President-elect Biden can -- and should -- declare a climate emergency, unlocking executive powers that would allow him to act boldly in the face of the climate crisis.
SIGN THE PETITION TO DEMAND
EXECUTIVE ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
The climate crisis is one of the biggest emergencies that our country has ever faced, and our time is running out.
Too many Americans are experiencing the wrath of climate-related disasters firsthand. These disasters are killing our citizens, bankrupting businesses, endangering our national security, and threatening to leave our children a world of growing scarcity and conflict.
President-elect Joe Biden said this past weekend that we need to meet climate chaos with “the urgency it demands, as we would during any national emergency.”
He is absolutely right, and he should use every tool available to him, including declaring a national climate emergency and using emergency powers to take unilateral executive action.
Declaring the climate crisis a national emergency would not only send a powerful signal about the urgency of bold action, it would unlock executive powers that allow our nation to take significant, concrete actions regardless of Republican-induced congressional gridlock.
The impacts of the climate crisis will affect us all, but the worst consequences will be borne disproportionately by poor communities and communities of color.
Many people may feel trepidation about using executive powers to address the climate crisis. However, we know that continuing on our current path will be catastrophic, and will hit working people the hardest. On the other hand, if we put in place the right policies, we can create millions of new jobs re-powering the country and cleaning our air.
Americans, including millions who voted for Biden because he promised climate action, are counting on bold, decisive leadership on this urgent issue.
Thank you for taking action,
-- Senator Jeff Merkley
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