The Critical Need for a Comprehensive Global Plastics Treaty

FO$$IL FUEL PHΑ$E OUT: The Willers Lead the Way

A few days ahead of a critical global milestone, the long-awaited “transition away from fossil fuels” is finally moving from declaration to action — and a new force is emerging to make it happen. While talkers do the talk, the willers walk the walk. Colombia has convened a powerful group of willing nations — the Willers Coalition — to break through the long-standing deadlock on fossil fuel phase-out and accelerate a fair, fast, and funded transition. More than 50 countries have already confirmed their participation, forming a coalition largely shaped by Global South priorities and realities. This bold effort goes beyond negotiation tables and aims to build the political, financial, and social muscle required to actually do the work that science demands. The inaugural gathering — the Santa Marta Conference on the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels, hosted in Santa Marta, Colombia — marks the first international meeting designed explicitly to coordinate the phase-out of fossil fuels. Proudly, IndyACT is part of this forward-leaning coalition, represented by its president Hala Kilani. Our participation signals a clear message: Lebanon’s civil society is not waiting for the system to fix itself — we are joining those who are building a new one. During yesterday’s launch of the Out of Pocket report, speakers emphasized a reality too often ignored: fossil fuels are not only destabilizing the climate — they are destabilizing economies, deepening inequalities, and pushing entire communities to pay the price for a crisis they did not create. As one speaker put it, “The cost of inaction is already out of pocket — and out of control.” The Willers Coalition recognizes that the shift to renewables is no longer just an environmental necessity. It is a pathway to economic resilience, social justice, and even peace. For many Global

Strengthening Municipal Climate Action through a National Framework

Within its Green Economy Programme, IndyACT is advancing a new initiative to strengthen municipal climate action in Lebanon through the project “Strengthening and Networking for Municipal Climate Protection Measures,” implemented in partnership with Green Mind and supported by the IKI Small Grants programme. Since the Paris Agreement, countries have committed to developing national climate strategies and strengthening their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). In Lebanon, the Ministry of Environment has led this process, with IndyACT contributing through the “100% Lebanon Vision” and the development of a long-term green economy pathway translated into the country’s Low-Emission Development Strategy. However, ongoing economic and institutional challenges have slowed national-level progress, while climate action has increasingly shifted to municipalities. Despite this shift, local efforts often remain fragmented and insufficiently connected to national planning frameworks. At the core of this initiative is the establishment of a National Framework for Municipal Climate Action under the Lebanon Climate Act (LCA). The Framework is designed to bridge the gap between municipalities and the Ministry of Environment through a structured two-way system: enabling the Ministry to share climate-relevant information, guidance, and tools with municipalities, while allowing municipalities to report their climate actions and priorities back into national planning and NDC development. Beyond coordination, the Framework seeks to strengthen municipal capacity to design and

Crisis to Action: the World’s Battle Against Plastic Pollution

IndyACT is part of a global advocacy campaign to ensure that world reaches a new global treaty on Plastics. The growing global