Washington, D.C.-- Today, the United Nations climate body announced that despite climate commitments released to date by the 191 nations in the Paris Agreement, the world is on track to catastrophically warm by more than 2.7 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. This far exceeds the limit put forth by the IPCC to limit warming by 1.5°C, and follows on the IPCC’s most recent findings that even if the world cuts all carbon pollution in half by 2031 and invests in clean energy solutions that completely end all carbon pollution by 2050, we are already locked into the climate crisis for at least the next three decades, with the full severity of the crisis yet to be determined.
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Today, grassroots leaders from 20 different countries and 37 organizations sent a letter to the U.S. Treasury Department, calling on the Department to center the demands of international grassroots movements in the implementation of its new Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) fossil fuel financing guidance released on Monday. The guidance directs the U.S. government to strongly oppose coal projects, and to only support oil and gas projects in extenuating circumstances and only if specific criteria are met, while encouraging MDBs to invest in clean energy and energy efficiency.
WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, the US Treasury Department issued new guidance for Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to invest in clean energy and energy efficiency, to strongly oppose oil and coal projects, and to only support gas projects in extenuating circumstances and only if specific criteria are met. Today’s guidance is the next step from President Biden’s January Executive Order to center the climate crisis in U.S. foreign policy and national security for the first time. The MDBs affected by this guidance include the World Bank, the US Export-Import Bank, the European Investment Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the African Development Bank, and more.
UNITED KINGDOM -- Today, the three-day G7 summit came to an end with announcements about tackling the climate crisis.
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Today, the inaugural Global Grassroots Leaders Climate Summit came to a close after three days of grassroots leaders, representing 30 organizations from 17 countries, convening to discuss the climate issues in their communities and elevate their demands for the US Government and its institutions. During the summit, leaders had a chance to meet with the Senior Advisor to the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, the Development Finance Corporation, the US Treasury Department, and the US Export-Import Bank. Grassroots Leaders also participated in public facing webinars elevating asks on immediately halting US overseas fossil fuel finance, shutting down coal, and encouraging renewable energy finance and just transition.
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Starting today, the Sierra Club and Friends of the Earth US will be hosting a Global Grassroots Leaders Climate Summit to virtually bring together activists from around the world. The grassroots leaders, representing more than 30 organizations from 17 countries, will convene today-Friday to discuss the climate issues in their communities and elevate their demands for the US Government and its institutions. Too often, grassroots leaders are left out of the climate conversation and do not have a seat at the table; the goal of this summit is to bring attention to the voices and asks of the global grassroots leaders who were not present during the April 22 Climate Summit.
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Following President Biden’s Earth Day Climate Summit, the Sierra Club and Friends of the Earth US will be hosting a Global Grassroots Leaders Climate Summit from June 2-4 to virtually bring together activists from around the world. The grassroots leaders, representing more than 30 organizations from 17 countries, will convene to discuss the climate issues in their communities and elevate their demands for the US Government and its institutions.
WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, at the Climate Leaders Summit, the Biden Administration will put forth a US Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for the Paris Agreement that will cut emissions 50 to 52 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. The US’s commitment is in line with an analysis the Sierra Club released last week that underscores how advocates have driven progress and accelerated emissions reductions so much so that it will be achievable for the US to reduce emissions at least by half by the end of the decade.
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- This Thursday, the Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth US, Center for Financial Accountability, the Union of the Displaced People in Sasan, and more will host a webinar to discuss the US Export-Import Bank’s role in the massive coal ash flood from the Sasan coal-fired power plant and mine last spring that killed six people, including three children. Last April’s coal ash flash flood destroyed six miles of crops and homes, polluted downstream rivers and fields, and impacted hundreds of people in three nearby villages, namely Haraahawa, Siddi Khurd and Siddi Kala in Madhya Pradesh. The breach was reportedly due to the negligence of the plant and just $70 USD compensation has been promised to the villagers. You can watch a video of the flood and statements about the situation over the past year here.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — For the fourth year in a row, the number of coal-fired power plants under development worldwide dropped steeply in 2019, according to a new report released today by Global Energy Monitor, Greenpeace International, the Sierra Club, and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Donald Trump announced that he has chosen his own National Doral golf resort as the site for the June 2020 G-7 summit. Trump’s Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney told reporters today that it was Trump’s idea to host the summit at his resort and the administration did not see any conflict of interest in the decision. If the Summit is hosted at Doral as planned, the Trump Organization stands to make millions of dollars from the 7 governments who will attend, which would provide a boost for the failing resort. The last time the United States hosted the summit in 2012, President Obama chose government-owned Camp David in order to cut costs for taxpayers.
MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA -- Earlier this week, Goldman Prize winner Medha Patkar ended her nine-day fast in protest of the Narmada Valley Development Project, the largest river dam in India. Patkar is scheduled to have talks with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath’s emissary and chief secretary on September 9.