Press Release
August 17, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 17, 2020
CONTACT: Katherine Zaremba, 541.224.4262
[email protected]
Kevin Samy | [email protected]
ENVIROVOTERS STATEMENT: “THE CLIMATE CRISIS ISN’T ON HOLD DURING THE PANDEMIC”
Oakland, CA – The California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters) today released a statement responding to Governor Newsom’s executive order addressing current events that Californians are experiencing, from wildfires, to record heat, and rolling blackouts. The statement highlights the urgent need to address the climate crisis with a big and bold approach.
Statement from Mary Creasman, CEO, California Environmental Voters:
“For some, this week’s record high temperatures and rolling blackouts will be an uncomfortable inconvenience. For others, it is a matter of life and death being exacerbated by reactive actions to roll back restrictions on the very corporations that got us to this place. Californians are facing wildfires (and fire tornadoes), toxic air, record heat, rolling blackouts, an oil refinery explosion, thunderstorms, and thousands of gallons of sewage being dumped into our water.
The climate crisis isn’t on hold just because we are in a pandemic, and what’s clear is how unready we are for this crisis. While we need to do everything we can in this moment to protect families and our most vulnerable populations, it is the same vulnerable communities most impacted by waiving our clean air rules to allow for diesel generators to exacerbate the problem.
Our failure is that we haven’t acted big enough or bold enough to prepare for this moment. Our failure is in approaching impacts from the climate crisis in a natural disaster response way only, instead of consistently and boldly investing in prevention and preparation. We know why we are faced with this reality, and yet we are failing to change to avoid this reality worsening. If we do the same things, we will get the same results.
It’s time for our state government to create a path forward that rebuilds our economy in a way that is green and just and that makes us more resilient and stops the most catastrophic scenario. We don’t have time to wait, the lives of Californians are on the line.”
ABOUT CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS
California Environmental Voters (formerly the California League of Conservation Voters) believes the climate crisis is here and this moment requires transformative change. California has the policy solutions to stop climate change but lacks the political will to do it at the rate and scale that’s necessary. EnviroVoters exists to build the political power to solve the climate crisis, advance justice, and create a roadmap for global action. We organize voters, elect and train candidates, and hold lawmakers accountable for bold policy change. We won’t stop until we have resilient, healthy, thriving communities, and a democracy and economy that is just and sustainable for all. Join us at www.envirovoters.org and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. See more press releases.
