July 18, 2018

Communities Announce “New York Rise for Climate, Jobs, and Justice” March September 6

In coordination with events around world, broad and diverse coalition demands Governor Cuomo walk the talk on climate ahead of San Francisco-based Global Climate Action Summit

New York, NY — Today, leading New York organizations announced the New York Rise for Climate, Jobs, and Justice march on September 6 around the Global Climate Action Summit. At the Summit, state and local officials are expected to gather in San Francisco to make commitments and fill the void of climate leadership from the Trump administration. New Yorkers are urging Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio and elected officials at all levels to take bold and immediate action on climate change, create hundreds of thousands of good green jobs, and fight for justice for all New Yorkers.

New Yorkers will gather in Battery Park, New York City to call on Governor Andrew Cuomo to walk the talk, and fulfill his promises to move New York State off fossil fuels through: (1) a just transition to 100% renewable energy now; (2) stopping all fossil fuel infrastructure; and (3) making corporate polluters pay for their destruction.

New York has achieved hard-won climate action relative to many states, including the City divesting from fossil fuel companies and suing major oil corporations, a ban on high-volume fracked gas drilling, and a commitment to transition away from coal. Now in the face of a federal administration obliterating protections, and climate impacts like heat waves, wildfires and hurricanes intensifying, communities are highlighting the need for New York to be a model for the rest of the world and go further and faster.

New York Rise takes place in coordination with hundreds of events across the U.S. and around the world, including a dozen actions distributed across New York State, and builds on existing work. Past events from organizers include the 400,000-strong 2014 Peoples’ Climate March, the 5000-strong #Sandy5 march last October, and the Cuomo Walk the Talk On Climate” action in Albany this past April, where 55 New Yorkers from across the state were arrested.

The 110 organizations signed on to participate in RiseNY so far represent thousands of New Yorkers across the City and State from labor unions, youth, peace groups, faith-based and health organizations, climate justice communities, and more. Organizers will hold a city-wide planning meeting next Tuesday, July 24, as well as a series of art builds in the lead-up to the march.

This announcement comes three days before thousands are expected to join the frontline youth-led Zero Hour March happening in New York City, Washington, DC and around the world.

 

QUOTE SHEET:

Thanu Yakupitiyage, U.S. Communications Manager, 350.org, said:

“Now is New York Governor Cuomo’s chance to walk the talk and prove he’s a real climate leader. With Trump and his fossil fuel cronies treating our communities like we are expendable, it’s more crucial than ever that Cuomo and officials at all levels fill this void with bold and immediate action to protect people and our home. The costs of climate inaction are paid for in the lives and livelihoods of New Yorkers. We are demanding what’s popular, fair, and necessary: a fossil free New York with 100% renewables for all, no new fossil fuel projects, and polluters paying for their destruction.”

Eddie Bautista, Executive Director, New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, said:

“Climate change affects everyone but brings the greatest threats to low-income communities and communities of color, who have also long dealt with the unfair burden of the extractive fossil-fuel based economy. Our elected officials have a moral imperative to show true leadership in the face of a climate change-denying Trump Administration. We join our allies in calling for a rapid transition to 100% renewable energy, an end to fossil fuel infrastructure, and making polluters pay.”

Steve Breyman, Vice-Chair, Green Education and Legal Fund, said:

“As the intensity and frequency of extreme weather accelerates, we can not afford politicians dithering any longer about taking climate action. We must immediately halt any new investments in fossil fuels and rapidly end their use. We need a planet wide mobilization – a Green New Deal – to build as rapidly as possible a just, sustainable future based on 100% clean, renewable energy. And the Exxons and Shells of the world which knowingly profited from climate disruption must be held financially accountable.”

Zi Chua, Sunrise NYC, said:

“Sunrise will rise in New York because Governor Andrew Cuomo continues to stand with fossil fuel executives, all the while collaborating with state officials who are stalling legislation that would protect our homes and families. It’s long past time for Governor Cuomo to stand with young New Yorkers and against fossil fuel billionaires.”

Aaron Eisenberg, Climate Justice Working Group, NYC Democratic Socialists of America, said:

“In this moment of crisis — when our democracy, livelihoods, and climate are existentially threatened — it is not enough to resist. We must also build an alternative vision of our future that is radically just and sustainable. One where we control our energy and our democracy; reclaimed by the people, for the people. On September 6th, we will come together in Battery Park to affirm that vision. We rise against powerful fossil fuel companies whose greed runs deeper than oil. We rise for a sustainable future where people and planet are placed above profit. We recognize that we will never achieve a #JustTransition if we do not rise in solidarity with frontline communities against the worst abominations of capital. We rise for climate, jobs and justice because we have a world to win.”

Kim Fraczek and Lee Ziesche, Sane Energy Project, said:

“While Governor Cuomo is presenting himself as a climate leader on the national stage, the truth is New York’s current energy policy is crushing the development of community solar and billions are still being invested in fracked gas infrastructure.  New Yorkers deserve real climate leadership to bring about the swift, just transition we need to ensure all of our citizen have access to clean, affordable energy.”

Jon Forster, Local 375/DC37/AFSCME, said:

“We Rise as organized labor because climate change impacts us in our homes, in our neighborhoods and in our workplaces. We Rise as unions because the growing climate crisis will become the most important issue of our time. We Rise as workers because climate chaos would devastate us all.”

Patrick Houston, Climate & Inequality Campaigns Organizer, New York Communities for Change, said:

“Climate action cannot be measured down against the least common denominator- such as the backward steps of the Trump administration. Rather, climate action must be measured up against the predictions of the science community. So when Koch funded electeds like Governor Cuomo claim to be climate leaders, the people must rise to demand real and transformative climate leadership, rather than be appeased by Cuomo’s empty climate rhetoric. And so, on September 6th, we rise.”

