BIDEN, DECLARE CLIMATE A NATIONAL EMERGENCY

Daily Action
Written By Dick Thompson

It is time to declare a climate emergency, which will give us the resources to save our planet.

QUICK READ: With Biden’s climate agenda stalled in the Senate and the Supreme Court likely to cut back the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority, bold executive action is necessary. Declaration of a national climate emergency would, as Rep. Blumenauer explains, allow Biden to “unleash every resource at our disposal to halt, reverse, mitigate, and prepare for the consequences of this climate crisis.”



TAKE ACTION NOW:

BACKGROUND

Scientists agree we’ve little time left to make the drastic changes needed to avoid the climate crisis’ worst impacts.

We’re all, but especially poor communities and communities of color, already feeling the impact of escalating floods, fires, heatwaves, storms, and pollution, which are killing us and endangering national security.

While Biden promised to take bold action to address the climate crisis, his plans have been blunted in Congress by Senators beholden to fossil-fuel, and the ultra-conservative Supreme Court majority will likely gut the EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas pollution.

Biden needs to boldly confront this crisis by transitioning to clean, renewable energy, addressing pollution, and reversing environmental racism.

Pending in Congress is legislation (HR.794/S.938) requiring him to declare a climate emergency would best do this, while also protecting against court challenges. 

If fossil-fuel interests prevent its passage, Biden can still unleash powers already granted by Congress in the National Emergencies, the Defense Production, and the Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Acts

·      Banning crude oil exports and suspending offshore drilling

·      Directing industry to transition to clean energy and transportation

·      Building renewable and resilient energy systems in vulnerable communities

Congress must follow Sen. Jeff Merkley’s and Rep. Earl Blumenauer’s lead and push for action.

ACTION One: Call the Senate.

Script for Oregon Senators

SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753

My name is [--] and I'm a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

I am grateful that you are leading the charge to combat the climate crisis. Thank you for co-sponsoring the Climate Emergency Act (S.938) and the Environmental Justice Air Quality Monitoring Act (S.2476). Please continue to push for their passage. At the same time, however, keep calling for Biden to declare a climate emergency.

SEN. WYDEN:

Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244

(Messages and calls are most effective if they are personal. Scripts are here to help.)

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

To avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis, we must act now. I am calling on you to co-sponsor and push for quick passage of the Climate Emergency Act (S.938) and the Environmental Justice Air Quality Monitoring Act (S.2476). In the interim, it is imperative that you publicly call for Biden to declare a climate emergency.

Script for Republican Senators

D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].

It is clear from the science that, to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis on your constituents and your families, time is of the essence. You must stop letting fossil fuel money prevent you from working to save our planet. Instead, push for swift passage of the Climate Emergency Act (S.938) and the Environmental Justice Air Quality Monitoring Act (S.2476).

ACTION TWO: Call the House.

Script for Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)

Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | DC office: 202-225-0855

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

I am grateful that you are leading the charge to combat the climate crisis. Thank you for co-sponsoring the Climate Emergency Act (HR.794) and the Environmental Justice Air Quality Monitoring Act (HR.6759). Please continue to push for their passage. In the interim, it is imperative that you publicly call for Biden to declare a climate emergency.

Script for Cliff Bentz (OR-02)

Medford office: 541-776-4646 | DC office: 202-225-6730

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

It is clear from the science that, to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis on your constituents and your families, time is of the essence. You must stop letting fossil fuel money prevent you from working to save our planet. Instead, push for swift passage of the Climate Emergency Act (HR.794) and the Environmental Justice Air Quality Monitoring Act (HR.6759).

Script for Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)

Oregon office: 503-231-2300 | DC office: 202-225-4811

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

I am grateful that you are leading the charge to combat the climate crisis. Thank you for sponsoring the Climate Emergency Act (HR.794) and co-sponsoring the Environmental Justice Air Quality Monitoring Act (HR.6759). Please continue to push for their passage. At the same time, however, keep calling for Biden to declare a climate emergency.

Script for Peter DeFazio (OR-04)

Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | DC office: 202-225-6416

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

To avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis, we must act now. I am calling on you to co-sponsor the Climate Emergency Act (HR.794) and the Environmental Justice Air Quality Monitoring Act (HR.6759) and to push for their quick passage. In the interim, it is imperative that you publicly call on Biden to declare a climate emergency.

Script for Kurt Schrader (OR-05)

Salem office: 503-588-9100 | DC office: 202-225-5711

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

To avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis, we must act now. I am calling on you to co-sponsor the Climate Emergency Act (HR.794) and the Environmental Justice Air Quality Monitoring Act (HR.6759) and to push for their quick passage. In the interim, it is imperative that you publicly call on Biden to declare a climate emergency.

ACTION 3: Join the fight

For Ukraine. Links from historian Timothy Snyder: “Everyone has different values, and so here is a range. Please do something.

For democracy: Below are opportunities to fight for our democracy. As John Lewis said, go make some “good trouble.” 

  • Find out more about Indivisible Oregon here. 

FURTHER READING:

New UN report warns of deadly climate change consequences

With ‘Limited Amount of Time Left,’ New IPCC Report Urges Climate Adaptation

Jeff Merkley: How Joe Biden can act boldly to address the climate crisis

New Report Details Exactly What Biden Could Do After Declaring ‘Climate Emergency’

The Climate President’s Emergency Powers: A Legal Guide to Bold Climate Action from President Biden

Biden’s climate agenda stalls, and progressives fume

Representatives Introduce $500 Million air Quality Bill, Citing ProPublica’s Investigations

Democrats’ climate plan languishes, putting hundreds of billions in private investment on hold

The absurd Supreme Court case that could gut the EPA

Blumenauer, Ocasio-Cortez, and Sanders Introduce Legislation to Mandate National Climate Emergency Declaration

Whitehouse Offers Amendment to Shift USPS to Zero-emission Fleet

Dick Thompson
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