U.S. must take accountability for its role in the climate crisis and commit to tripling renewable energy and full fossil fuel phaseout
GLOBAL – The U.S. is currently the world’s largest producer and exporter of oil and gas, outpacing Russia and Saudi Arabia, and has historically played a disproportionate role in causing and exacerbating the climate crisis with a disproportionate impact on countries in the Global South.
As U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris arrives in Dubai and prepares to speak at the UN climate talks, we are calling on her and the Biden administration to make firm commitments towards a full fossil fuel phaseout—including oil and gas, not just coal—and tripling justly-sourced, justly-implemented renewable energy. VP Harris’ attendance at COP28 is a direct response to the climate movements’ pressure on the Biden administration once they revealed that President Biden would not be attending.
Jeff Ordower, 350.org North America Director said:
“U.S. Vice President Harris’ last minute trip to COP28 reveals that public pressure works. Neither Harris nor President Biden were scheduled to attend. After the climate movement called on President Biden to take COP28 more seriously, his administration sent VP Harris to join Climate Envoy John Kerry and the rest of the U.S. delegation. We must now continue that public pressure and call on the full U.S. delegation—including VP Harris, who has a history of advocating for climate progress—to take accountability for the US’ role in the climate crisis and commit to tripling renewable energy and a full fossil fuel phaseout.”
JL Andrepont, 350.org Senior Policy Analyst said:
“The United States is consistently in the position of having access to the financial capital necessary to address their part in the global climate crisis, while also having a historical responsibility to do so. The U.S. is now the largest exporter of oil and gas and is still the second biggest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions. While we appreciate the strides that the Biden administration has taken to push renewable energy at home, we need a fast, full, phase out of all fossil fuels in the U.S. and around the globe, including oil and gas, combined with justly sourced and implemented renewable energy for all. We don’t have any more time to waste on dangerous distractions like Carbon Capture and Storage or hydrogen. The U.S. also needs to increase its financial commitments to loss and damage funds and be the climate leader our planet needs to address the climate crisis while we still can.”
Media Contacts:
At COP28:
Kim Bryan / [email protected] / +44 7770 881503
Remote:
Melanie Smith / [email protected]
[email protected]