March 2021 - Climate-related natural disasters have increased exponentially over the past decade—the current calamity in Texas is the most recent example. These disasters cost the US approx. $100 billion per year from 2014 through 2018. This fact is pointed out in a bill introduced in the House in February by Rep. Earl Blumenauer and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. A companion bill in the Senate is in process.
This legislation, H.R.794, requires the President to declare a national climate emergency under the National Emergencies Act of 1976, and would mobilize every resource to halt, reverse, prepare for and mitigate the effects of the crisis. It would require an annual report on actions taken to deal with this crisis.
The legislation calls for investments in large scale mitigation and resiliency projects and public health; upgrades to public infrastructure; modernization of millions of buildings to cut pollution; protections for public lands; support for regenerative agriculture linked to local and regional food systems, and more.
The bills point out that the US, as a primary driver of climate change, has a responsibility to mobilize a response at home and around the world, particularly in frontline communities that have contributed least to the crisis but are already dealing with its consequences.
If the National Climate Emergency Act is signed into law, the United States would join over 38 countries and 1,800 communities worldwide that have formally recognized the climate emergency we all face.
TAKE ACTION: Urge your Representative and Senators to co-sponsor these important bills that call for climate change to be declared a ‘National Emergency’.
CONTACT: Your Representative & Senators in Congress
- Web: Find their names and links to their websites at gov, www.house.gov; send an email or leave a message via ‘Contact’ on his/her website
- Tel: 202 224-3121 (Capitol switchboard-ask for his/her office & leave a message)
- Mail: Senator or Representative (first & last name) U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510, or U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515
Multiply this Message: Write a letter to the editor about this important & timely issue.
This is a powerful way to educate and mobilize others.
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