WASHINGTON, D.C.–People’s Action released the following statement from Lead Climate Justice Organizer Ben Ishibashi after President Biden failed to declare a national climate emergency today:

“We welcome Biden’s executive actions to boost wind energy production and help low-income families keep cool, but this week’s apocalyptic heat waves make it clear that these steps are overdue and way too small. 

“We need bold, decisive action to put our people and the planet before the profits of corporate polluters and their investors. Biden’s failure to declare a state of emergency today is an insult to the millions of working people and frontline communities living the devastating reality of global heating, environmental racism, and climate breakdown. Biden must do much, much more, starting by declaring a climate emergency and using the full extent of his authority ASAP.  

“Corporations have spent a fortune to shape a Supreme Court and a Senate that will protect their profits. That means the Biden Administration must do more than rattle off talking points about things the federal government is already doing or offer Band-Aid-level measures. 

“Anything short of a climate emergency declaration and a clear plan to immediately make full use of emergency powers to rein in fossil fuel corporations harms the voters who put Biden in office.”  

Contact: Derrick Crowe, [email protected], 512.516.5067 cell.

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People’s Action builds the power of poor and working people in urban, rural, and suburban areas to win change through issue fights and elections. We are a national network of 38 state and local grassroots power-building organizations in 28 states–united in the work of building a bigger “we.”