Freeze out Trump from destroying the Arctic
- Details
- Published on Saturday, 05 December 2020 10:28
- Written by editor
r33
Friend,
A brand new report was released earlier this week, highlighting the fact that in order to stop irreversible climate change, the world needs to decrease fossil fuel production by 6% per year. Meanwhile in fantasy land: oil, gas, and coal producing countries are, on average, planning a 2% per year increase in production.
The U.S. is a major part of the problem. In the last weeks of his administration, Trump is frantically pushing a last ditch effort to expand oil and gas exploration in the Arctic. You and I both know that Trump should be diplomatically aiding in a smooth transition of the presidency to Biden and working to combat COVID-19. Instead, he opened large swathes of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to seismic testing, and is trying to auction off oil leases to the highest bidder.
In November, this country elected Joe Biden on a platform of tackling climate change and protecting public lands. With Trump attempting to destroy one of the most majestic and important places in the world, now is the time to... call upon President-elect Joe Biden to commit to protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as soon as he takes office.
PROTECT THE ARCTICThe Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet. It is home to polar, grizzly, and black bears, more than 200 species of birds, eight marine mammal species, and iconic northern species like caribou, wolves, muskoxen, and moose. Many that are already endangered are also essential to the way of life for Indigenous peoples of the Arctic.
Making matters worse, the Arctic is also one of the places on earth that is experiencing some of the most extreme effects of climate change. It’s important that we recognize that the ice caps are melting, the Arctic is in a drought so bad that they’ve experienced record breaking temperatures and wildfires like we’ve never seen before, and the precious ecosystem is collapsing. Polar bears are starving, whales are washing up on shore, and Indigenous people are being put at risk.
My friend, the science spells it out for us. If we don’t move leaders to drastically reduce our oil and gas production, future generations will suffer immensely. And here at Stand.earth, we’re doing exactly that. This year alone, thanks to the actions that activists in our community (yes, you!) took, we’ve won massive victories against both Trump and Big Oil – all while fighting to ensure a just transition for impacted communities and workers alike.
Our team is fewer than 50 people, but this community is nearly 500,000 people strong (and growing!). Our collective power can show that leasing off public lands to the oil and gas industry is not the move to make in this day and age. In a healthy democracy it is our duty to participate, to share our vision for a better world with our elected officials so they have what they need to serve their constituents. Your voices are already making a difference!
But we need to keep pushing to save the Arctic from Big Oil & Gas. We can –and we will – push Biden to protect the Arctic from oil and gas drilling.
In solidarity,
Wilder Zeiser
US Oil & Gas Climate Campaigner
P.S. The 2020 Special Issue of the annual Production Gap Report finds that the world needs to decrease fossil fuel production by 6% per year to limit global warming to 1.5°C. Check it out!
Stand.earth challenges corporations, industries, and governments to prioritize the well-being of people, our environment, and our climate by creating long-term, effective solutions. None of this work is possible without your support. DONATE $5 San Francisco office: 548 Market Street, Suite 74196, San Francisco, CA 94104-5401 On traditional Chochenyo and Karkin Ohlone Lands
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r80
