Ecosocialism Conference 2026 30 May at London South Bank University. Hosted by Ecosocialist Action Network
Ecosocialism Conference – 30 May 2026
The start of 2026 saw us heading deeper into a global crisis. Far right parties are on the rise throughout Europe and beyond. The US tips ever further into far-right authoritarianism and the threat of global conflict feels closer than it has been in decades with blood on the streets and mass deportations.
Amidst all of this we are in the throes of an ever-worsening climate and ecological crisis. In the UK four of the last five years were the hottest since 1884, and in a global context, the target of 1.5 degrees warming compared to preindustrial times appears dead in the water. We are currently on course for 2.7C warming, threatening our ability to reliably grow food and rendering vast parts of the planet unliveable. If we reach 4C then it will be catastrophic for life on Earth.
The root cause of this is the centring of an economy on growth based capitalism. In the face of mounting evidence to the contrary, governments in the UK and beyond remain centred on the idea that growth is the only solution. The interlinked crises of climate catastrophe, ecological breakdown, gender and race inequality, weakening of democracy and a concentration of wealth in the hands of an increasing minority are all logical conclusions of capitalism.
The far-right, both in the UK and beyond are poised to capitalise on these crises, embracing climate change denial, purporting to be on the side of ‘the people’ whilst working hand in hand and being supported by the very corporations responsible for this. The only genuine solution to these problems is an anti-capitalist eco-socialist movement, removing the corrupted ruling classes from power.
In amidst all of this, there are signs of hope. The Green Party, under their new leader Zack Polanski are riding high in the polls under the banner of eco-populism and promising an electoral politics based in eco-socialism. Your Party too promise to provide an anti-capitalist electoral political movement. Coalescing this into a broader eco-socialist movement is the key focus on the Left in the UK at this point.
So there is a lot to discuss and organise around! This is why we are organising another Ecosocialism Conference on 30 May 2026 as a place to develop links to forge a mass movement around the climate, in our workplaces, communities, towns and cities, uniting people across the world to end the ecocide on the planet being caused by capitalism.
Ecosocialism Conference 2026
London South Bank University
30 May 10am – 6pm
We need to fight for a vision of the future where we can provide for all humans in a sustainable way. A post-scarcity world where we can meet human needs for everyone within planetary limits. Come and join the movement to build that better world
Save the date and get in touch at info@ecosocialism-conference.org if you’d like to be involved.
Tickets are available from here.
Our previous Conferences…
Ecosocialism Conference 2024 happened on 7 December at London South Bank University.
It’s Ecosocialism or barbarism.
2024 has witnessed a further acceleration in the environmental crisis. The environment humanity shares continues to be under attack on land, sea, and air by a global capitalist economy that requires constant accumulation and growth, irrespective of the cost to the natural world.
It was discovered in October 2024 that the Earth’s natural carbon sinks, trees and wetlands absorbed no carbon this year. We are at a tipping point no where the planet’s ecosystem are going to undergo fundamental changes in the next few years – making sustainable life on the planet much harder.
We need to remove those in power that are recklessly plundering our natural environment just as much as they exploit us for profit.
We have to challenge the conspiracy theories of the far right and their climate change denial.
This is why we urgently need a mass movement around the climate, in our workplaces, communities, towns and cities, uniting people across the world to end the ecocide on the planet being caused by capitalism.
We also need to fight for a vision of the future where we can provide for all humans in a sustainable way. A post-scarcity world where we can meet human needs for everyone within planetary limits.
Last year’s Ecosocialist Conference in London had 150 people attending. This year we want to make it bigger and better and are inviting you to take part, to be part of organising this movement. We are organising another conference with some amazing speakers on important topics to educate and inform and help us begin to organise.
Conference is being held at London South Bank University on Saturday 7 December from 9:30am
The Hub, London South Bank University, 100 London Rd, Elephant and Castle, London SE1 6NJ
There will also be fully hybrid functions for the conference so you can join online if you cannot make it in person.
You can read the CONFERENCE TIMETABLE online here.
Speakers include
• John McDonnell MP
• Hamza Hamouchene (co-editor of Dismantling Green Colonialism Energy and Climate Justice in the Arab Region)
• Clara Paillard (Unite Grassroot Climate Justice Caucus)
• Asad Rehman (War on Want)
• Minhaj ul Arifeen (Working Class Climate Alliance)
• Stefania Barca, author of Workers of the Earth Labour, Ecology and Reproduction in the Age of Climate Change
• Bob Williams-Findlay, disability rights activist, author of Disability Praxis The Body as a Site of Struggle
• Jess Spear, co-editor of Rupture Magazine, Global Ecosocialist Network
• Gyekye Tanoh, Climate and trade activists in Ghana, Global Ecosocialist Network
• Simon Hannah, author of Reclaiming The Future: A Beginners Guide to Planning the Economy,
• Eric Meier, co-founder of the International Network for Democratic Economic Planning.
• Alex Heffron, a farmer in the southwest of Wales and a PhD student researching contemporary agrarian politics
• Natalie Trevino, Interdisciplinary critical theorist of space exploration, ethics, and anti-colonial political and social theory
• Sam Moore, co author of The Rise of Ecofascism: Climate Change and the Far Right.
• Christian Zeller, Netzwerk Ökosozialismus and author of Revolution for the climate: Why we need an eco-socialist alternative.
• Michael J Albert, Lecturer in global environmental politics at the University of Edinburgh
• Em Wright, Worker Climate Project and organiser with GND Rising
More to be confirmed.
Building an ecosocialist network
But we don’t just want conference attendees, we need a movement and organisation if we are going to win. If you would like to be involved we are holding a fortnightly online organising committee to plan the conference and also what comes afterwards.
This is our draft statement from the organising committee which we will be introducing to the conference.
Get in touch with us at info[at]ecosocialism-conference.org for more details.
Our Ecosocialist strategy document
The 2023 Ecosocialism conference happened on 2 December. We have a report of it online here. Many thanks to everyone who attended.
The final statement from the organising committee is available here
For an update on what we are doing read this.
To get in touch with the organisers please email info@ecosocialism-conference.org
On X.com (Twitter) @Ecosocial_conf
On Facebook ecosocialism.conference
We have a Whatsapp channel
Get updates by email
Sessions at Ecosocialism Conference 2023
1. How capitalism destroys the environment
Capitalism is a system that prioritises profits over everything. Every year global leaders meet and pledge to do something but still the environmental damage continues. This session will hear why our current economic system is incompatible with life on Earth.
Speakers:
Simon Pirani author and editor of the People and Nature blog
Clara Paillard, trade union activist focussing on environmental issues
2. Should we “degrow” the economy?
Some say that we need to degrow the economy and reduce economic activity to deal with the environmental crisis whilst others believe this will negatively impact people and we need a different approach. Come and join the debate.
Speakers:
Matt Huber author of Climate Change as Class War
Elke Pirgmaier editor at Degrowth.info and contributing editor of Growth in Transition
3. Developing an ecosocialist strategy
Speakers from campaigns on the front line against global warming and environmental degradation and a chance to contribute on how we can organise an ecosocialist movement after the conference.
Speakers
Alia Amirali an activist in the Awami Workers Party Pakistan
Max Ajl author of A People’s Green New Deal
Noah Herfort co-founder of Climate Vanguard.
Graphics designed by Maxwell Williamson