Friend,

This week is the U.N. Climate Summit in New York, where world leaders, diplomats, and experts get together to talk about global climate policy.

But people are increasingly fed up with “solutions” that amount to pouring a cupful of water on a raging wildfire (not unlike the dozens of major wildfires currently burning across the U.S.).

It’s bad enough that even John Kerry – stalwart conservative Democrat, former Secretary of State and former Climate Envoy – had this to say to the summit attendees this week:

“In Dubai almost 200 countries agreed to transition away from fossil fuels in a way that’s fair, equitable and orderly … and they [fossil fuel companies] are just plowing ahead, like it’s business as usual.”

Asked to give oil and gas companies a grade in their efforts to transition to cleaner energy, Kerry said: “Is there a letter underneath Z?”

With all respect to Secretary Kerry, spare me your outrage.

You served under two Democratic presidents (not to mention a lengthy Senate career) with ample opportunities to advance meaningful climate action. In fact, it was quite literally your job in the Biden administration to address the climate emergency.

Kerry’s wealth, political power, and unprecedented access to world leaders could have made him a powerful ally in the fight for climate justice. But right now, the administration he served is bragging that they’ve issued more drilling permits than any other administration in history.

However, as they say, even a broken clock is right twice a day. His point is correct. World governments have most certainly failed our people and our planet – and there is no grade low enough.

Last year these same world leaders gathered in DUBAI of all places – one of the crown jewels in the fossil fuel monarchies of the Middle East – to talk about their commitment to transitioning off of oil and gas.

Fossil fuel companies ARE conducting business as usual, drilling and burning more than ever and acting as if there are no consequences for their conduct – exactly as they’ve done for the more than 50 years they’ve known about the realities of global warming.

As you read this email right now, there is a 822 mile wide hurricane with a 1100+ mile tail ramming into Florida, having made landfall as a Category 4 storm and blanketing the state.

If you are in the path of danger for this horrendous storm, I sincerely hope you and your loved ones are able to get to a place of safety.

There are also 34 active major wildfires burning in the U.S.

Around the world we’re seeing floods in Europe and Bangladesh impacting MILLIONS of people, and wildfires tearing through the Brazilian Amazon.

2023 was the hottest year in recorded history...until 2024 quickly overtook it.

We are facing climate collapse and an imminent threat to the survival of our species, yet both candidates from the corporate duopoly are bickering with each other about who loves fracking more.

This is the new normal, and normal will keep getting worse if we keep doing business as usual.

Our only path forward is a comprehensive and complete re-ordering of our society with a rapid transition off of fossil fuels and shoring up our infrastructure to withstand the superstorms, wildfires, droughts and crop failures that are still coming our way due to five decades of failing to act.

We have that plan in our platform, a REAL Green New Deal (not the nonbinding green “suggestions” put forth by AOC) with concrete plans to transform our energy infrastructure and create millions of jobs in the process.

Our campaign remains the ONLY pro-worker, pro-humanity, pro-peace and PRO-PLANET, climate emergency campaign with a path to the White House this November. Can you donate now to help me build our field teams in critical states?

Many young people have checked out of this election because they have correctly assessed that neither major party candidate is serious about their survival.

But we do not have the luxury of giving up. Those of us with the capacity to keep fighting must continue.

It takes time to move public opinion, but the more of us there are out there speaking the truth and putting clear, actionable solutions into play the faster we can move this dialogue into concrete results. That’s what is so infuriating about elected leaders who refuse to be clear and forceful about the truth.

There is no country more responsible for the current state of the climate and global climate policy than the United States. We owe it to each other, and to our brothers and sisters around the world, to set this right.

We must take our fight for climate justice to the highest halls of power. It’s the only way.

With your support, we will.

In solidarity and gratitude,

Jill