To: Tom Perez, DNC Chairperson
Support the DNC’s Proposed Environnmental and Climate Crisis Council!
Climate change is the defining issue of our time. Our youth are rightly taking to the streets to demand we ensure a liveable planet.
The DNC doesn't have any formal or informal group addressing environmental and climate crisis issues. And we need one. At its August meeting, the DNC can take this crucial first step, and approve this Resolution to establish its first Environmental and Climate Crisis Council.
The DNC doesn't have any formal or informal group addressing environmental and climate crisis issues. And we need one. At its August meeting, the DNC can take this crucial first step, and approve this Resolution to establish its first Environmental and Climate Crisis Council.
Why is this important?
The Democratic Party's 2016 Platform calls for tackling the climate challenge, thereby creating millions of good-paying jobs and upholding environmental and climate justice. The Democratic National Committee has an opportunity to create a permanent Council to work on addressing environmental and climate crisis issues at the national Party. Let’s show our support for this by signing this petition!
Establishing the DNC's first Environmental and Climate Crisis Council will provide a forum for the communities and constituencies of the Democratic Party to discuss, deliberate, and support our commitments to upholding environmental and intergenerational justice. It will enable communication and coordination with state and local Democratic Party Environmental Caucuses and Councils. And it will enable advocacy for more sustainable Democratic Party operations and environmentally and socially just policies and platforms for the national Democratic Party.
Resolution Establishing the DNC Environmental and Climate Crisis Council, submitted August 8th, 2019 to the DNC for consideration at the August 22nd Resolutions Committee. If approved by the Resolutions Committee, the Resolution will be voted on by the full DNC membership at our General Meeting on August 24th in San Francisco.
Submitted by: Michelle Deatrick, Michigan
Lavora Barnes, Chair, Michigan Democratic Party
Jane Fleming Kleeb, Chair, Nebraska Democratic Party
Charles Rodriguez, Chair, Puerto Rico Democratic Party
Tina Podlowski, Chair, Washington Democratic Party
Larry Cohen, At large DNC Member, Maryland
Earl D. Fowlkes, Jr., At large DNC Member, Washington DC
James Zogby, At large DNC Member, Washington DC
Doug Ballard, DNC Member, Arizona
Steven K. Alari, DNC Member, California
Mary Ellen Early, DNC Member, California
Sandra Lowe, DNC Member, California
Christine Pelosi, DNC Member, California
Susie Shannon, DNC Member, California
Michael Kapp, DNC Member, California
Howard Chou, Vice Chair, Colorado Democratic Party
John Eastwood, DNC Member, Democrats Abroad
Adrianne George, DNC Member, Democrats Abroad
Martha McDevitt-Pugh, DNC Member, Democrats Abroad
Kenneth Sherman, DNC Member, Democrats Abroad
Gary Hooser, DNC Member, Hawaii
Chris Reeves, DNC Member, Kansas
Paula Herbart, DNC Member, Michigan
Mark LaChey, Vice Chair, Michigan Democratic Party
Winston Apple, DNC Member, Missouri
Megan Green, DNC Member, Missouri
Curtis Wylde, DNC Member, Missouri
Patty Zieg, DNC Member, Nebraska
Alexander Goff, DNC Member, Nevada
Allison Stephens, DNC Member, Nevada
Elly Zaragoza, DNC Member, Minnesota
Tanya Shively, DNC Member, Oregon
Yasmine Taeb, DNC Member, Virginia
David Green, Vice Chair, Washington Democratic Party
Sharon Mast, DNC Member, Washington
Khary Penebaker, DNC Member, Wisconsin
This is a partial list of co-sponsors
WHEREAS, the right of current and future generations to a liveable planet is a human right; and
WHEREAS, the climate crisis poses an existential threat to our planet, to our nation, and to all people — and is the paramount issue of our time; and
WHEREAS, scientific evidence is clear that in America and across the world, the health, safety and lives of millions are threatened by the increasing frequency and severity of disasters directly related to the human-caused climate crisis, including wildfire, flooding, drought, disease, pollution, record-breaking heat waves, hurricanes, tornadoes, and more; and
WHEREAS, the climate crisis destroys productivity and jobs, and as the latest federal Climate Assessment states, will damage and disrupt the American economy across a wide spectrum of sectors, with resultant losses of millions of jobs and, in some sectors, of hundreds of billions of dollars annually, by 2100; and
WHEREAS, the failure to protect our environment and to address the climate crisis is a racial, social, and economic issue, with disproportionate impacts on people of lower income and people of color, and internationally on underdeveloped countries; and
WHEREAS, all environmental issues including the climate crisis are intergenerational justice issues, with profound permanent implications not only for us, but for future generations, whose water, land, air, soil, and biodiverse planet we hold in trust; and
WHEREAS, environmental issues including the climate crisis pose great challenges and also great opportunities, with the potential for millions of new, good-paying union jobs in this country alone; and
WHEREAS, the Democratic Party’s 2018 Charter & Bylaws states a commitment to a fair society in which a healthy environment is possible for all; and
WHEREAS, the 2016 Democratic Party Platform calls for protecting our environment and tackling the climate challenge, creating millions of good-paying middle class jobs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, securing environmental and climate justice, upholding the Paris Agreement, and ensuring that Democrats taking the lead on climate issues have the resources they need; and
WHEREAS, the DNC has previously established councils and committees for Poverty, Small Businesses, and Rural Communities; and
WHEREAS, the DNC has no formal or informal organizational structure that addresses this preeminent challenge of our era;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the DNC establish an Environmental and Climate Crisis Council which shall enable members of the Democratic National Committee as well as members of the wider Democratic community to discuss, deliberate, support, and further our Democratic commitment to protecting the environment; to uphold environmental and intergenerational justice; and to address the defining issue of our time, the climate crisis.
