News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 18, 2019
Contact: Sandy Bahr, Sierra Club, sandy.bahr@sierraclub.org, 602-999-5790
Columba Sainz, Ecomadres, csainz@momscleanairforce.org, 520-664-8324
Vianey Olivarria, Chispa AZ, vianeyalex92@gmail.com, 602-904-3728
Espen E. Yates, Arizona Wildlife Federation, espen@azwildlife.org, 928-379-1262
Arizonans Demand Action on International Climate Accountability Act
Groups Deliver Thank you to Senator Sinema and Demand for Action to Senator McSally
Phoenix, AZ – Today, climate action groups, including Arizona Interfaith Power and Light, Arizona Wildlife Federation, Chispa AZ, Ecomadres, Elders Climate Action, Kids Climate Action Network, Mi Familia Vota, Sierra Club – Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter, and Yuma Audubon Society, among others, delivered a thank you card to Senator Sinema and an “Act on Climate” card to Senator McSally.
Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 9 Climate Action Now Act, a bill that honors the U.S. commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and prohibits any federal funds from being used to take any action to advance the withdrawal of the U.S. from the Paris Agreement. Now Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire has introduced a similar bill in the Senate, S.1743 - International Climate Accountability Act. Senator Sinema has signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill, but Senator McSally has still failed to take action on our climate crisis.
“We thank Senator Sinema for joining the majority in the U.S. House and more than 3,700 American organizations and leaders to support climate action to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and signing on to the International Climate Accountability Act, sending a strong message to President Trump that the U.S. should meet its climate commitments,” said Sandy Bahr, chapter director for Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon Chapter. “We call on Senator McSally to step up now to act on climate.”
"As a mother of three Arizona children, I applaud Senator Sinema’s decision to cosponsor the International Climate Accountability Act. For a long time our representatives in Washington have failed Arizona families but now we are proud to have you serve as our Senator and represent our communities’ values,” said Columba Sainz with Ecomadres. “We call on Senator McSally to take action and cosponsor the International Climate Accountability Act. Low income, communities of color and all Arizonans are suffering more health issues due to our climate crisis. We ask that you to listen and make the right choice for Arizonans."
"Arizona is on the front-lines of climate change. Rising temperatures are threatening the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the future of our communities. The climate crisis hits us all, yet disproportionately impacts Latinos, communities of color, and low income Arizonans. We applaud Senator Sinema for her leadership to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement,” said Laura Dent, executive director of Chispa AZ. "We need Senator McSally to step up. Our state is the sunniest in the nation; we need our leaders to take up action on behalf of all Arizona communities. If not we can and will be left behind."
Two years ago, Donald Trump announced his disastrous plan to withdraw the U.S. from the landmark Paris Agreement. As many as 80 nations plan to increase their commitment to the Paris Agreement ahead of schedule. The Agreement, which entered into force on November 4, 2016, has been signed by every nation on earth, and the earliest the U.S. will be able to complete Trump’s withdrawal is November 4, 2020.
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