Current Issue

OPED

Green New Year resolutions: Do nothing half-measures must end by elected officials and the environmental community, oped by Former Maryland State Sen. Gerald Winegrad

The Trump Administration’s destructive warfare against longstanding conservation laws, many enacted under Republican presidents, trickled down to state and local levels including collapsing formal Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts. More

OPED

NY pension fund divestment from fossil fuels a big win for fight against climate change, oped by Katelyn M. Kriesel, Councilmember in the town of Manlius, New York

This week, in an announcement heard around the world, New York state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli committed to divest the New York state pension fund from fossil fuel companies by 2025. . . . Their business models are no longer viable, and their inability or unwillingness to adapt will render them obsolete. More

OPED

At the crux of this critical transition, both our Capitol and our planet are under siege, oped by Brianna Cunliffe – PEN Chief Investigative Reporter

The seven senators who voted to overturn a legitimate election and bolstered a violent attempted coup have received a total of $5.4 million from oil and gas corporations. This is no coincidence. The desperate and dangerous rhetoric of Donald Trump and his loyalists and the insidious influence of the fossil fuel industry have one thing in common: lies. More

Investigative Report

Over 32 states have roadmaps for climate action—Here’s Maine’s climate action plan that creates jobs

By Ramona du Houx – – Trump’s administration opposed and aggressively attacked climate change progress with rollbacks on environmental regulation and favors to the oil industry, amongst other climate destroying efforts. However, during the same time, state climate action has accelerated as more states took increasingly ambitious actions. As of September, 2020, 33 states have released a climate action plan or are in the process of revising or developing one. This includes 22 states that have released plans, 8 states that are updating their plans, and 1 state that is developing a plan. Since then that one state, Maine announced its plan, detailed in this report. . . . More

Environment

Scientists Push for ‘Massive-Scale Mobilization’ to fight climate crisis

WATCH DOCUMENTARY VIDEO A new study in the journal Nature Climate Change warned existing carbon pollution will cause global temperatures to rise about 4.1 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial levels—with devastating consequences worldwide. In 2020, 11,000 scientists from 153 countries came together to declare a climate emergency based on their report titled World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency. The same researchers now say an urgent massive-scale mobilization is necessary to address the human-caused global crisis. The climate emergency has arrived and is accelerating more rapidly than most researchers anticipated. Every effort must be made to reduce emissions and increase removals of atmospheric carbon in order to restore the melting Arctic and end the deadly cycle of damage that the current climate is delivering.  . . .  More

Explore our videos, podcasts, and documentaries with elected officials

From California to Maine elected officials share their stories with us about how they are working to combat the climate crises in their communities, state and nation.

Danielle Adams, Supervisor County Soil & Water: The truth is our planet is in peril

Danielle recently founded the Hemp Equity Network, which is a network aimed at providing agricultural and business resources and information to Black farmers in North Carolina interested in the hemp industry. .\ To learn more about Danielle and her efforts  watch the video – please click here.

Jenna Wadsworth, NC Supervisor Wake County Soil and Water: climate change is an issue we must address now

In 2010, Jenna made history as the youngest woman ever elected to public office in the state of North Carolina when she won her race for Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor. To learn more about Jenna and to watch the video please click here.

Meghan Sahli Wells, CA Culver City Mayor: President-elect Biden we need a climate

Meghan served the Culver City Council for ten years and transformed the entire city into using 100 percent clean renewable energy, put an end to oil wells and helped with a just transition. Here she speaks about how important it is for elected officials from across the country to unite and push for a National Climate Emergency Plan. To  watch the video please click here.