A few years ago I started a tradition of using a few charts, graphs and maps to illustrate our work. The idea is two-fold: First, some people take in visual data better than they do a written-out story. If you like research and data, check out the version in the blog. Second there's an old saying "Don't mess with us, we have charts and graphs to back this shit up."

So with that in mind, here's this years edition: 3 graphs, 1 chart, 2 maps and a little bit of explanation to describe our work for 2022.

If you find yourself with a little to spare at the end of the year and you like visual storytelling, solid research, or new digital tools to support our collective fight for a safe and stable climate, chip in here.

Let's start with a graph from the UN's annual climate report – this year's nicknamed the “Code Red” report.

UNFCC report shows unprecedented warming

That shows that climate change, is real, happening now, and at unprecedented levels because of fossil fuel use.

But, good news! President Biden has promised to take action:

President Biden pledges to halve US emissions by 2030

President Biden pledged to cut US emissions in half by 2030. But there's a catch (a few actually). Let me explain:

https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/chip-in-to-fund-the-fight-weve-got-charts-and-graphs-to-back-this-st-up?source=email&

The same experts who made the graph above, about Biden's climate promise, made this chart, which clearly rates his climate ambition as insufficient. What Biden's talking about will only get us close (not quite) to 2c in global warming, not the 1.5c we promised in the Paris Climate Agreement. What's more, what Biden is actually DOING is way less than what he's promised. Actions already in place will get us to more like 3c in global warming.

So, what's the big deal? how different is a 1.5c warmed planet earth and a 3c warmed planet earth? Really, really different, and bad - remember the June 2021 heat wave when it was 110+ degrees Fahrenheit in Canada? That's a preview of a 3c world. In case you forgot, here's a map from Nasa to remind you:

NASA data shows a massive Land Surface Temperature Anomaly June 2021

So that's proof President Biden hasn't promised enough action yet. But what about the Build back better Act, the Infrastructure bill, all those executive orders? He's doing something good right? Something is better than nothing, right? Well, sort of:

Net annual US global warming solutions with and without Biden actions

The purple line is if we do nothing at all - very bad. The Blue line is if we just do what Biden's already done (infrastructure bill, some executive orders etc.). That will get us to a 50% reduction in global warming pollution, but not until way too late. The first green line is if they somehow manage to pass the Build Back Better Act with all of the stuff Biden and others have promised. The important thing to note here is that even if they do that (and it's a big if given Manchin's latest tantrum) they still won't hit Biden's goal of cutting global warming pollution 50% by 2030. To hit the goal we have to do everything Biden has promised, and a bunch of other stuff too - that's the last green line.

What kind of "bunch of other stuff"? Glad you ask:

That map shows the massive build out of fossil fuel infrastructure along the Permian basin and Gulf of Mexico. All of that is new and proposed - a lot of it we're already working to stop like the SPOT terminal and LNG rail lines (two things we emailed you about in just the last 2 weeks).

We can stop all that, and a lot more. And if we do, we can bend the curve downward on the weak commitments and weaker actions President Biden has made (and Manchin and other fossil fueled fascists have blocked) so far. But to work on all these different fights, bring new tools and strategies to frontline movements and more, we need to scale up.

My proposal is to run 3x more campaigns next year, 198 different actions, petitions, and events to fight the climate crisis.

Sincerely

Drew and the 198 methods crew

Sources:

Check this out John