to renewable energy that is driven by and benefits communities, rather than corporate agendas.
A few highlights of the year:
Our Fossil Ad Ban (FAB) campaign organised a march against TotalEnergies in Johannesburg ahead of the G20, with Earthlife Africa, the Green Connection, StopEACOP and Power Shift Africa
With Open Secrets, we submitted a PAIA application challenging the South African parliamentarians’ pension fund to disclose its fossil fuel investments
FAB held workshops to empower coal-facing communities in Mpumalanga to stand up for their rights, in partnership with Wxmandla Community Development and Carolina Eco Green
We joined legal action against Thungela Resources led by Just Share
We launched Climate Hope, a communications campaign to bust the widely believed myths that hold back climate action in South Africa, and to promote the science-based truths that offer extraordinary opportunity
FAB launched “Smoke and Mirrors”, South Africa’s first report on the scale and nature of greenwashing by fossil fuel companies
Two of our team members became mentors for Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project
We engaged with Allan Gray, Ninety One, Sasol, the Momentum Group, Futuregrowth and Aurora Capital, to advocate for more fossil fuel-free and ethical investment options
We signed letters to the G20 and took part in the We the 99% People’s Summit on Constitution Hill in Johannesburg
We wrote several opinion pieces and appeared in a host of media stories and broadcasts.
Keen to find out more? Please visit our home page. And if you’d like to contribute to contribute to our work, we’d love to hear from you!
