Response from the Climate Change Emergency Declaration Campaign: [Climate Activists-SC] DOES ANYONE OBJECT TO THIS PROPOSAL? : Sonoma County Climate Activist Network Endorses The Green New Deal

1 view
Skip to first unread message

Jorge Rebagliati

unread,
Feb 25, 2019, 3:21:39 PM2/25/19
to OSC - Earth Action Campaign
Dear OSC-Earth Action members:

Below are our comments on the Green New Deal sent earlier to SOCOCAN.

Best regards,

Jorge

Climate Change Emergency Declaration Campaign

"We are the ones we've been waiting for"

DECLARATION: "Climate Crisis Is Already A Major Disaster"


----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Jorge Rebagliati <jorge...@sbcglobal.net>
Sent: Monday, February 25, 2019, 10:38:58 AM PST
Subject: Re: [Climate Activists-SC] DOES ANYONE OBJECT TO THIS PROPOSAL? : Sonoma County Climate Activist Network Endorses The Green New Deal

Here are my suggestions to the GND statement:

1) The GND demands the declaration of a Climate Change National Emergency and embraces all actions necessary to address such emergency including the elimination of all anthropogenic GHG emissions, as fast as it is materially possible, and the massive, safe retrieval of GHG already in the atmosphere, to bring their concentration down to 350 ppm of CO2 or less; the regional Climate Change Adaptation work necessary to minimize the devastating results of Climate Change-related events; the creation of a well-funded safety net for the fast growing number of Climate Change refugees in USA; and the creation of citizen advisory/co-governing bodies, to allow for the best possible transformation of society and the economy, to turn the USA into a Climate Change-Ready country.

2) No more GHG emissions are considered safe. The October 2018 IPCC Report is not an unbiased Report that can be trusted to tell the truth.  Actually, the IPCC Report does not even say that "we have only twelve years to make the shift"; it says "By 2030, global CO2 emissions will need to drop 45% below 2010 levels, reaching net zero by 2050".  This suggestion gives humanity permission to pollute the atmosphere with more GHG for 31 more years.  The Climate Change self-reinforcing amplifying feedbacks, have been ignored by the IPCC, which allowed it to report that more GHG can be emitted "safely", grossly underestimating the real state of the Climate.

Our allied organization, The Climate Mobilization, clearly denounced the IPCC's shortcomings in a recent e-mail:

"It (The GND) relies on the deeply flawed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, and calls for global zero emissions by 2050. This is way too late. In addition, the temperature targets set by the IPCC are irresponsible and could trigger runaway climate catastrophe. The earth is too hot right now and we need to stay well below 1.5C and then reverse global warming down to 0.5C or less to establish a safe climate".

We must accept that we are the Climate Change Action leaders, not Al Gore, Bill Mckibbens, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez or Bernie Sanders.  "We are the ones we've been waiting for".  We must fight for and demand EVERYTHING that we know is necessary to have a chance at saving the biosphere and humanity from Climate Change, not just go with what the corporations and the politicians are willing to dish out.

SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING, does not apply to Climate Change Action anymore.  Now, SOMETHING IS EQUAL TO NOTHING.

It is a deadly mistake to join a Climate Change Action Strategy that offers partial solutions and delayed action.  EVERY MINUTE COUNTS; EVERY TON OF GHG IN THE ATMOSPHERE COUNTS; EVERY DELAY TO REGIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION COUNTS.

Philip Sutton (The Climate emergency Declaration - Australia) describes the current state of gradualism in the climate movement in his excellent paper, “Striking Targets”:

“Over those last 27 years, while all the research, activism and negotiation has been going on, the climate has actually become dangerous. So, the key goal now must be to provide, at the 11th hour, real protection for the vulnerable people, species and ecosystems of the world. The principal struggle must shift, from the clash between no action and some action, to the crucial struggle between those who want to constrain reform to levels that are not too disruptive and those who want action that will provide highly effective and timely protection.”

In the meantime, please consider getting a lot more signatures for our Climate Change Emergency Declaration petitions to governors.  Governors are key players in achieving a national Climate Change State Of Emergency.

My best to all of you,

Jorge 

Climate Change Emergency Declaration Campaign 

"We are the ones we've been waiting for"

DECLARATION: "Climate Crisis Is Already A Major Disaster"

On Thursday, February 21, 2019, 1:52:22 AM PST, Emerald <Eme...@occupysonomacounty.org> wrote:



Proposed statement pending network approval.
This was authored by Anne Jacopetti and Christine Hoex with edits by Emerald to make it into our statement.
Big special thanks especially to Anne for her initial campaign proposal that we adopted at the Feb. 4 meeting and for this brilliant new document!

