Thousands in Asia join worldwide protests for a fossil-free future

By Artchil B. Fernandez

Thousands staged protests in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Philippines on April 26, 2026, as part of global demonstrations calling for a rapid, just, and equitable transition to a fossil-free future. Protests were also held in Africa, Latin America, North America, and Europe.

The protest actions coincided with the first International Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels in Santa Marta, Colombia, a historic summit co-hosted by the governments of Colombia and the Netherlands that aims to facilitate the global energy transition.

The mobilizations in Asia were led by members of the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD) amid a global energy crisis that has left Asia particularly exposed.

In 2025, 90% of LNG and 80% of oil transiting through the Strait of Hormuz were bound for Asian markets. Lidy Nacpil, coordinator of APMDD, said: “The current energy crisis has shown that we have no choice but to dismantle the fossil fuel dependence that has chained Asia’s economies to the extraction of coal, oil, and gas. There can be no path toward global peace, stability, and climate justice as long as our energy supply is tied to the volatility of fossil fuels. The Santa Marta Conference is an opportunity to strengthen international cooperation toward the end of import-dependent, vulnerable energy sources and transition to community-owned, renewable energy systems.”

In the Philippines — the first country to declare a state of national energy emergency a month ago — hundreds marched to the Lapu-Lapu Monument against the backdrop of surging fuel prices that have forced Filipino farmers to abandon harvests and threaten to push 3.1 million Filipinos into poverty.

Flora Santos, president of the Oriang Women’s Movement, said: “When fuel prices surge, it’s ordinary Filipinos who suffer: basic commodities are more expensive, the value of workers’ wages decreases, families’ household budgets are stretched, and women’s burdens are heavier. A rapid, just, and equitable transition out of fossil fuels is not only a matter of climate policy, it’s the key to our people’s welfare and survival.”