Establishing the DNC's first Environmental and Climate Crisis Council will provide a forum for the communities and constituencies of the Democratic Party to discuss, deliberate, and support our commitments to upholding environmental and intergenerational justice. It will enable communication and coordination with state and local Democratic Party Environmental Caucuses and Councils. And it will enable advocacy for more sustainable Democratic Party operations and environmentally and socially just policies and platforms for the national Democratic Party.
Resolution Establishing the DNC Environmental and Climate Crisis Council, submitted August 8th, 2019 to the DNC for consideration at the August 22nd Resolutions Committee. If approved by the Resolutions Committee, the Resolution will be voted on by the full DNC membership at our General Meeting on August 24th in San Francisco.
Submitted by: Michelle Deatrick, Michigan
Lavora Barnes, Chair, Michigan Democratic Party
Jane Fleming Kleeb, Chair, Nebraska Democratic Party
Charles Rodriguez, Chair, Puerto Rico Democratic Party
Tina Podlowski, Chair, Washington Democratic Party
Larry Cohen, At large DNC Member, Maryland
Earl D. Fowlkes, Jr., At large DNC Member, Washington DC
James Zogby, At large DNC Member, Washington DC
Doug Ballard, DNC Member, Arizona
Steven K. Alari, DNC Member, California
Mary Ellen Early, DNC Member, California
Sandra Lowe, DNC Member, California
Christine Pelosi, DNC Member, California
Susie Shannon, DNC Member, California
Michael Kapp, DNC Member, California
Howard Chou, Vice Chair, Colorado Democratic Party
John Eastwood, DNC Member, Democrats Abroad
Adrianne George, DNC Member, Democrats Abroad
Martha McDevitt-Pugh, DNC Member, Democrats Abroad
Kenneth Sherman, DNC Member, Democrats Abroad
Gary Hooser, DNC Member, Hawaii
Chris Reeves, DNC Member, Kansas
Paula Herbart, DNC Member, Michigan
Mark LaChey, Vice Chair, Michigan Democratic Party
Winston Apple, DNC Member, Missouri
Megan Green, DNC Member, Missouri
Curtis Wylde, DNC Member, Missouri
Patty Zieg, DNC Member, Nebraska
Alexander Goff, DNC Member, Nevada
Allison Stephens, DNC Member, Nevada
Elly Zaragoza, DNC Member, Minnesota
Tanya Shively, DNC Member, Oregon
Yasmine Taeb, DNC Member, Virginia
David Green, Vice Chair, Washington Democratic Party
Sharon Mast, DNC Member, Washington
Khary Penebaker, DNC Member, Wisconsin
This is a partial list of co-sponsors
WHEREAS, the right of current and future generations to a liveable planet is a human right; and
WHEREAS, the climate crisis poses an existential threat to our planet, to our nation, and to all people — and is the paramount issue of our time; and
WHEREAS, scientific evidence is clear that in America and across the world, the health, safety and lives of millions are threatened by the increasing frequency and severity of disasters directly related to the human-caused climate crisis, including wildfire, flooding, drought, disease, pollution, record-breaking heat waves, hurricanes, tornadoes, and more; and
WHEREAS, the climate crisis destroys productivity and jobs, and as the latest federal Climate Assessment states, will damage and disrupt the American economy across a wide spectrum of sectors, with resultant losses of millions of jobs and, in some sectors, of hundreds of billions of dollars annually, by 2100; and
WHEREAS, the failure to protect our environment and to address the climate crisis is a racial, social, and economic issue, with disproportionate impacts on people of lower income and people of color, and internationally on underdeveloped countries; and
WHEREAS, all environmental issues including the climate crisis are intergenerational justice issues, with profound permanent implications not only for us, but for future generations, whose water, land, air, soil, and biodiverse planet we hold in trust; and
WHEREAS, environmental issues including the climate crisis pose great challenges and also great opportunities, with the potential for millions of new, good-paying union jobs in this country alone; and
WHEREAS, the Democratic Party’s 2018 Charter & Bylaws states a commitment to a fair society in which a healthy environment is possible for all; and
WHEREAS, the 2016 Democratic Party Platform calls for protecting our environment and tackling the climate challenge, creating millions of good-paying middle class jobs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, securing environmental and climate justice, upholding the Paris Agreement, and ensuring that Democrats taking the lead on climate issues have the resources they need; and
WHEREAS, the DNC has previously established councils and committees for Poverty, Small Businesses, and Rural Communities; and
WHEREAS, the DNC has no formal or informal organizational structure that addresses this preeminent challenge of our era;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the DNC establish an Environmental and Climate Crisis Council which shall enable members of the Democratic National Committee as well as members of the wider Democratic community to discuss, deliberate, support, and further our Democratic commitment to protecting the environment; to uphold environmental and intergenerational justice; and to address the defining issue of our time, the climate crisis.