As we emerge from the winter solstice in the global north and look toward an uncertain 2025, I hope that each of you finds and spreads some light around you in the new year. November saw the victory of the GOP in all branches of government, so we must now find the strength to regroup and double down in opposition.
In November and December, the UN convened three COPS; Biodiversity in Cali, Columbia, Climate Change in Baku, Azerbaijan, and Desertification in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (all with varying degrees of success), and finally a disappointing global Plastics Treaty convention in Busan, Korea. Thanks to President Biden’s worldwide historic leadership on climate, the U.S. delegation headed to the climate COP in Baku with a strong record, ultimately agreeing to the final rule to reduce methane emissions, establishing a framework for nuclear energy at home and abroad, and laying out a pathway to reduce the government’s emissions by 30% by 2030. Ultimately, a compromise deal was struck on finance, and countries pledged to raise funds to cover loss and damage in the global south to $300B annually from $100B, but not the $1T in grants (not loans) for which most were vying.
Despite the widespread grief of the U.S. election results and those implication for the global climate agenda, Democrats Abroad ECCC also attended COP29 and took part in daily livestreaming with other U.S. Democratic groups. Many representatives from the U.S. government attended (Governors, Senators, Mayors, Secretaries of Energy, Labor, Agriculture, etc), all with a unified message that the U.S. energy transition and the benefits of the IRA was a train that had left the station…there is no turning back! The fight will continue at the state and municipal levels, and investment in red states is so vast that national economic growth is contingent on staying the course.
President Biden enacted final climate orders to crown his legacy before leaving office; he has re-set the target to cut emissions by 61-66% by 2035, even if Trump rolls back climate action, and is backing restrictions on international funding for oil and gas projects to free billions for clean energy. Biden also traveled to the Amazon and signed a U.S. proclamation designating November 17th as International Conservation Day.
As expected, Trump has vowed to rescind all unspent funds under the Inflation Reduction Act, however, the IRA was passed by Congress and cannot be revoked without a congressional vote (though Republicans can remove EV-related incentives and tax credits). Given that most IRA’s investments are in Republican-held districts, eighteen House Republicans have already implied opposition to the IRA’s elimination.
The new administration has already signaled disastrous appointments to key agencies like the EPA, Secretary of Energy, and Secretary of the Interior and proclaimed that day-one objectives include ramping up U.S. fossil fuel production, so our resistance must now shift to building and reinforcing the alliances vital at the state and municipal levels. No matter who is in office the next two to four years, this is the decade for climate action and it CANNOT pause. Your voice and your actions are more critical than ever.
Thank you for voting and organizing in the elections, for speaking out, volunteering, and living a greener life at this critical time!
Dana Freling
Chair, DA Environment & Climate Crisis Council
Though much was lost in the elections, it is vital to take note of our 2024 victories, particularly in the environmental sector. California passed $10 billion climate bond that funds climate resilience, protecting clean drinking water and preventing catastrophic wildfires. In Washington state, an effort to roll back the state's Climate Commitment Act was defeated. Minnesota renewed the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund for another 25 years. In Suffolk County, N.Y, voters approved a ballot measure that will generate $6 billion for clean water and conservation over the next 30 years.
Colorado removed the cap for water funding from an existing tax on sports gaming revenue, which will generate an additional $2 to $5 million. Illinois approved $500 million for conservation and forest preserve districts to buy land, maintain existing public places, and improve public recreation opportunities. A sales tax for transportation was approved in Jasper county, S.C., which includes a greenbelt component for land conservation that totals $94 million over the life of the program. Louisiana is directing federal revenues received by the state from energy production (such as wind, solar, tidal, wave and other alternative or renewable energy sources) to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund.
Finally, in the North East, Maine is funding a four year grant program at $30 million to enhance and expand the state’s trail networks, and Rhode Island has passed a $53 million environmental bond parks, coastal resilience, forest management and restoration, farmland protection, brownfield reclamation and upgrading a port facility to support offshore wind development.
Volunteer with the ECCC Contact us at eccc@democratsabroad if you’d like to get more involved. Join our working groups, the Watchdogs Research Group, the Legislative Tracking Group, or to help out with a variety of tasks including social media and communications.
