The Climate Mobilization (TCM) recognizes the Green New Deal resolution, introduced today by Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), as the most realistic and important statement to date by national leaders in the United States regarding the severity of the Climate Emergency and the opportunity to address this crisis through an economic and social mobilization, at a scale and speed not seen since World War II.
This resolution sets a new standard for any presidential candidate who wishes to be taken seriously on climate. Organizations and individuals in the climate movement should now make a commitment to a ten year transition to a zero emissions economy a prerequisite for endorsing any candidate for office.
The Climate Mobilization has been working with congressional staff and advisors to help shape this resolution. Representative Ocasio-Cortez signed our Pledge to Mobilize ahead of her primary contest in 2018 and received our endorsement. She has gone above and beyond to advance the concept of Climate Mobilization and we could not be more appreciative.
"Senator Markey and Representative Ocasio-Cortez are telling the truth about what it will actually take to prevent climate catastrophe--a WWII-scale Climate Mobilization that eliminates greenhouse gas emissions in 10 years and draws down excess GHGs from the atmosphere." Margaret Klein Salamon, The Climate Mobilization Executive Director, said in response.
"This resolution and the monument behind represents a watershed moment, when America began to face up to the reality of the Climate Emergency and what must be done to save our civilization," added Ezra Silk, The Climate Mobilization's Director of Policy and Strategy.
The resolution is not perfect, however. It calls for reaching net zero emissions, but not for drawing down all excess greenhouse gases in order to a restore a safe climate. It relies on the deeply flawed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, and calls for global zero emissions by 2050. This is way too late. In addition, the temperature targets set by the IPCC are irresponsible and could trigger runaway climate catastrophe. The earth is too hot right now and we need to stay well below 1.5C and then reverse global warming down to 0.5C or less to establish a safe climate. We encourage the Green New Deal authors and the climate movement to realize that the IPCC is not the right group to draw the parameters of our emergency climate response. It also does not comprehensively factor in or address the reality of humanity's overshoot of ecological limits in areas beyond greenhouse gases.
The Climate Mobilization calls for the entire world to decarbonize by 2030, and calls on the United States to make global mobilization for zero emissions and drawdown our top foreign policy priority.
In addition, The Climate Mobilization calls for the immediate ban on new fossil fuel infrastructure and the early retirement of coal mining and oil and gas drilling, within ten years. Keeping fossil fuels in the ground is critical to preventing the collapse of civilization and the natural world.
"Today is a good day for the country, for the climate movement, and for all humanity. We will continue to fight to protect humanity and the natural world by telling the truth about the Climate Emergency and addressing it at the speed and scale required," added Salamon.
