Donald Trump has won the election for president of the United States of America. Not much more needs to be said that hasn’t already been said. Every single one of us knows exactly how dangerous this is for the things we all care about: clean air and water, renewable energy, preserving national parks, conserving wildlife, protecting endangered species, sustainable development, reducing emissions, combatting climate change, preparing for and mitigating the effects of our warming world, building resilient communities, and much more. These are all on the chopping block. Everything we’ve fought for, in New Jersey, throughout the nation, and across the globe, is now threatened.
Under Trump, the United States is now expected to pull out of the Paris Agreement, under which countries and territories (including China) representing 98% of global greenhouse gas emissions agreed to try to keep global warming from rising more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels. The United States would become one of the few countries not a signatory to this major multinational agreement on climate change.
I realize all this may be discouraging. It is easy to fall into despair about the future and the potential for harm to our planet. But the last thing we should do is give up, surrender to bad policy, and comply in advance. We don’t need to accept what Trump’s administration is about to do. Now, more than ever, we need to be energized. We need warriors who will stand for what we believe in. The true measure of how much we care isn’t what we achieve with a tailwind, when the sailing is easy. The true metric is how hard we push against the headwind—how much fight we have in the face of heavy odds. More than ever, we will need passionate volunteers and donors like you to help us resist bad environmental policy, defend our natural world, stop pollution, and stop climate change.
Next year, in 2025, New Jersey will elect a new governor, and all 80 of our state Assembly seats will be up for election. We need to ensure we elect representatives who will stand up to the Trump administration and be strong on environmental protection.
Thank you for everything you’ve done so far to support our pro-environment and quality-of-life initiatives in New Jersey. But get ready. Our work is never over, and we’re counting on your support for the struggle that lies ahead.