Tag: sign-on letter

  • 200+ Groups Urge Senate to Oppose European Fossil Fuel Promotion Bill

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    May 9, 2019

    CONTACT:
    Collin Rees, collin [at] priceofoil.org
    Seth Gladstone, sgladstone [at] fwwatch.org
    Ryan Schleeter, rschleet [at] greenpeace.org

    200+ Groups Urge Senate to Oppose European Fossil Fuel Promotion Bill

    Washington, DC — More than 200 groups sent a letter to U.S. senators today, urging them to oppose the European Energy Security and Diversification Act of 2019 (S. 704), a bill that would provide billions of dollars of support for natural gas infrastructure projects in Europe, further incentivizing fracking and fossil fuel development in the United States. The bill, passed by the House in March, has drawn criticism for locking both the United States and Europe into decades of continued fossil fuel dependence under the guise of national security.

    The letter was organized by Center for Biological Diversity, Climate Hawks Vote, The Climate Mobilization, Food & Water Watch, Friends of the Earth US, Greenpeace USA, Oil Change U.S., Progressive Democrats of America, Public Citizen, Rainforest Action Network, Sunrise Movement, and 350.org.

    The letter states, in part: “The only way to promote real energy security is to work together with Europe to rapidly end our shared reliance on fossil fuels. Our nation should be investing in renewable energy technology and energy efficiency, not setting aside tens of billions of dollars to support fracked-gas infrastructure projects that will keep Europe dependent on fossils.”

    “This bill would undermine its own stated cause. Using fossil fuels for energy diplomacy increases global tensions and decreases our national security by pouring fuel on the fire of the climate crisis. Research clearly shows that existing fossil fuel development – including gas development – contains more carbon than the world can afford to burn,” said Collin Rees, Senior Campaigner at Oil Change U.S. “Any action that seeks to build out new, additional fossil fuel infrastructure flies in the face of what’s needed for a just transition. We must invest in the clean energy of the future, not in dirty fuels like gas that will directly crowd out these renewable sources and lock us into climate disaster.”

    “At a moment when we should be leading the global mission to rapidly quit fossil fuels, the notion of seeking new and deeper fossil fuel codependence between America and Europe is patently absurd,” said Wenonah Hauter, executive director at Food & Water Watch. “Climate science is clear: We must begin an aggressive global transition to clean, renewable energy now. For the Senate to promote the opposite would be a clear abdication of moral duty to current and future generations in this country and every country.”

    “The only way to promote real energy security is to work with Europe to rapidly end reliance on fossil fuels,” said Nicole Ghio, Senior Program Manager at Friends of the Earth. “As communities around the world deal with the effects of climate change, America should be investing in renewable energy, not dirty fossil fuels.”

    “Whatever the geopolitics, sending more deadly fossil fuels to Europe or any other part of the world is not the answer. Natural gas is fool’s gold and will inevitably lead to further destabilization of any region that relies upon it,” said Bill Snape, Senior Counsel at the Center for Biological Diversity. “The future is with clean renewable energy and infrastructure. Any expenditure of taxpayer funds for fossil fuels is a colossal waste of money and a major lost opportunity.”

    “Civilization is already breaking down in the face of rising climate disasters,” said Ezra Silk, Director of Strategy & Policy at The Climate Mobilization. “At the very least, we must immediately halt all new climate-damaging investments, including the expansion of natural gas infrastructure. This bill would bring us yet another step closer to runaway global warming and the collapse of civilization.”

    “The time for climate make-believe is past,” said Russell Greene, Senior Strategic Adviser to the Progressive Democrats of America. “Let’s deal in truth. We are in a climate emergency and have no carbon budget left to burn.”

    “The clean energy revolution is inevitable – across the globe, people are already powering their communities with wind and solar,” said Janet Redman, Climate Campaign Director at Greenpeace USA. “Foolishly investing billions of dollars in the oil and gas industry like this will only make the United States and our European allies fall behind in the race towards a clean energy economy. Instead of putting the fossil fuel industry on life support, it’s time to clear the way towards a green and prosperous future for all.”

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  • Release: 626 Groups Urge Congress to Phase Out Fossil Fuels, Build Green Economy

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    January 10, 2019

    CONTACT:
    David Turnbull, Oil Change USA, david [at] priceofoil.org
    Olivia Burlingame, Climate Justice Alliance, olivia [at] climatejusticealliance.org
    Bill Snape, Center for Biological Diversity, bsnape [at] biologicaldiversity.org
    Tom BK Goldtooth, Indigenous Environmental Network, tomg [at] ienearth.org
    Patrick Davis, Friends of the Earth, pdavis [at] foe.org
    Seth Gladstone, Food & Water Watch, sgladstone [at] fwwatch.org

    Visionary Legislation Needed to Address Grave Threat of Climate Change

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – More than 600 environmental groups today called on the U.S. House of Representatives to pursue ambitious climate legislation that matches the scale and urgency of the climate crisis.

    The groups’ letter calls for a thoughtful phaseout of fossil fuel production, a transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2035, complete decarbonization of the transportation system, use of the Clean Air Act to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, a just transition to a new green economy and the adherence to treaties upholding Indigenous rights when pursuing these actions.

    “To effectively tackle climate change, policymakers need to commit to transforming the global economy to serve the interests of people and planet, and not the profits of the one percent,” said Angela Adrar, Executive Director of Climate Justice Alliance. “Such a new, green economy needs to be guided by the leadership and knowledge of those most burdened by pollution, poverty and other forms of institutional violence waged by the corporations causing this global ecological crisis.”

    “As the world teeters on the brink of climate catastrophe, we’re calling on Congress to take large-scale action,” said Bill Snape, Senior Counsel at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Americans want a livable future for their children, and that requires keeping fossil fuels in the ground while greening the economy on a wartime footing.” 

    “The disproportionate impacts of climate change and dirty energy development in the traditional territories and lands of American Indian and Alaska Natives must be taken into account to ensure the inherent rights of Indigenous peoples are fully recognized in the just transition to a new green economy,” said Tom BK Goldtooth, Executive Director of the Indigenous Environmental Network. “Indigenous and other frontline communities are ready to take the lead with real solutions to move away from a fossil fuel economy.”

    Months before the 116th Congress opened, a series of scientific reports warned of the dire consequences of inaction on climate change.

    In October the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that policymakers must take “unprecedented action” to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. In November the Fourth National Climate Assessment reported that the health and economic costs of climate change are already being felt in the U.S., and that those harms will intensify without “immediate and substantial” cuts to greenhouse gas pollution.

    “At precisely the time that we need our energy policy to swiftly move us into a managed decline of fossil fuel production, the Trump administration is working with the fossil fuel industry to tear down policies and dangerously expand our fossil fuel extraction,” said David Turnbull, Strategic Communications Director at Oil Change USA. “We need real climate leaders willing to stand up to this onslaught and work to phase out fossil fuel production, rather than digging the hole deeper.”

    “We cannot stop climate change and rising inequality with the half-solutions of the past,” said Nicole Ghio, Senior Fossil Fuels Program Manager at Friends of the Earth. “We need action on climate that ends our dependence on dirty energy, puts power in the hands of communities and provides good jobs. If candidates and elected officials say they are committed to climate solutions, this is the litmus test.”

    Today’s letter also notes that the groups will oppose legislation that rolls back existing climate policies, shields the fossil fuel industry from liability or promotes market-based approaches like pollution trading and offsets.

    “The excitement around the Green New Deal should energize Congress to take bold, transformative action on climate change,” said Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Watch. “This means a halt to all new fossil fuel development now, and it means a rejection of dangerous false solutions like market-based emissions trading programs.”

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