Join us to unpack recent climate news and learn how and where to take action that makes a difference.
Image credit: WZZM 13
Everywhere we look right now we see the worsening impacts of climate change.
The hazy skies overhead bring the drought and wildfires raging across the West close to home. The hurricanes and devastating floods this summer have affected people around the world and in Michigan. (We applaud Gov. Whitmer and lawmakers for allocating $10 million for emergency relief to households impacted by the flooding in Wayne and Washtenaw Counties. We also need to prevent these impacts from worsening).
We couldn't even escape climate news as we watched the Olympic games, likely the hottest summer Olympics ever, as athletes struggle to cope with the heat. Tokyo officials cite climate change and 'heat island effect' as to why the average mean temperature in Tokyo have increased 5.4 degrees F over the past century.
The climate impacts that scientists have been warning us about are here, and the need for significant action to cut emissions is clear. Fortunately, we have a huge opportunity for climate investments right now.
Urge Congress to Invest in Climate NOW
The week before last, Congress announced that a $550 billion bipartisan infrastructure deal had been struck. It includes investments in public transit, transmission, and EV infrastructure, but it also includes subsidies for fossil fuels and logging, and fails to address the climate crisis with the urgency that science and justice demand.
More ambitious climate investments are included in a $3.5 trillion budget proposal from Senate Democrats, including: a federal standard of 80% renewable electricity by 2030 and 100% by 2035, the creation of a Civilian Climate Corps, and other priorities from Biden’s infrastructure plan. The chance to move this forward to avoid a filibuster with the slim majority in Congress is through the budget reconciliation process.
This is a heavy lift, but this window of opportunity in Congress and the window to act on climate make this an incredibly important moment and we must get it done.
Contact your Member of Congress today and urge them to support major investments in climate infrastructure now.
See upcoming events on our website, and send us climate events that we can share here.
Also, check out our latest podcast episode on the health impacts of climate change, featuring Dr. Elizabeth DelBuono with the Michigan Clinicians for Climate Action.
Thanks for all you do for the climate,
MiCAN
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