The Hague Climate Justice Community

With COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye just around the corner, government delegates, climate negotiators, representatives of international organizations and policymakers gathered in Bonn, Germany, for the Bonn Climate Change Conference. This year’s agenda covered several of the most pressing climate priorities, including adaptation, climate finance, agriculture and food security, technology, loss and damage, the just transition and progress on implementing the outcomes of the Global Stocktake.

Held at The Hague Humanity Hub on June 16, the discussion came at a pivotal moment for international climate diplomacy. Following the first Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels (TAFF) earlier this year, governments, local communities, civil society and policymakers are beginning to grapple with a pressing question left largely unresolved: how to move beyond commitments to implementing a just transition away from fossil fuels. 

After two months of learning, collaboration, and idea development, Ready to Engage: Pathways towards Climate Justice has come to a close. Hosted by The Hague Humanity Hub and funded by the European Union, the programme brought together young people from diverse backgrounds who shared a common ambition: to move beyond concern about climate change and take meaningful action.

International experts, academics, civil society leaders, and public policy representatives will convene this June 16th at The Hague Humanity Hub for a strategic reflection on how the recent international conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels (TAFF) held in Santa Maria, Colombia in April, helps progress more equitable and meaningful pathways toward fossil fuel reduction and Just Transition.

The Hague Humanity Hub brings together young people who care deeply about climate justice and want to turn ideas, concerns, and ambitions into concrete action. Over the coming weeks, participants will work towards developing and pitching their own project proposals to practitioners and professionals working across climate, peace, and justice.

In the lead-up to the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels (TAFF), a pre-consultation was held at The Hague Humanity Hub on April 14 to center justice, equity, and international solidarity within this agenda. The event brought together a diverse group of participants from civil society, science, politics, and youth groups, to explore how the ambition to phase-out fossil fuels can be translated into practical, just, and inclusive pathways.

What began in the 1970s as a protest movement against the fossil fuel industry in the United States has grown into a global moment of reflection and mobilisation: Earth Day. Under this year’s theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” the message is clear. Climate action is urgent and collective. But what does that collective responsibility look like in practice? We spoke with three actors working at the intersection of climate and justice: Daan Zieren and Cléo Dorel-Watson from the Dutch Youth Climate Movement, and Paulien Boone, founder of Buying Back the Planet. Their work spans national policy, international negotiations, and community-based land stewardship. Together, they show how climate action takes shape across systems, and why justice must remain central.

From systemic injustice to mental health and intergenerational responsibility, it’s evident that the climate clock is ticking. At the Hague Talks, different perspectives on just climate actions came together at the Peace Palace, the place where an historic ruling on climate change was made this year.

On December 15th, the participants of Ready to Explore gathered one last time. Three months ago, this journey began with a room full of questions: How do I contribute? Where do I fit in? How can I act to make the world more climate just?