Stop The Attack On Our Clean Air!
10,404 signatures toward our 30,000 Goal
Sponsor: The Rainforest Site
Don't let special interests win over in the battle against global warming.
Global warming has reached its highest point on record and it's still increasing. What's worse, at times our own Congress has been working against solving this crisis.
Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels have significantly increased since 19001, but CO2 emissions have increased by about 90%, with emissions from fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes contributing about 78% of the total greenhouse gas emissions increase from 1970 to 2011. Agriculture, deforestation, and other land-use changes have been the second-largest contributors to this environmental damage2.
U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions fell by an estimated 11% in 2020 as travel restrictions were in effect3, however, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects that energy-related CO2 emissions in the United States will increase in 2021. Total energy-related CO2 emissions may yet increase to 4.9 billion metric tons in 20224.
Under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is able to set standards limiting carbon dioxide and other dangerous emissions. At times, however, Congress members motivated by special interests have taken actions that only serve to accelerate the current climate emergency. Since January 2017, Congress has introduced at least 76 attacks on the Clean Air Act5.
Climate-denying elected officials cast doubt on the clear, established scientific consensus that the world is warming6 — and that human activity is to blame. These same politicians receive millions in lifetime contributions from the coal, oil, and gas industries7.
There is no reason our elected leaders should be supporting causes that harm Americans. Special interests should never come before human and environmental health. Sign the petition below and tell Congress to protect our Clean Air Act from being polluted by special interests!
- United States Environmental Protection Agency (4 December 2020), "Global Anthropogenic Emissions of Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases 1990-2020."
- Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (2019), "Global Emissions."
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (16 December 2020), "EIA expects U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions to fall 11% in 2020."
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (26 January 2021), "After 2020 decline, EIA expects energy-related CO2 emissions to increase in 2021 and 2022."
- Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund (2019), "Attacks on the Clean Air Act.."
- NASA (1 July 2021), "Global Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet
- Ari Drennen and Sally Hardin, Center for American Progress (30 March 2021), "Climate Deniers in the 117th Congress."
The Petition:
Dear chairs of the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Subcommittee on Environment,
I implore you to keep our air clean, and keep special interests from eroding our off the Clean Air Act.
Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels are the biggest contributor to our worsening climate crisis, and have significantly increased since 1970. CO2 emissions could further increase to 4.8 billion metric tons in 2021 and 4.9 billion metric tons in 2022.
At this rate, future Americans will be in big trouble, yet we continue to see legislative action supporting some of the worst polluters.
We can't continue to favor special interests over the health of our environment. When it comes down to profit versus conservation, the United States has a terrible track record, having racked up some 76 attacks on the Clean Air Act alone.
It's time we realize that profit will mean nothing if we live in a polluted world.
Do not rewrite one of our most critical environmental laws for the sake of improving a bottom line. I demand you stand up for the health of all Americans and protect the Clean Air Act from any legislation that eases emissions restrictions.
Sincerely,
