The Climate Emergency

En español 🇪🇸

Climate scientists are now in large consensus that the +1.5˚ global temperature increase is likely to be breached in full in 2025. 6 years ago we were told we had until 2030 to avoid that milestone, but nobody in power took the warnings seriously or made any meaningful changes to climate policy. In fact, we were gaslit by the Biden Administration and the Democratic Establishment that the climate provisions in the Infrastructure Act were the “most climate spending ever.” Well, I’m a math teacher and I know ten times nothing is still nothing.

This was my greatest fear – that passage of meaningless climate action (that is a mere 7% of the military budget) would lead to the Democrats cheering themselves, and when presented with the actual needed changes the response would be “we just did climate.”

Furthermore, the COP meetings have become avenues for world leaders to pretend they are serious about climate change, while catering to fossil fuel industry lobbyists.

“The COP conferences have become the cynical gold standard for fossil fuel industry greenwashing,” said Jason Call, candidate for Washington’s 2nd Congressional District. “Conferences hosted by oil producing nations, heavily attended and influenced by corporate lobbyists, and with no intent to do anything but deflect and delay the scientifically proven demand that we end fossil fuel consumption if our children are to have a livable future. They should be given no further credence by anyone who understands the real emergency we face.” (https://www.gp.org/gpus_condemns_cop28_failure)

We face the prospect of dire consequences that will endanger all human life. The time for action was yesterday; we must act boldly to center people and the planet over profit.

I signed the Green New Deal Champions pledge in 2022 to support the boldest of climate policies. But this is not enough. We need to end fossil fuels use as soon as possible. We need to end carbon emissions, stop clearing forests, and allow the planet to heal. There is no future if we don’t.

Time is running out.

Time for a Green New Deal.

I will fight for:

• The Build Green Infrastructure and Jobs Act to electrify the nation's public transportation systems.

• The Green New Deal for Cities to ensure city water systems are free from lead and other toxic contaminants.

• 100% renewable energy for transportation and electricity by 2030, and achieving total de-carbonization by no later than 2050.

• Connecting the coasts through low pollution high-speed rail to lower reliance on air travel.

• Implementing Solutionary Rail for local and intermediate transportation of goods and people.

• Healing and restoring our environment through fully funding the EPA and superfund site cleanup.

• Guaranteeing economic security for all via a jobs guarantee to build the new green economy.

• Redesigning our food production infrastructure so poison-free food is the affordable norm, not the expensive outlier.

• Mandating the elimination of harmful pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, and mitigation of animal waste in order to clean our waterways and restore healthy water ecosystems.

• Guaranteeing green housing for all.

• Phasing out the use of fossil fuels and creating a publicly-owned renewable energy system.

• Fare-free nationwide public transportation.

• Helping bring about a global Green New Deal by supporting the UN's efforts to build collaborative and respectful relationships with the Global South.

Rick Larsen has said that he doesn’t believe the Green New Deal is “an important resolution,” and has taken money from fossil fuel companies, including Exxon Mobil, to spend against our campaign. You can read more about Larsen’s friendliness with the fossil fuel industry and defense of their federal subsidies in our report: Rick’s Receipts.