By almost unanimous consent, our resolution on the Climate Emergency was passed on Sunday, 22 May 2022, at the Democrats Abroad Global Meeting. You can read the complete text below.

Resolution on the Climate Emergency

Sponsors

Dana Freling (Chair, Democrats Abroad Environment & Climate Crisis Council [ECCC]; Chair, DA Finland), Inge Kjemtrup (DPCA Voting Rep, DA United Kingdom; ECCC Steering Committee), Dash Nesbitt (Secretary, ECCC; DA Germany), Angela Fobbs (DPCA Voting Rep, DA Germany; ECCC Communications Director), Bruce Murray (Chair, Democrats Abroad Progressive Caucus; ECCC Steering Committee; DA Austria)

Summary

In light of growing evidence on the devastating impact of climate change worldwide, we propose that action on the “Climate Emergency” be added to the Democrats Abroad list of priorities and that we strengthen the climate crisis and environmental justice planks of the 2024 platform. Additionally, the National Climate Emergency Petition 2022 - drafted by our Environment & Climate Crisis Council- should be disseminated to DA’s membership and submitted to the administration and Congress by 6/30/2022.

Text

WHEREAS the issue of the climate crisis affects Americans abroad and everyone on the planet, as detailed in the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report[1], which states that global warming exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by 2025, would cause unavoidable increases in multiple climate hazards and present manifold and irreversible risks to ecosystems and humans[2]; and

WHEREAS Democrats Abroad mission statement mentions “raising the awareness of issues that concern Americans abroad" as a way to grow membership[3]; and

WHEREAS Democrats Abroad members and potential members live all over the planet and personally experience all facets of the growing climate crisis; and

WHEREAS many young people, in particular, consider climate change the most critical issue facing the world today; and

WHEREAS there has been a call for a national climate emergency in Congress, Climate Emergency Act (H.R.794) [2/4/2021]; and

WHEREAS Senator Cory Booker’s Environmental Justice Act of 2021 (S.2630) [08/05/2021][4], would require agencies to address and mitigate the disproportionate impact of environmental and human health hazards on communities of color, indigenous communities, and low-income communities resulting from agencies' programs and policies[5]; and

WHEREAS a growing number of Americans understand the urgency of the climate crisis and support policies that address climate change[6] through mitigation and adaptation by curbing carbon emissions and contributing financial resources to the developing world to alleviate energy poverty and adapt to the impacts of climate change, as affirmed in the Paris Climate Accord[7]; and

WHEREAS the Democrats Abroad website currently lists as priorities Covid-19, Diversity, Equal Rights Amendment, Medicare Portability, Reparations, Taxation, Voting; and

WHEREAS the issue of the climate crisis was woven into multiple strands of the 2020 DA Platform but not emphasized in a separate plank[8]; and

WHEREAS the creation of the Democrats Abroad Environment and Climate Crisis Council (DA ECCC) acknowledges the concerns of the leaders and members of Democrats Abroad about this crucial issue;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the “Climate Emergency” be added to the Democrats Abroad list of priorities (both online and in fact)[9]; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Climate Emergency Petition 2022- drafted by Democrats Abroad Environment & Climate Crisis Council- will be disseminated to DA’s membership with results submitted to the Biden-Harris Administration (offices of the President, Vice President) as well as Congress by June 30th, 2022; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the 2024 Democrats Abroad platform should have an updated and strengthened climate crisis and environmental justice plank. 

Footnotes

[1] https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/

[2] IPCC, 2022: Summary for Policy†makers [H.-O. Pörtner, D.C. Roberts, E.S. Poloczanska, K. Mintenbeck, M. Tignor, A. Alegría, M. Craig, S. Langsdorf, S. Löschke, V. Möller, A. Okem (eds.)]. In: Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [H.-O. Pörtner, D.C. Roberts, M. Tignor, E.S. Poloczanska, K. Mintenbeck, A. Alegría, M. Craig, S. Langsdorf, S. Löschke, V. Möller, A. Okem, B. Rama (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press. In Press.

[3] DPCA (Democrats Abroad) Mission Statement, (https://democratsabroad.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/OrgLeaders/pages/3600745955/DA+Vision+Statement+Mission+Statement?preview=/3600745955/3595632886/MissionStatement.pdf)

[4] https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2630?s=1&r=2

[5] https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2630

[6] Funk, C., & Kennedy, B. (2020, April 21). How Americans see climate change and the environment in 7 charts. Retrieved April 11, 2022, from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/21/how-americans-see-climate-change-and-the-environment-in-7-charts/.

[7] https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/english_paris_agreement.pdf

[8]  The 2020 Democrats Abroad Platform (https://www.democratsabroad.org/platform)

[9] Our Priorities (https://www.democratsabroad.org/our_priorities)