###

Sonoma County Climate Activist Network Endorses The Green New Deal

Santa Rosa, California

The Sonoma County Climate Activist Network (SoCoCAN!) supports and endorses the Green New Deal (GND), a resolution introduced to the House of Representatives by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. This resolution calls on the federal government to act responsibility by addressing the system(s) that are causing catastrophic climate change and increasing income inequality and social injustice. These threats are described as a direct threat to our national security. The GND calls for a national mobilization modeled on the 1930s New Deal that will create millions of good, well paying jobs by switching to renewable energy, repairing and building new infrastructure, remodeling existing structures and guaranteeing access to clean water, air and food. This will involve transforming industrial agriculture by supporting family farms with sustainable practices that improve soil health. Special attention is given to front-line communities and indigenous communities, ensuring that their health and rights are protected. This GND proposal would ensure that everyone in the United States has 1) high quality health care, 2) affordable housing, 3) economic security, and 4) access to clean water, clean air, healthy food and nature.

This resolution outlines goals. The task of turning these goals into policy and initiatives lies with a Committee on the Climate Crisis, which has no legislative authority alone, and already existing committees in Congress that are working on legislation to address these issues.

The GND is supported by the Sunrise Movement and the Justice Democrats who call on all congressmen and women to support the GND and refuse to take fossil fuel donations if they want to be supported in 2020 elections.

Actions to support the Green New Deal include: 1) Education: Talk to your friends, neighbors and community groups about its importance. A great deal of fake news will be distributed. Know your facts and counter misinformation. Tell folks how the GND will impact and improve their lives. 2)  Support the progressives in Congress and do not allow the Democratic establishment to take all the air out of this initiative. Their inaction over the past ten years on climate change is unconscionable. 3) Let the Committee know if there are important (and doable) issues. They should be informed about the carbon sequestering potentials of regenerative agriculture and agroforestry. We recommend a primarily plant based diet. This is not a moment, however, to push our particular campaigns. 3) Support the Sunrise Movement. They are impressive. Send them financial support and ask them what you can do to support their electoral efforts. These are the millennials and they are fighting all out for their future. 4) Propose that your group sign on to the GND. 5) Follow events and stay updated. So much is hanging in the balance, particularly after the United Nations Intergovernmental Report that informed us all that we have only twelve years to make this shift if we want to avoid utter catastrophe.

Thank you for taking up the hopeful and essential Resolution.

Sonoma County Climate Activist Network
467 Sebastopol Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
sonomac...@gmail.com
707-595-0320 (email preferred)
###

--
If you are getting too many emails from this mailing list, email sonomasoli...@gmail.com, mention the Climate Action group (as we manage several mailing lists) and we can switch you to digest mode. So instead of getting lots of individual messages, you get a batch of messages (up to 25) combined into one very long message. The digest will contain a summary of the subject lines at the top, so you can quickly scan them and click on any of topics to jump to the part you want to read. It's easier to read/scan that way. Hopefully that will be easier to manage.
 
However if you wish to unsubscribe, instructions are below.
.
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "ClimateActivists-SC" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to climateactivist...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to climateac...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/climateactivists-sc/CAKZZ0Tc5KLcQz-fGyuM_A4VRzkjgtsu%3DhQVURy6mt%2B398BvKKA%40mail.gmail.com.

For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

clista

unread,
Feb 26, 2019, 1:29:02 AM2/26/19
to Jorge Rebagliati, OSC - Earth Action Campaign
My thought is that, as usual, the proposed Green New Deal is not perfect but it is an essential first step that we must support.



Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

Paul Larkin

unread,
Feb 26, 2019, 12:27:49 PM2/26/19
to OSC - Earth Action Campaign
I’m bothered by a couple of recent posts to this group, enough to weigh in with my opinion. 

We’ve got a huge, difficult task ahead of us to save our climate. Let’s not waste our energy or harm our cause with internal attacks.  

For example:

Someone posted a link to Naomi Wolf’s critique of the green new deal. Miss Wolf goes way overboard attacking phoney issues and exaggerating negative aspects of the GND. (E.g. It’s not grassroots because it’s run by the government, AOC could be a shill for the Democratic establishment, the proposed congressional committee is not selected by the people, corporations own certain technologies so the GND is therefore a big giveaway to corporations, smart grids are bad, etc; all bogus in my opinion) The GND will be a heavy lift, let’s not add to the load. 

