Stop Burning the Planet to the Ground: The Big Carbon Profiteers Must “Evolve or Die.”
Action Network
(December 14, 2020) — The US is the world’s leading historical polluter. Yet for far too long, the US government has worked in lockstep with Big Polluters and Wall Street backers to obstruct and delay climate action — at home and around the world, including at the United Nations climate negotiations.
People in the US have given the Biden-Harris administration a strong mandate for action on climate change. And the facts are clear: to avoid the worst effects of the climate crisis for people and the planet, we need bold action now. Rejoining the Paris Agreement is only the first step.
The US must do its fair share to address its history of climate pollution and obstruction of progress globally. That means reducing emissions, meeting its obligations including finance for other countries, and ending its obstruction on behalf of polluting corporations and their financiers. And it must do this by ensuring Big Polluters — not people — foot the bill.
The US Must Act to Address the Climate Crisis
THE LETTER
To: President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris
Congratulations on securing the peoples’ vote. Across the US — and around the world — people are eager for your leadership on the pressing problems we face as a global community. High among these is the climate crisis.
Leading international scientists are telling us that we have precious little time to avert the worst impacts of climate change. Many lives are already being impacted or lost, and the worst effects disproportionately impact communities of color, low-income communities, women, and people in the Global South.
Many millions in the US and globally are demanding transformative leadership on climate change, as demonstrated by the Climate President Plan and the People’s Demands for Climate Justice.
We urge your administration to show real climate leadership by committing to honor the United States’ Fair Share of climate action through bold, equitable, and ambitious emissions reductions and a commitment to provide the necessary resources and support for countries in the Global South to be able to do the same.
You have already committed to rejoining the Paris Agreement. This is a necessary step — but it is the bare minimum. We demand that you move the US to at last do its Fair Share of climate action, and begin to repair the global harm caused by decades of US inaction and obstruction on climate policy. That means:
Ambitious emissions reductions driven by science, and in line with the US’ historical role in fueling this crisis. Providing the financial and other support that communities in the US and internationally, especially the Global South, need to transition off fossil fuels and respond to the climate crisis.
The time is now for climate justice. The time is now for the US to do its Fair Share of climate action.
