The deepening climate crisis requires urgent, strong action to limit the damage of climate change and protect our children’s future. That requires declaring our independence from oil & gas and its political influence.
President Biden needs to take immediate action on climate with the following steps:
- Use the full power of the Clean Air Act to cut methane pollution from oil and gas production by 65%: Although this won’t solve the oil and gas climate problem, it is the maximum the Biden Administration can do under current law without an obstructionist Congress.
- Declare a National Emergency on climate: This would allow Biden to reinstate the crude oil export ban, and more easily deny permits for new oil and gas infrastructure (like pipelines and export terminals). Exports and new infrastructure lock us in to continued oil and gas production as climate science tells us we need to stop new production now.
- Lay the groundwork for legislation that will end new permitting of oil and gas extraction: To get to zero carbon emissions, we need to stop oil and gas expansion and create a just and equitable transition that ends our reliance on all fossil fuels in favor of renewable energy. That needs Congress. It won’t happen with this one, but power concedes nothing without a demand.