Written by Robin Everett, Senior Organizing Manager for Sierra Club and Larry Brown, President Washington AFL-CIO, both are Co-Chairs for the WA Blue Green Alliance
A recent climate change assessment from the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) illustrates a devastating future if we do not take bold action now to eliminate carbon emissions. However, record-breaking heat, drought, and forest fires in the Pacific Northwest serve as a stark reminder of the effects of climate change and how we are experiencing life or death situations now and bold action is the only way out and required immediately.
And we know we cannot begin to address the interconnected crises we face without first noting the broken system governing it. We risk excluding many of the voices on the frontlines of climate change if systemic barriers to the equitable access of our democracy and elections continue to exist. Unless each and every one of us has the right to vote and have their voice heard in our democracy, we cannot begin to fix the crises we face.
Now, more than ever, we need Congressional Democrats to move boldly to save our country, our communities, and our climate. In just a few weeks, we have the opportunity to pass a robust climate infrastructure plan and also secure democracy reforms by passing the For the People Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Act. Action cannot wait any longer. Our lives and livelihoods, our climate, and our democracy depend on Congress fulfilling its duty.
Washingtonians deserve a state and economy that looks like it was designed for us—not for irresponsible corporations—as we do the hard work of recovering from COVID, fighting climate change, and addressing our country’s ongoing racial and economic inequalities. We believe that change is powered by people—that this country belongs to all of us, and that we hold the power to create a shared future built on equity, health and prosperity for our community.
The $3.5 trillion Senate budget resolution has the potential to be the most significant investment in tackling the climate crisis in U.S. history, putting the country on a path to meet President Biden’s climate action goals of 80% clean electricity and 50% economy-wide carbon emissions reductions by 2030, while delivering at least 40% of the investments to disadvantaged communities.
However, this is only the beginning of what we need to do to fully combat the climate crisis and create a just economy for all. Communities can't stop polluters from harming them when policy makers listen to the polluters more than the people. When everyone's vote counts equally, people are able to shape society to meet their needs.We can't address the climate crisis if fossil fuel money matters more than the votes of you, me, and our neighbors.
We call on our elected leaders in Washington to act with urgency this moment requires and fully commit to transformational investments in the infrastructure package that will shape our society and economy for years to come, while also strengthening our democracy so the people of this country have a say in our future.
The choices we make together now will shape the destiny of our society’s direction and the health of our planet for decades to come.