Tune in:
National fellowship with Protecting America
- Summary: Protecting America is a leadership accelerator providing aspiring political leaders and climate activists an opportunity to gain real-world experience as a coordinator of regional, state, national, or international policy, campaigns, and/or media initiatives. Fellows are mentored by current and former elected officials and work directly organizing inspirational climate champion lawmakers across the country and beyond.
- Link: https://protectingamerica.net/jobs/national-fellowship/
- Deadline: Rolling
President Biden’s American Climate Corps
- Summary: American Climate Corps members will gain the skills necessary to access good-paying jobs that are aligned with high-quality employment opportunities after they complete their paid training or service program.
- Link: https://climatecorps.gov
- Deadline: Varies based on position
Write your representative
Guide to the IRA – This Guide Can Help You Save Money and Fight Climate Change
Guide to the IRA’s Investments in Indian Country; tax incentives and funding programs: Inflation Reduction Act Tribal Guidebook
Guide to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Guidebook
Energy Cost Resources to lower your energy costs, make your home safer and more comfortable, and help the planet: Energy Savings Hub | Department of Energy
President Biden’s ‘America the Beautiful’ Program – Conservation.gov
Biden-Harris Vision for a Climate Resilient Nation -guide for climate resilience investments and activities by the federal government and its partners: National Climate Resilience Framework
Media Articles
🔔 President Biden sets US emissions goal for 2035 in the shadow of Trump
💵 Hochul Signs Law That Penalizes Companies for Greenhouse Gas Emissions
🏴☠️ Trump’s energy strategy is ‘drill baby drill.’ It’s going to be much harder than that
🎯 Anxious scientists brace for Trump’s climate denialism: ‘We have a target on our backs’
🌈 Biden sets 60 percent greenhouse gas reduction target
🎊 Biden and Tribal Leaders Celebrate Four Years of Accomplishments on Behalf of Native Americans
🚫 In his final weeks, Biden aims to cut off funding for oil and gas projects abroad
🌍 US climate envoy says fight against climate crisis does not end under Trump
Video Clips
📣 COP29 Press Conference – U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm
💰 COP29: Biden Climate Advisor on IRA’s Future Under Trump
🌎 Watch COP29 livestream with Democrats Abroad and the DECF November 20th
🌎 Watch COP29 livestream with Democrats Abroad and the DECF November 18th
🌎 Watch COP29 livestream with Democrats Abroad and the DECF November 16th
🌎 Watch COP29 livestream with Democrats Abroad and the DECF November 15th
🌎 Watch our July Climate Café – Climate Implications of Project 2025
🌎 Watch our Earth month panel with the GYC with US climate youth leaders – Youth Perspectives on the Climate Crisis
🌎 Watch our February Climate Café – Considering the Urban Tree: Growing the Life Between the Buildings
🌎 Watch our December Climate Café – COP28 Roundup with Democrats Abroad
🌎 Watch our November webinar, The Road to COP28: Why Electing Democrats in 2024 is Key to the Global Climate Agenda with Senator Ed Markey and Michelle Deatrick, the Chair of the DNC's Climate Crisis Council
🌎 Watch our September Climate Café – Can the Private Sector Help Biodiversity Conservation
🌎 Watch our July Climate Café – The Rise of Cell-cultured Meat
🌎 Watch our May Climate Café – The U.S. and China and the Race to NET ZERO
🌍 Watch our ECCC Earth Day Video 2023
🌎 Watch our April Climate Café – The U.S. and E.U.: Race to Electric Vehicles
🌎 Watch our March Climate Café – African Women Entrepreneurs: Green Energy Innovators
🌍 Watch our February Climate Café - Preserving the Lungs of the Planet: Brazil's 2nd chance!
🌍 Watch our December Climate Café – Arts and Climate Activism, with special guest Michelle Deatrick
🌍 Watch our November Climate Café - COP27 Round up: Live from Sharm El Sheik with Sam Goodman
🌍 Watch our YOUTH v GOV Voices Webinar
🌍 Did you miss our Co₂nsequences: Global Climate Rally in April? You can watch it here. We had a lot of great speakers and performers.
🌍 Want to make your lifestyle greener? Boost your knowledge. Check out ourEarth Care Toolkit.