Fwd: Use Your Voice to Call For Funding a Climate Deal, Not Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Carlos Rymer
This next week in Copenhagen is critical, and one of the key issues on the table is finance. Will the United States demonstrate that it is serious about getting a global deal and put real money on the table? The U.S. Government managed to find trillions of dollars to bailout the banks and fund never-ending wars, so we know we have the ability to fund the transition of the world toward a clean energy economy. Here's an idea: Let's start by stopping the billions of dollars we spend on subsidizing dirty fossil fuels and re-direct those resources to financing a strong climate deal.
Call President Obama now at 202-456-1111 to demand that we fund a safe climate future, not fossil fuels (See the sample script below).
Outrageously, the U.S. spends more than $10 billion of taxpayer money per year on subsidies to fossil fuel companies. Meanwhile, the Copenhagen climate talks are on the brink because developing countries can't afford to green their economies without financial help.
Don't let anyone tell you we can't come up with the money. When the US decides to make something a priority, it finds ways to fund it. Last year, facing the global financial crisis, the U.S. mobilized $11 trillion globally in a matter of months. This year, in Copenhagen, developed nations have offered $10 billion, much less than is required and being called for by the rest of the world. We are magnitudes of scale behind where we need to be, and that's just simply unacceptable.
Who decides how this money is spent is also a huge issue here in Copenhagen. The U.S. and others want the World Bank, one of the largest funders of fossil fuels globally, to be in charge of climate funds. This is clearly a bad idea.
There is in fact broad support for this kind of large scale climate finance that includes faith leaders, youth, business and military leaders - and we need you to tell them! For the U.S., this is both the right choice and a smart choice. International climate investments secure economic progress and protect U.S. development investment as well as protecting our national security for the long term.
We know there's power in your actions. On Friday we called on you to stand up against the slander propagated by the fossil fuel industry, and in about 48 hours, more than 10,000 people have joined the Facebook group to stand with youth in demanding bold leadership from Obama. This is a huge show of support, and we'll be delivering it to Obama's negotiators in the coming days.
We only have a few major opportunities left to impact the critical Copenhagen climate negotiations; now let's use that collective power again to tell President Obama that we want to fund a safe climate future, not fossil fuels.
With determination,
Jessy Tolkan
SCRIPT
Call 202-456-1111 and say:
"I'm calling to urge President Obama to commit to an ambitious climate finance package. With the UN negotiations on the brink, and the world calling for your leadership, it's time for you to announce shifting fossil fuel subsides to climate finance and contributing on the order of what developing countries are demanding."
PS: Please take a moment to forward this to a friend and if you haven't already join the Facebook group!
Energy Action Coalition is a youth-led coalition of 50 organizations working together to fight for a clean, just and renewable energy future. Join the new Local Community and get your neighborhood involved in the national push for a future powered by clean energy and not by dirty politics.
For a list of Energy Action Coalition partners, please visit our Energy Action Partners page.
