As Ursula K. Le Guin once said:
“We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable. So did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings.”
At New Energy Economy, we’ve long resisted the forces that prioritize profit over people and the planet. The reality we face—accelerated climate change, corporate greed, and political inertia—demands more than resistance. It demands imagination, action, and a willingness to rewrite the story of our relationship with the Earth.
Around the world, a quiet yet profound transformation IS taking root.
At the International Criminal Court an historic effort is underway to classify ecocide as an international crime. Ecocide, an act that causes widespread, long-term and severe destruction of the environment, is already recognized as a crime in 12 countries, and six additional countries are considering similar legislation. At the UN’s International Court of Justice a landmark case being litigated now will answer two questions: firstly tackling the specifics of what countries can do to protect the planet against human-driven greenhouse gas emissions under international law, and secondly what legal consequences countries should face when their actions or lack of action have led to significant damage to the climate and environment. Around the world the rights of personhood have been granted to rivers and to other species. Internationally, legal action against the climate criminals destroying the earth for shareholder profits have multiplied, with at least 230 new climate cases filed in 2023.
Here in the US, in a case brought by 16 young people fighting for a future, the Montana State Supreme Court upheld a landmark climate ruling that said the state was violating residents’ constitutional right to a clean environment by permitting oil, gas and coal projects without regard for global warming. A North Carolina town is suing Duke Energy for climate misinformation. Chevron, Exxon and others are being sued in federal court for lying about the recycling potential of plastics made from fossil fuels. Vermont and New York both passed laws taxing fossil fuel companies to create funds for state climate adaptation projects.
These legal actions are the seeds of real change: a collective shift in how we define value, responsibility, and interdependence.
Yet, we know the challenges ahead are steep. Rising global temperatures, expanding oil and gas drilling, and an incoming administration beholden to extractive industries paint a sobering picture. These threats require us to resist despair and lean into hope—the kind of hope born of action, community, and persistence.
Here in New Mexico, New Energy Economy is at the forefront of this fight. We’re taking on entrenched powers to protect our land, water, and communities:
Opposing a $75 million bailout for the oil and gas industry’s toxic waste through the proposed "Strategic Water Supply" fund, while championing an alternative that prioritizes investments in aging water systems and conserving existing supplies.
Blocking a private equity buyout of the New Mexico Gas Company to safeguard transparency, public interest, and climate progress.
Pushing for climate resilience and renewable energy investments in the legislature.
Filing strategic legal and regulatory interventions to hold oil and gas corporations accountable for pollution, public health damages, and the externalized costs of their operations.
These battles are about more than policy—they’re about shifting the story we tell ourselves. Extractive capitalism, like monarchy or divine rule, persists because we’ve been told it’s inevitable. But history shows that when we act collectively, systems of oppression can crumble.
As we face down the forces of destruction, we’re also planting seeds of a new economy rooted in justice and care. The burgeoning global legal efforts, Indigenous teachings about interdependence, and the accelerating momentum of renewables show us what’s possible. Together, we can nurture these seeds into a flourishing reality.
“People speak of hope as if it is this delicate, ephemeral thing made of whispers and spider’s webs. It is not. Hope has dirt on her face, blood on her knuckles, the grit of the cobblestones in her hair, and just spat out a tooth as she rises for another go.”- Matthew @CrowsFault
Thank you to all those who have given to NEE, large and small. Your support powers this work. We couldn't be feisty without YOU!
We are proud to be standing with you in the fight for a future where people and the planet thrive. We may not win in our lifetime - but we can sow the seeds and do our best to shift the story and defend the sacred while we are here together.
With gratitude and resolve, The New Energy Economy team
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