Sometimes you have to look back in order to move forward. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 

John -

January 20th marked the first anniversary of Joe Biden's presidency.

It hasn't been an easy year: there's no denying that Biden inherited multiple ongoing and unprecedented crises.

But as a self-proclaimed "climate president", it's important that we hold Biden accountable for his promises. So we put together a short review of Biden's climate progress in his first year in office, and where he needs to step up the pressure on Big Oil.¹

Before we dive in, we are counting on a lot of donations if we are going to hold Biden accountable in 2022 to the actions our climate movement demands.

That's why I'm asking you directly, John: Can you make a $3.50 contribution so we can continue putting pressure on Biden to keep climate at the top of his agenda in 2022? Your support will power our work for a just, safe, and clean future.

A strong start

When Biden took office, he declared climate change one of his four main priorities, and followed up with action:

• He immediately rejoined the Paris climate agreement;
• He canceled permits for the Keystone XL pipeline;
• He installed longtime climate advocates in key positions and made tackling the climate crisis a priority across the federal government.²

For a while, it really did seem like the U.S. was on track to become a leader on climate issues. But then...

Cracks in the agenda

... things got complicated, fast:

• Just days after the Glasgow climate talks, the Biden administration began auctioning off nearly 80 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico;
• The Build Back Better bill stalled in Congress, was stripped of important climate provisions during the negotiation progress, and then stalled again;
• The Biden administration approved a startling number of drilling permits on public lands, against his promises;
• Biden allowed Enbridge's Line 3 pipeline to move forward.^3,4,5

While these setbacks cannot be attributed to Biden alone — there are, after all, more than 50 U.S. Senators holding up the Build Back Better bill — it's also safe to say that Biden could have done more to fight the continuation of offshore drilling leases, stop the Line 3 pipeline, and create a safer, cleaner, and more just future for all.

Looking forward

The stakes are high: 2021 was one of the hottest years on record, and U.S. emissions surged to pre-pandemic levels.^6,7 Now that we've looked back on President Biden's first year of climate progress, it's time to use our knowledge to shape the agenda for 2022 and onwards.

Luckily, there are ample opportunities for climate progress. That's why we're urging Biden to:

• Direct the Federal Reserve to mitigate climate risk and cut off the flow of funds from Big Banks to fossil fuels;
• Stop all new oil and gas leases and projects;
• Pass Build Back Better, or a bold stand-alone climate action plan that prioritizes real solutions like phasing out fossil fuels.

We can't do it alone. Our chances of pulling this off are exponentially increased every time a climate activist — like you, John — joins and supports our moment. Will you help us send an unmistakable message to the White House that our climate movement is stronger than ever, and that we won't rest until their climate actions match the scale of the climate crisis?

Please chip in today to help us pressure Biden to get back on track and make significant climate progress in 2022.

We can make it happen, John. If we work together, there's no doubt we will put an end to the era of fossil fuels.

May Boeve
Executive Director
350.org

CONTRIBUTE $3.50

1 - For a more detailed review of Biden's first year in office, check out this tool from Grist
2 - The New York Times
3 - The New York Times
4 - The Washington Post
5 - Reuters
6 - The Guardian
7 - Inside Climate News