Tell Biden: It's time to declare a climate emergency

Dear President Biden,

I'm heartened by the positive pieces included in the recently signed Inflation Reduction Act – the largest federal investment in climate solutions to date. But this bill falls short of the true investments our communities need.

As a result, we urge you to put us on an emergency footing and aggressively use your executive powers to further address the climate crisis, create good-paying union jobs in the United States, and liberate hard-working American families from volatile energy prices. I implore you to declare a climate emergency, unlocking special powers and resources to stop crude oil exports and robustly fund the Defense Production Act so we can ramp up manufacturing for renewable energy. Employ the broad powers of the National Emergency Act (NEA) and immediately pursue an array of regulatory and administrative actions to slash emissions, protect public health, support national and energy security, and improve our air and water quality.

The climate crisis is one of the biggest emergencies we have ever faced, and time is running out. Addressing this crisis head-on, with the full authorities you possess is a win for the environment, public health, the planet, and workers. We urge you to act boldly, declare this crisis the national emergency that it is, and embark upon bold regulatory and administrative action.