Academia Cidadã is an organization that aims to put the climate crisis at the center of the political debate in Portugal and to encourage the Portuguese civilian population to take action against global warming. They organize events in local institutions for and with socially disadvantaged communities to support them in advocating for better public transport and climate justice.

Why we support Academia Cidadã

Academia Cidadã’s Linha Vermelha (Red Line) project involves people with no experience of activism in particular in the movement for climate justice. They encourage people to knit red lines that symbolize the LIMIT of 1.5ºC of global warming. At their events, they use interactive and informal educational methods to better involve people in the topic. They organize knitting actions on the street, so-called “knitting radicals”, where they knit in public spaces to mobilize and involve new people.

The environmental and consumer-protection organisation DUH, with offices in Radolfzell and Berlin, monitors the effective application of environmental legislation and fights for clean air and other issues in order to protect citizens and the climate. The DUH focuses heavily on the transport sector, which is responsible for a large percentage of the world’s climate-damaging CO2 emissions. For example, the DUH proved that diesel carmakers had been illegally manipulating emissions data and that, as a result, the amount of pollution produced in real operation was significantly higher than the vehicles’ laboratory measurements for type approval. The DUH is fighting to uncover further facts about the diesel-emissions scandal and to ensure future compliance with environmental standards.

Why we support the DUH

In the context of the diesel emissions affair, the DUH has been fighting for the health of citizens, as a large proportion of the nitrogen oxide in our air stems from diesel engines. Older people are particularly vulnerable to the associated health risks and therefore have a special need for protection. In the interest of health, the DUH fights for compliance with the legal limits.

We have been supporting DUH since 2016.

The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) uses the law to fight for a world free from torture, oppression and exploitation. It supports the oppressed in their struggle for justice and makes use of legal tools to enforce human rights worldwide.

Why we supported the ECCHR

In its programme “Business and Human Rights”, the ECCHR focuses primarily on strategies for holding transnational corporations accountable for human and environmental rights violations.

We have been supporting ECCHR since 2021.

The French environmental and human-rights organisation Les Amis de la Terre (Friends of the Earth) is fighting for a sustainable society. Its mission is to help create a world in which the basic human needs of every individual are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Why we support Les Amis de la Terre

One of the organisation’s projects is aimed at convincing French banks to not only stop their financial investments in new coal projects, but also pursue a sectoral policy that rules out the financing of companies within the coal industry. Les Amis de la Terre is working to promote the adoption of binding investment guidelines for banks.

We have been supporting Les Amis de la Terre since 2017.

ODG (Observatori del Deute en la Globalització) is a network that brings together researchers and activists with the aim of investigating the impact of the energy system on the environment. They identify alternatives to environmentally harmful practices and advocate for them.

Why we support ODG

The energy transition, the conversion of the European energy supply from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources, is an unavoidable step towards containing the climate crisis. Energy companies that see their interests at risk are slowing down this process. ODG is developing critical analyses and organizing campaigns, such as the “Resposta al MidCat” initiative, which is mobilizing to stop the “MidCat” gas pipeline project, which is highly controversial from an environmental perspective, and the no less controversial “BarMar” pipeline after its construction is halted

We have been supporting ODG since 2024.

The Berlin-based organisation advocates for an energy industry and global economy based on solidarity and environmental sustainability while addressing issues related to economic, energy, climate, raw-materials and trade policy. Through research, political activities and educational and public-relations work, it contributes to the global energy revolution and to fairer global-economic relations.

Why we support PowerShift

One of the organisation’s main areas of focus is the critical monitoring of Germany’s raw-materials policy and the associated ecological and social risks. PowerShift advocates for mandatory human-rights due diligence for companies and for the implementation of the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation.

We have been supporting PowerShift since 2018.

The Italian organisation Re:Common initiates research projects and campaigns with the aim of stopping the worldwide environmental destruction associated with the reckless exploitation of natural resources and large-scale public and private infrastructure projects.

Why we support Re:Common

As part of a European network of civil-society organisations, Re:Common encourages Italian insurance companies and banks to distance themselves from investments in coal-fired power plants and to stop financing the development of new power stations.

We have been supporting Re:Common since 2017.

Their mission is, to protect and defend victims of economic crimes drawing on the power of the law. They fight against the new forms of impunity linked to globalization.

Why we support Sherpa

Sherpa pursues of a binding legal framework to make economic actors, and transnational companies in particular violating human rights and causing environmental damages, accountable for their impacts.

We have been supporting Sherpa since 2019.

Stay Grounded is committed to reducing aviation and its negative impacts on health, nature and climate. Aviation is the most climate-damaging form of transportation and one of the fastest growing sources of emissions worldwide.

Stay Grounded is a global network of more than 160 initiatives and organizations.

Why we support Stay Grounded:

Stay Grounded creates a global network across different initiatives and organizations. Aviation is responsible for 5-8% of global warming, in european countries the share is even higher.

We have been supporting Stay Grounded since 2021.

Those who provide the funds are responsible for the business – or, as they say, “follow the money”: the environmental and human-rights organisation urgewald, with offices in Sassenberg and Berlin, uses this strategic approach to fight environmentally destructive projects. Accordingly, urgewald’s campaigns primarily target the investors and financiers of these projects, because no nuclear power plants, dams or pipelines can be built without loans or investors.

Why we support urgewald

The Paris climate targets cannot be achieved if the unrestricted burning of coal worldwide continues. Banks, insurance companies and investors are being called upon to withdraw their funds from coal and join the “coal divestment” movement. Instead of supporting this harmful industry with further investments, financiers should turn to more environmentally sustainable projects.

We have been supporting urgewald since 2014.