Jeff Levy-Lyons, Jewish Climate Action Network NYC, said:

​Jewish Climate Action Network NYC (JCAN NYC) raises the voices of the Jewish community to protect sacred creation by living sustainably on our common home​. On Sept. 6 we​ rise with all New Yorkers to call for our leaders to make bold commitments to move ​our city and state​ to a clean energy economy ​with good, green jobs and​ environmental justice for all.”

Nancy Lorence, Metro NY Catholic Climate Movement, said:

“As Catholics, We Rise and we are still in! Over 600 U.S. Catholic institutions have signed a declaration saying so. We Rise because life itself is threatened by climate change. We Rise because climate change will affect most those who have the least.  We Rise as a moral and ethical stance. We Rise for our children and our grandchildren who face a future less than our own. We Rise for the common good of all.”

Molly Ornati, Co-Facilitator, 350Brooklyn, said:

“In the Trump era we rise to demand as a nation we address climate change, and put human survival above corporate profit.  Together we will resist the attacks against immigrants, people of color, the poor and all legislation that supports the reckless pursuits of the 1%.  Together we rise in the name of environmental, racial and economic justice.”

Juleon Robinson, Program Associate, New Economy Project, said:

“New Economy Project works with community groups to build a just economy grounded in equity, cooperation, racial justice, and ecological sustainability. As the Trump administration fuels the climate crisis—threatening communities here and around the world—we must rise up in the name of just future, for New Yorkers and for our planet.”

Nancy Romer, Ph.D., core organizer of People’s Climate Movement-NY, Divest NY, Environmental Justice Working Group of Professional Staff Congress-CUNY/ AFT #2334, and Labor Network for Sustainability, said:

“As the planet heats up causing storms, wildfires, tornadoes, and severe changes in conditions for growing food and providing water, with hundreds of thousands of people seeking to escape from war-torn and failed states, we see a right wing response globally.  In the US these crises are met by Trump’s moves toward fascism. The climate crisis, along with extreme inequality, further erode democracy. On September 6 in Battery Park in NYC we are demanding a turn toward democratic values: putting people & the planet ahead of corporate profits, prioritizing government projects that will end the fossil fuel regime and create 100% renewable energy. We need to recruit people most affected by the present system of inequality for the millions of new jobs in a fossil-free economy while training and protecting workers presently working in the deadly fossil fuel  industry. We can no longer survive on Planet Earth assuming infinite resources on a planet with finite resources. We must take stock now and change before it is too late.”

Allen Roskoff, President, The Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, said:

“The Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, named after the founding president of the Gay Activist Alliance, joins hands with our brothers and sisters to fight the Trump administration as they are doing irreparable damage to our planet.  Fighting for civil rights and equality must include fighting the climate crisis for the sake of humanity.”

Harriet Shugarman, Chapter Chair, The Climate Reality Project NYC Metro Chapter, said:

“The Climate Reality Project NYC Metro Chapter stands in solidarity with communities across the metro area and around the country, as together we Rise for Climate, Jobs, and Justice. We in the New York City metro area are on the front lines of climate change. We demand bolder and more immediate climate action from all our elected officials. Now, our future, and the world our children will live in, depends in large part on what we do today. From the streets of New York City in September to the voting booths in November, together we Rise.”

Margaret Tran, Organizer at Action Corps NYC, said:

“Action Corps NYC rises to agitate and advocate for climate, jobs, and justice! Governor Cuomo, let’s lead the way by moving off fossil fuels now.”

Eric Weltman, a Brooklyn-based senior organizer for Food & Water Watch, said:

“New York and the country are looking to Governor Cuomo to be a true climate leader. This means moving off fossil fuels entirely – shutting down pipelines, power plants and all dirty energy infrastructure – and transitioning the state to 100 percent clean, renewable energy by 2030.”

Alex Tindal Wiesendanger, campaign coordinator for the NY Renews coalition, said:

“The over 140 organizations of NY Renews statewide are calling on Governor Cuomo to be a true climate leader on the national stage this fall. The Governor can create hundreds of thousands of green jobs and protect the health and safety of millions of New Yorkers by passing legislation to transition New York to 100% renewable energy. We need to move beyond playing defense to the Trump administration’s egregious injustices; we need a leader who fights for a 100% renewable economy that prioritizes our most vulnerable communities and inspires other states to follow suit.”

Robert Wood, Stop the Williams Pipeline Coalition, said:

Climate change is already affecting New York’s frontline communities, and projects like the proposed Williams NESE pipeline, which would carry fracked gas under New York Harbor, would ​only fuel the fire. We rise to demand that Cuomo ​do what is so obviously right for these and other New Yorkers: ban ​all ​fossil fuel infrastructure​ and embrace a more equitable, sustainable future.”

Irene Woodard, Board Member, GreenFaith, said:

“There’s one non-negotiable for people of faith: the Earth, God’s creation, is a sacred gift whose care is in our hands. It couldn’t be clearer that all our elected officials need to get serious, much more serious, about the climate threat and take action at the level needed to protect all people – particularly the most vulnerable among us.  That’s why people of faith and spirit, in New York and around the world, are rising for climate, jobs and justice this September.”

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Contact: Lindsay Meiman, 350.org, [email protected], +1 (347) 460-9082

For more on the New York Rise for Climate, Jobs, and Justice march, visit: pcmny.org

For more on the global Rise for Climate action, visit: riseforclimate.org

 

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