Note: This Presidential election is too important not to post something on my website. I read these items first in Jane Fonda’s book, What Can I Do, under the heading of 10 Steps for the Next Administration’s First 10 Days. I Googled the title and found this excellent resource which has lots more info: www.climatepresident.org.
Each step has an explanatory paragraph, so please go to the website for the whole story. Fonda’s book also contains information on how to transition away from fossil fuel dependency in a just and fair manner so people don’t lose their jobs, homes, and dignity (See step #7). I will be reviewing her book soon.
No matter who becomes president, these actions seem important enough to post and I urge you to go to the website for more information. I also believe that the virus and climate change are linked. Chapter 13 of What Can I Do? is about Health and Climate Change, which I plan to review in a future posting, separate from the book review, since my website focuses on health (of the body [microcosm] and the planet[macrocosm].
TEN ESSENTIAL CLIMATE ACTIONS THE NEXT PRESIDENT
CAN TAKE WITHOUT CONGRESS
- Declare a national climate emergency under the National Emergencies Act.
- Keep fossil fuels in the ground.
- Stop fossil fuel exports and infrastructure approvals.
- Shift financial flows from fossil fuels to climate solutions.
- Use the Clean Air Act to set a science-based national pollution cap for greenhouse pollutants. Then, use all Clean Air Act programs to drive emissions towards zero economy-wide.
- Power the electricity sector with 100% clean and renewable energy by 2030 and promote energy democracy.
- Launch a just transition to protect our communities, workers, and economy.
- Advance climate justice: Direct federal agencies to assess and mitigate environmental harms to disproportionately Indigenous Peoples, People and Communities of Color, and low-wealth communities.
- Make Polluters pay: Investigate and prosecute fossil fuel polluters for the damages they have caused. Commit to veto all legislation that grants legal immunity for polluters, undermines existing environmental laws, or advances false solutions.
- Rejoin the Paris Agreement and lead with science-based that ensure that the United States, as the world’s largest cumulative historical emitter, contributes its fair share and advances climate justice.
Please go to the website for the valuable information contained within each of the
10 Climate Actions: www.climatepresident.org
AND, DON’T FORGET TO VOTE!
Agree that the pandemic is related to the climate crisis, and still reflecting on how.
Still mulling this over, especially personal action I will take. What a conjunction:
the presidential election, climate crisis, and the pandemic. Once again I highly recommend listening to the NPR program, Living on Earth with Steve Curwood, or going to loe.org to listen to
or read about much of the show. The best reporting on environmental issues.