Another post denounces the IPCC report for allegedly excluding certain factors, and claims that by looking at downstream scenarios it’s “permitting” more emissions. It’s important to support science when so many deny it. The IPCC’s landmark product is based on imperfect, evolving computer models; they are the best science we have. “Denouncing” it or saying it can’t be trusted won’t help us. 

Yes, we have a very critical emergency here, but we also have the reality of changing millions of minds as well as our energy system, our economy, and our technology. It will take concrete, workable strategies and programs. It will take massive effort from grassroots, government, science, industry, and academics. It has already taken too long but let’s throw everything we can at it now. 

Paul

--
www.OccupySonomaCounty.org
 
To select the daily digest or abridged version go to your membership settings.
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "OSC - Earth Action Campaign" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to osc_earth-acti...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to osc_eart...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/osc_earth-action.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/osc_earth-action/2123263469.5353610.1551126097020%40mail.yahoo.com.

Cassandra Lista

unread,
Feb 26, 2019, 3:44:27 PM2/26/19
to Paul Larkin, OSC - Earth Action Campaign
I agree with Paul. It is crucial that we start, regardless of a few shortcomings.

C:-)
iP

Christopher Fisher

unread,
Feb 26, 2019, 4:00:16 PM2/26/19
to Cassandra Lista, Paul Larkin, OSC - Earth Action Campaign
Fairly certain Paul speaks for a lot of us below. Thank you!

I appreciate all the input about the GND, but at this point it's just a shell of a resolution we need to give a full body to. Onward! Lots of heavy lifting to do.

Chris


V Jacobi

unread,
Feb 26, 2019, 4:05:40 PM2/26/19
to Christopher Fisher, Cassandra Lista, Paul Larkin, OSC - Earth Action Campaign

yes, I agree too!  Progress not perfection.

---
Warmly,
Roni

www.OurGreenChallenge.org

"Climate Change is not just another issue in this complicated world of
proliferating issues. It is the issue that, unchecked, will swamp all other issues." 
- Ross Gelbspan in The Heat Is On

Jorge Rebagliati

unread,
Feb 26, 2019, 7:34:10 PM2/26/19
to Cassandra Lista, Christopher Fisher, Paul Larkin, OSC - Earth Action Campaign
Thank you Paul Larkin for contributing with your comments.

We are not proposing to oppose the GND.  We are offering changes to core elements  of the GND Resolution that need to be modified to make the GND a project that will deliver the results that we all want for the world.  So, supporting the GND with edits is perfectly reasonable.  Don't you think that the politicians need feedback from us?  

Paul, you have the opinion that the IPCC Reports is the best Climate science we have.  Obviously, I do not agree that it is the best science we have, and if you took the time to read the article in my 2/25/19 e-mail you must have seen that Professor Michael Mann (former IPCC scientist) and other scientists have the same opinion.

Yes, Paul, we have a very critical emergency, and it's not going to be resolved for the better with GRADUALISM.

Best regards,

Jorge 

Climate Change Emergency Declaration Campaig

"We are the ones we've been waiting for"

DECLARATION: "Climate Crisis Is Already A Major Disaster"

Merlin Davis

unread,
Feb 26, 2019, 8:13:11 PM2/26/19
to Jorge Rebagliati, Cassandra Lista, Christopher Fisher, Paul Larkin, OSC - Earth Action Campaign
The GND is inherently flawed because the climate will never be fixed under capitalism.  This inherent flaw makes its others pale in comparison.  IMO it is critical to support it as short-term harm reduction and to keep such a weak and already insufficient band-aid from being watered down even further.

Has everyone seen the video of Feinstein condescending to school children with an insistence that it must be replaced by a bill that is acceptable to Republican politicians?  This is the stuff we must all be absolutely on guard for, and militant in opposing.  This is "our" Senator!  Time to start showing she doesn't have the mandate she believes she has.  Why aren't we shutting down the freeways and clogging the production lines yet?

Merlin

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/osc_earth-action/1458767491.6164377.1551227634258%40mail.yahoo.com.

clista

unread,
Feb 26, 2019, 8:39:18 PM2/26/19
to Merlin Davis, Jorge Rebagliati, Christopher Fisher, Paul Larkin, OSC - Earth Action Campaign
Ansolutely!



Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages