Tell the United States Senate:
"We are in the midst of a climate crisis. The dangerous consequences of a warming planet – like stronger hurricanes, more devastating floods, and longer wildfire and drought seasons – will only get more catastrophic and occur more frequently if we do not act swiftly. The United States must be a part of the global advancement of people-first climate policies. We demand you pass the Climate Action Now Act and prohibit the Trump administration’s attempt at withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement."
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Friend,
We’ve got a global climate emergency on our hands, and the Trump administration is making it worse.
195 countries came together in 2016 to create the Paris Climate Agreement in order to reduce global carbon emissions causing climate change. But Donald Trump unilaterally announced that he would abandon that agreement, forfeiting the United States’ seat at the table, leadership in the world, health of our communities, and future for our children.
Right now Congress has a plan to maintain America’s obligations set forth in the Paris Agreement: The Climate Action Now Act. This piece of legislation would prohibit the Trump Administration from using any funds to withdraw us from the agreement and require the administration to submit a detailed plan to Congress on how we will meet our climate obligations. It’s already passed the House of Representatives, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell won’t allow a vote in the Senate.
The main objective of the Paris Climate Agreement is to set forth on an achievable path to prevent irreversible climate change. The Paris Agreement was a massive collective step forward in addressing the most complex issue the world has ever faced.
And we must remember that the carbon pollution heating up the planet and poisoning our communities comes from the fossil fuel industry (oil, coal, and gas). It is low-income and communities of color that are hit first and worst from climate disasters from the warmer planet -- and it’s also low-income and communities of color where you can find fossil fuel facilities. We see much higher rates of asthma, cancer, heart disease and attacks, and other respiratory illnesses for those that live in the shadow of this industry. People are dying because of fossil fuel pollution.
Doing nothing is not an option. The past few years of floods, wildfires, and storms-- including Hurricanes Harvey, Florence, Michael, and Maria -- drove home the costs of doing nothing. Critics say we can’t afford to reduce our carbon emissions. But these ever-worsening disasters have proved that inaction is expensive, in addition to fatal.
At Hip Hop Caucus we have been working with leaders across the world who are committed to the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. We have also been working to empower communities at the front-lines of climate change and everyone else in the movement working towards positive solutions for our communities and planet. For Earth Month, our City Leadership Committees around the country screened the recently released National Geographic, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Radical Media Paris to Pittsburgh documentary to drive local and state solutions for meeting our Paris Climate agreement goals.
Let’s keep up the momentum. Climate action shouldn’t be a partisan issue. The science is settled. We know what’s causing it. We know what the solutions are. Now is the time we need to come together to build a better world for all.
For Future Generations,
Rev Yearwood
President & CEO
Hip Hop Caucus
President & CEO
Hip Hop Caucus
Hip Hop Caucus1638 R Street, NW #120, Washington, DC 20009
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