As we turn the page from 2019 to 2020, I had hoped to be sharing words of excitement and celebration after the passage of Clean Energy Jobs, as well as praise for the strong leadership of Oregon’s elected leaders. It is instead with frustration and disappointment that we are here, once again, waiting for Oregon’s elected leaders to pass climate legislation. 
During this year’s legislative session, an unprecedented, anti-democratic walkout by 11 Senate Republicans stopped Clean Energy Jobs from passage. Despite the fact that addressing climate change is overwhelmingly supported by Oregonians and was a decisive factor in Governor Kate Brown’s re-election in 2018, when push came to shove, the political courage to fight for the environment—and taking on climate change in particular—was decidedly lacking.
2019 will be remembered for this truly heartbreaking climate defeat. But there is a silver lining—our Climate Champions of the Year: our volunteers, especially our youth volunteers.
At the Capitol, young people showed up, as they had been doing for months and even years. In the Senate Gallery, on the Capitol Steps, outside the Senate offices, young people were fighting for their future. Oregonians deserve elected officials who fight for us; who choose our future over corporate profits. We deserve leaders with enough backbone to stand up to lobbyists and Republican extremists. The young activists make one thing very clear: there’s too much at stake to give in or give up now.
While we may be frustrated with how this year’s Legislative Session ended, there were some key wins and successes to celebrate—including the passage of long-sought legislation to reduce diesel pollution, protect against oil train derailments, ban offshore drilling, address the housing crisis, and ensure clean air and clean water standards don’t go backwards.
2020 will be a big year for Oregon’s environment. Clean Energy Jobs will be back during the February short session, and now we are in a battle to put clean energy before the voters if necessary. We also have a chance to send new climate champions to office. One thing is clear—to succeed, we will need bold leadership and not more of the same.
If you are with us, I hope that you will make a donation to OLCV today. We can’t do this without you.
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