Washington, DC — Today Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced a resolution in the House declaring the climate crisis an official “emergency” and calling for a massive-scale mobilization to halt, reverse, and address the consequences of the climate crisis.
Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, North America Director of 350 Action, issued the following statement on the resolution:
“It’s heartening to see members of Congress taking up their authority, calling out the climate crisis as it happens and demanding wide-reaching mobilization to tackle the crisis. We want to be clear however that we need real action that puts communities already suffering the impacts of climate devastation first, not merely empty declarations of “emergency.” We also acknowledge that, historically, “emergency declarations” have led to advancing military or hyper security agendas to the detriment of the most vulnerable populations. We support mass scale federal investment to create millions of well paying jobs in a 100% renewable economy and the immediate phasing out of fossil fuels. A transformative level of action is required to make that happen.
“We are experiencing the effects of a global emergency, right now, in every part of our nation and it demands that we take immediate action that is equitable and to scale. Communities most impacted by this crisis have known for decades that our climate is changing and that it is affecting our health, safety, and the prospects of the next generation. With storms and torrential rain bringing dangerous flooding to communities on the East Coast, wildfires destroying the Everglades and many parts of North America, and as we brace for the 2019 hurricane season, we demand leadership that is ready to face the crisis and offer real solutions to all of America. We applaud Sen. Sanders and Reps. Blumenauer and Ocasio-Cortez for this step, and call on their colleagues in the House and Senate to support just action and solutions to the climate crisis today to give us a chance at tomorrow.”
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Press Contact: Monica Mohapatra, [email protected]