When he visited New Jersey and New York to tour the flooding damage from Hurricane Ida, the latest climate-fueled super-storm to kill dozens and displace thousands of Americans, President Biden said climate change was a “Code Red” threat. His words echoed the statement by United Nations Secretary General António Guterres a few weeks ago in response to the latest report by scientists from around the world. And today, President Biden addressed the United Nations General Assembly for the first time, and promised again to take action on the climate crisis.
But the true test of leadership is not what a President says, but what they do. Biden rejoined the Paris climate agreement and stopped the keystone XL pipeline for good on his first day in office. But since then, it’s been nothing but broken promises and failure – set to a steady beat of speeches that promise action later – sometimes soon, but never today.
That’s why frontline leaders who are impacted by fracking, pipelines, refineries, and other fossil fuel projects are calling for a historic protest in Washington D.C. next month. Together, we’re organizing one the largest civil disobedience actions in decades.
Will you come to DC and join me in nonviolent civil disobedience to demand an end to fossil fuels?
Despite hearing from millions of people and the world’s leading scientists, President Biden hasn’t stopped or even stood up to the fossil fuel industry in months. He could have stopped the Line 3 pipeline at any time, and he still hasn’t. After a pause of a few months, the Biden Administration is once again selling millions of acres of our public lands to the oil and gas industry. His Departments of Interior and Energy have continued to issue permits for thousands of new oil and gas wells – at a faster pace even than Donald Trump did when he was President.
This is not the change we voted for in November 2020. These are not the actions of a world leader on climate change. And yet President Biden travels to the United Nations, to climate disasters and everywhere he goes he speaks as if he’s the great white hope, here to save us from climate chaos.
President Biden and the political establishment need a wake up call – the ruder the better to awaken their conscience to action. That’s why we’re planning a massive wave of civil disobedience from October 11-15 to demand an end to fossil fuels. Will you join us?
Some of you are experienced at civil disobedience – it’s a tactic that’s been used in many struggles for justice, including in many campaigns to stop fossil fuel projects. Maybe you were arrested at the White House protesting the KXL pipeline when President Obama was in office, and Biden was the Vice President. Or maybe at one of the many anti-fossil fuel protests in state capitols in Maryland, New York, California, or Pennsylvania. Maybe you joined us outside, inside, or even on top of federal agencies like FERC and the EPA to demand change.
The point is that many of those campaigns went on to win – we banned fracking in New York and Maryland, we stopped the KXL pipeline, and we got some of the worst trump officials – including Scott Pruitt and Ryan Zinke – fired thanks to the courageous actions of activists like you. It’s hard to imagine winning the current fight against fossil fuels without some of us risking arrest.
I know it’s a big request, and not everyone will be able to take time off work, travel to DC, or spend a night in jail. But if you can afford to be there, there has never been a more important time to take action. And if you’ve never done something like this before, or have any questions, dont’t worry! You’re not alone! 198 methods was created to support direct action to save the planet, and we’re working with an amazing group of organizers to pull this off. Whatever your level of experience, and wherever your level of comfort is- sign up to join us in DC between October 11 and 15.
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We cannot come to DC but we can join in spirit!