PEOPLE Vs. FOSSIL FUELS
is a coalition of over 1,200 climate justice, Indigenous, Black, Latino, social justice, economic justice, progressive, environmental, youth, faith, and other organizations working together towards a common goal of ending the era of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are catastrophic for the environment, biodiversity, frontline communities, and global populations. Leaders can either choose to side with their communities and phase out fossil fuels, or with the industry and fossil fuel executives, pushing us closer into climate crisis and catastrophe.
Our Demands: President Biden Must…
Declare a Climate Emergency
Ban federal fossil fuel leasing
Stop the federal approval of all new fossil fuel projects and exports.
—> Read more in the Build Back Fossil Free Executive Action Plan
GET INVOLVED —> Sign up to have our People Vs. Fossil fuels Organizer Reach out to you:
OUR CAMPAIGN FOR A FOSSIL FREE FUTURE
Since 350 New Hampshire signed onto the People vs Fossil Fuels Demands, we took action to push our members of Congress and President Biden to fight for a fossil free future. We participated in a coordinated day of action, spreading the word about a climate emergency declaration by dropping a banner over a highway in New Hampshire. We continue to pressure Biden to declare a climate emergency and hold our Members of Congress accountable for a just transition and prevention of future fossil fuel projects.
We also stopped Senator Manchin’s dirty permit reform side deal he made in an effort to fast track his fossil fuel projects. We met with NH politicians like Representative Chris Pappas and Senator Jeanne Shaheen to discuss the harmful impacts of the bill on our communities. We made hundreds of phone calls into legislative offices to pressure them to oppose the bill and stand with frontline communities.
This work is deeply connected to our campaign to shut down the last remaining coal plant in New England and prevent new fossil fuel projects in New Hampshire. If Biden declares a climate emergency, it will benefit all of us by stopping new pipeline proposals, rapidly expanding solar and wind energy projects, and bringing costs of utilities down. This emergency declaration will also help us shut down outdated fossil fuel plants (coal!) and enact a just transition for workers in fossil fuel fields.
Send a letter to THE WHITE HOUSE URGING BIDEN TO DECLARE A CLIMATE EMERGENCY
Now is a pivotal moment to push the President to take bold climate action.
Thus far, Congress and the Administration have focused on ramping up renewable energy. This will only make a difference for our climate if the President also begins to ramp down fossil fuels. It is our job to hold him accountable on both fronts - especially now as the world is literally on fire.
Biden broke his promise to end new federal fossil fuel leasing, failed to stop mega-polluting projects like the Line 3 tar sands pipeline, and is backing false promises from the industry like "carbon capture & storage” that are often used as an excuse for extending the fossil fuel era.
Now, more than ever, we must push the President to act! It is our job to hold him accountable to be the climate president and end the era of fossil fuels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Biden need to declare a climate emergency?
Invoking a national emergency over climate change would enable President Biden to enact expansive actions to reduce greenhouse gas production — such as banning U.S. crude oil exports, ending offshore drilling or preventing future fossil fuel projects and pipelines from being approved. These actions are necessary and urgent in order to create a just transition to renewable energy and enact climate justice to frontline communities.
Who are frontline communities?
Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and low income communities statistically are at the greatest risk of climate catastrophe right now. New Fossil Fuel projects and existing ones are most likely to be placed in these communities, making them frontline in the battle for climate justice. Additionally, traditional ecological knowledge from indigenous communities and organizations are paramount for climate solutions. Our youth, farmers, and those close to places of extreme weather patterns are also frontline communities, as they all have extreme risk as the climate crisis worsens.
Why do we need to prevent future fossil fuel projects?
Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas results in significant carbon pollution. In order to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis, we have to cycle out fossil fuels. Fossil Fuel projects have also created local problems such as air and noise pollution, significant health risks, economic devastation, and diminishing of affordable housing. We already have significant resources and research in renewable energy investments. We need to prevent future fossil fuel projects from being approved so that we can value our communities and futures over oil corporate profits and handouts.
How is this relevant to New Hampshire?
New Hampshire has several existing fossil fuel projects, and companies here are always trying to build new fossil fuel infrastructure like the defeated Granite Bridge Pipeline. The coal plant in Bow is the last remaining coal plant in New England. In just one hour, this coal plant emits as much carbon into the atmosphere as the average person emits in 26 years of their life. Additionally, there is also a proposal to build an asphalt plant in a residential area of downtown Nashua. This asphalt plant would be a huge pollutant and health risk for the community and will use fossil fuels to create the asphalt. We must prevent future fossil fuel projects like the asphalt plant from being built and get shutdown dates for existing fossil fuel projects that are outdated, like the coal plant in Bow.