Biden: Declare a climate emergency

July 31 update – It’s official: July 2023 is the hottest month on record and this is clearly a climate emergency. World leaders are all calling for action – from the United Nations to the US Congress. But President Biden is stubbornly refusing to act, perhaps out of fear of offending the powerful and rich fossil fuel industry that just reported record profits and expanding extraction, pollution, and death yet again.

We refuse to give up hope or give in to denial, delay, or defeatism. But we’re also short on cash with a lot of work to do in August in order to get ready for the big climate march and summit in New York this September. Before midnight tonight, can you chip in $1.98 or more to fund our fight to get President Biden to do what must be done?

Your donation will help us cover the costs of:

• Transportation, housing, art materials, and more for this September’s mobilization.
• Pay for digital tools to text, email, and social media DM a growing list of activists and supporters to inspire more, and more escalated, actions taking on the Biden Administration.
• Train, support, and build networks with other climate, and especially peace and anti-war groups this summer, so that we can show up to the UN in September with a huge group of people ready to connect the dots between climate, war, the military-industrial complex, the conflict in Ukraine, and fossil fueled fascism at home and around the world.

We need to a surge of $1500/month to fully fund our program this August and September. Please chip in whatever you can to help.

July 27 – President Biden whiffed on another prime opportunity to declare a climate emergency today.

Here’s what happened: Amid all the self evident climate chaos of this summer — 110+ temps in the south and south west, 100+ degree water temperatures off the Florida keys, massive wildfires that blanket countries from Canada & the UK in smoke, once-in-a-lifetime floods that happen every few years, and much, much more — all of which scientists have specifically attributed to climate change, President Biden called a pres conference at the White House to announce a major new initiative on climate change and the ongoing emergency. Climate advocates and members of Congress jumped – calling for national protections for workers facing extreme temperatures, more money for renewable energy and a just transition off fossil fuels, and most importantly, a climate emergency declaration.

Here’s what happened next: President Biden announced a couple of milquetoast initiatives, most of which were already a part of the Inflation Reduction Act, including more temperature monitoring, forecasting, and a promise to “continue” treating the climate crisis like an emergency.

It’s none too early, but not yet too late for President Biden to declare a climate emergency. Sign now to tell President Biden to declare a climate emergency.

Honestly, we can’t think of anything more compelling than the fires, floods, heat waves and global catastrophe unfolding all around us. But time could be on our side: The United nations has called for a massive climate ambition summit this September in New York City. We’ll be there, and if we combine our advocacy with the unfolding climate chaos around us, this might be the perfect moment for Biden to declare a climate emergency.

Here’s what should have happened today: President Biden can declare a climate emergency under the National Emergencies Act. That would give us the ability to reinstate the crude oil export ban, end new fossil fuel projects and drilling, redirect disaster relief funds toward distributed renewable energy construction in frontline communities, and marshal companies to fast-track renewable transportation and clean power generation. All while creating millions of high-quality union jobs.

Biden also has the power to deny approvals for any new fossil fuel projects, and mandate a phase out of fossil fuel production on federal lands and waters — two actions which scientists have stated are essential to staying under the global warming limit necessary to avoid the very worst of the climate catastrophes.

Sign here if you agree: Climate change is already an emergency – we need an emergency declaration to end the era of fossil fuels.