Demands
Read about our demands for September 23 and beyond
DEMANDS
Citywide:
Demand: New York City must follow through on declaring a climate emergency, and take immediate actions.
Why: Declarations do not mean anything without the necessary, tangible action.
What must happen next: Below are two of the many actions we are demanding the state and city governments take to address the climate crisis:
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The Adams Administration Must Fully Enforce and Fund Local Law 97. It must tightly limit REC use, hire additional staff to help with the enforcement, and ensure that the final regulations maximize pollution cuts and the number of jobs created. Local Law 97, nicknamed NYC’s Green New Deal for buildings, targets the emissions caused by the buildings of one of the densest cities in the world and it was a consequential moment toward climate action in one of the most polluting cities when it passed the council in 2019, we must make sure that the legislation is fully and properly enforced when it comes into effect in 2024. Learn more about the attacks on local law 97 here.
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[SUCCESS] Gov. Hochul Must Sign the Moratorium on Cryptocurrency Mining Bill immediately. This bill (S6486D), which has already passed the legislature, is critical to taking action on the climate crisis. The cryptocurrency industry is responsible for a seismic amount of greenhouse gas emissions, and if we, as a city or state, are to act on the climate emergency, Gov. Hochul must sign this bill into law immediately. We additionally demand that Mayor Adams come out in support of the bill and recognize the harm the cryptocurrency industry is causing to our communities, and to our climate.
National:
Demand: Biden must declare a Climate Emergency
Why: A climate emergency will give Biden the funds necessary to invest in renewable energy. It will also give him the ability to create policies and take actions that decrease the amount of greenhouse gasses we are emitting. Such a declaration will signal a shift toward climate action by an administration that has not shown adequate understanding of the severity of the climate crisis to citizens of the US and to the world. The Inflation Reduction Act was not nearly enough.
What must happen next: Once Biden declares a climate emergency he must use funds that have been set aside for disasters and emergencies due to the Stafford Act to reduce the United States’ climate crisis contributing emissions. Biden must also stop the export of crude oil by reinstating a ban overturned in 2015. This regulation could cut up to 165 million metric tons of greenhouse gasses from being emitted per year. Furthermore, Biden must stop the US from investing in fossil fuel companies overseas and stop the creation of all new fossil fuel projects within the US.
International (1):
Demand: The United States of America must vote yes in the UN general assembly to request an Advisory Opinion on Climate Justice from the International Court of Justice.
Why: An AO from the ICJ would establish the connection between human rights and the climate crisis legally while also promoting intergenerational equity. For example, in the Pacific, where this campaign originated), the rights to food and water are already being compromised by the climate crisis. Furthermore, there is currently a weak legal foundation in place protecting the rights of future generations, for stopping harms that are currently occurring, this would significantly strengthen that.
What must happen next: AO from the ICJ would establish the connection between human rights and the climate crisis legally while also promoting intergenerational equity. For example, in the Pacific, where this campaign originated), the rights to food and water are already being compromised by the climate crisis. This would provide more legal precedent for cases like Juliana vs. US or lawsuits against pipelines that currently must use health problems as proof of harm. Passing the AO would also encourage an international paradigm shift on climate action, bringing human rights to the forefront.
International (2):
Demand: We demand all governments declare support for the recognition of ecocide (mass damage and destruction of ecosystems) as an international crime.
Why: Climate crisis and biodiversity loss are symptoms. Ecocide is a root cause, and it will continue with impunity unless a strong legal deterrent is put in place.
What Next: We call on governments to protect nature, climate and our future and declare support for a law to stop ecocide.