Tag Archive for: candidates

Step 5- Sound the Alarm: Declare a state of emergency

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Have you ever sat in a building while the fire alarms blares and did nothing? 

Sure, we are wary at first and think it might be a false alarm. But it continues to shrill. Eventually, we make our way outside. 

We are marching to sound the alarm. It’s real. The world is on fire, but where will we flee? 

My work for the last 30 years to hold the United States and governments around the world accountable to save lives has brought me the courage to commit my life to save all of humanity.

I’m committed, as our millions of others (you’ve seen them out there in the streets, right?). The question is… will you join us? 

We need you to help turn this march into a movement of lasting impact. We are laying out a roadmap for climate justice, one that will help us Build a Movement for 2020 and beyond. 

Let’s get you caught up. Here is how we will go from a #MarchToAMovement in 7 Steps: 

  • In case you missed them, here are the first three steps: 
  • STEP 1: Forge systemic change
  • STEP 2: Demand More
  • STEP 3: Consolidate our Focus
  • Step 4: Unleash Political Courage over Political Fear 

And today?

Step 5: Sound the Alarm 

We can’t sit on a burning planet and do nothing any longer. Listen to one person who clearly makes the case while there is no choice, no middle ground, no waiting. Just listen:

It really is this clear. “A 50 percent risk is simply not acceptable to us, we who have to live with the consequences,” Greta Thunberg said.

It’s time. Sound the alarm. Take action. 

Everyone, everywhere, is urgently needed to deploy “Climate Restoration Emergency Action.”

It’s not workable any longer to stand by and watch all of humanity run like a herd of buffaloes off a cliff towards our almost certain probable extinction.

It is not okay.

By taking action today and every day we can change this.

We must insist that the President of the United States, Congress, and local governments take “Climate Restoration Emergency Action” as fast as possible.  

We can join forces and demand that our elected officials in federal, state, county, and city governments launch “Climate Restoration Emergency Action” as fast as possible.

As Winston Churchill said, “Nothing matters except victory in the existential struggle.“

Step 3- Consolidate our focus: Support a single bill for action

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People often say our governmental leaders aren’t doing enough on climate change and they are right. The effort to date isn’t close to what’s needed to save humanity, which is why in Step 2 of our roadmap to climate justice we urged you to demand that our leaders commit to Climate Restoration, not just curbing carbon emissions. 

Without a doubt, our leaders are failing us as Build a Movement 2020’s climate scorecard makes clear.

But, we also have to realize that they are doing something (some of them, anyway). Did you know that right now there are about 50 bills languishing in Congress all offering solutions to global warming? 

This piecemeal approach, while commendable, represents a thousand flowers blooming, and nothing will become law. What we need is a bouquet of flowers that becomes a single, powerful message of lasting change. 

What if instead, we urge our political leaders to get behind a SINGLE bill that would in fact spur the tipping point of real change? This is Step 3. 

To recap:

Step 1: Forge systemic change

 

Step 2– Demand more

 

And Step 3:  Consolidate our focus.

We are building a movement to consolidate support around significant Congressional action for change. 

Climate Restoration is already prioritized in recently introduced Congressional Climate Emergency Resolutions (S.Con.Res.22, H.Con.Res.52) and by Santa Clara County, California (Res. 98193). Passing these bills into law would kickstart a worldwide “Climate Restoration Emergency Action” that can ensure that humanity can survive on Earth for generations. 

So far, our presidential candidates aren’t committing to Climate Restoration. Together, we will change that.

We can mobilize a bipartisan political movement to return atmospheric CO2 to safe pre-industrial levels by 2030 and restore Arctic ice to prevent permafrost melt and the resulting disastrous methane emissions.

Climate restoration won’t be easy — in fact, it will be the most challenging endeavor humanity has ever undertaken — but it can and urgently must be done, as fast as possible.

Have you shared these posts with anyone yet? Start today. Share this on all your social networks to help Build A Movement for 2020.

Step 2-Demand more: Our candidates aren’t passing the exam yet

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In an amazing shift of political will, all the major Democratic candidates for president have addressed climate change as a leading issue of their strategy and policy. Most 2020 presidential candidates agree we face a “climate emergency” and have plans to achieve net-zero carbon emissions to slow global warming. 

A seven-hour forum on CNN allowed for substantive conversation from the candidates. Other town hall-like forums on major networks have given prominent exposure to the candidates’ plan to curb global warming.

This is remarkable. It encourages us as we keep marching for climate justice. It propels us to believe that change can and will occur.

But… BUT, did you know that according to Build a Movement 2020’s climate restoration scorecard, not a single candidate for president has earned a grade above a C yet? 

It’s just not enough. Not because we say so, but because leading experts and scientists all over the world agree that curbing emissions and planting trees to absorb carbon is critical, it is not enough!

Our second step toward lasting change is to insist our candidates embrace bold Climate Restoration solutions that are urgently needed to reverse global warming and restore a healthy climate.

Here was Step 1: Forge systemic change

Now we move to Step 2: We must demand more! 

BAM2020 and ClimateChangesEverything.org recently released the first CREA 2020 Presidential Candidates Report Card. Sadly, none of the leading candidates are yet demonstrating leadership on Climate Restoration.  

Humanity faces an imminent threat. A cascade of climate feedback loops is rapidly pushing Earth into a hothouse state, threatening the survival of humanity in this century. 

As Greta Thurnberg said to Senate Democrats this week, “I know you’re trying, but just not hard enough.” 

Listen to Greta’s clear thoughts on progress with Trevor Noah here: 

We call on presidential candidates to make clear commitments to Climate Restoration.  

We demand that our leaders commit to a restoration-scale drawdown of CO2 and Arctic ice restoration.  

To ensure that all of humanity can survive and flourish for generations, we need Climate Restoration Emergency Action (CREA), a massive mobilization–larger and faster than the World War II efforts.

Step 2 is already underway. We won’t back down until it is realized and we need your voice. Join us today by texting BAM2020 to 52866.