Every agency must be a climate agency.
President-elect Biden campaigned and won on unprecedented climate ambition. Now, every federal agency must be a climate agency — and over the coming weeks, Evergreen will lay out five concrete steps each agency can take to deliver on Biden’s climate mandate. The Five to Mobilize campaign provides lawmakers, advocates and incoming federal staff with a clear path for climate action.
You can find all of our published Five to Mobilize memos here, as well as a list of memos to be released in the weeks to come.
>>Visit the Evergreen Action website to learn more about our work<<
Small Business Administration
Biden Takes Big Steps Toward Delivering on Climate Mandate with Week 1 Executive Orders
Today, Evergreen Action Executive Director Jamal Raad released the following statement on President Biden’s latest slate of executive actions to combat the climate crisis:
“Today’s historic executive actions put President Biden off to a great start delivering on his mandate for ambitious climate action. President Biden campaigned on a popular clean energy economic recovery agenda that centers environmental justice and good-paying union jobs for American workers. The Biden/Harris transition team also promised an ‘all-of-government’ effort involving each federal agency in an unprecedented effort to confront the climate crisis and build a just and thriving clean energy economy.
With the swearing-in of Senators Alex Padilla, Raphael Warnock, and Jon Ossoff, Senator Chuck Schumer becomes majority leader for the first time, and for the first time in a decade, Democrats have a governing majority in the House and the Senate. This time, they’ll enter the House, the Senate, and the Presidency broadly unified around Joe Biden’s sweeping climate agenda. Biden ran on the boldest climate plan of any presidential nominee in history, and won a decisive victory. Democrats now have a mandate to deliver on Biden’s plan for robust clean energy standards, transformative investments, and environmental justice.
Majority Leader…
Today Evergreen Action Campaign Director Jamal Raad released the following statement on the inauguration of the 46th President of the United States, Joseph R. Biden.
This is our moment. Joe Biden has the opportunity to make history as the president who mobilizes America to defeat the climate crisis.
Today, Joe Biden will take the oath of office to become the Climate President that America needs. Biden ran on the biggest climate plan of any presidential nominee in American history, and he now has a mandate to deliver decisive action on the climate crisis. …
Originally published January 8, 2021
Joe Biden’s SBA will put small businesses at the heart of a thriving clean energy economy. Under Isabel Guzman’s experienced leadership, the SBA should lead the way with record investments to support innovative clean energy small businesses.
Under Donald Trump, the SBA showed its ability to rapidly move funding to connected fossil fuel companies, including a $10 million loan to a Denver coal company for which former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt had lobbied. Under Joe Biden, the SBA should act with similar speed to deploy loans to clean energy small businesses
As Administrator, Isabel Guzman…
Originally published January 15, 2021
The climate crisis is devastating more communities than ever and the U.S. government is still woefully unprepared for its effects. This year’s raging wildfires, widespread heatwaves, and record hurricane season drove home the destructive consequences of poor climate preparation. FEMA has always been the frontline of the federal reaction to climate change; now President-elect Biden must enlist FEMA in a proactive, all-of-government climate mobilization.
Climate change is costing Americans right now. Last year, the climate crisis cost a record $45 billion, and the fiscal impact is only projected to grow. Biden appointee Deanne Criswell will…
To defeat the climate crisis, every agency of the federal government must become a climate agency. Evergreen Action is calling on every Biden cabinet and agency nominee to detail their plans on climate change as part of their confirmation hearings.
We will keep track of each nominee’s commitments as part of our Biden Cabinet Climate Tracker.
During the transition, Evergreen released “Five to Mobilize,” a series of five actions that each agency should take as part of an all-of-government mobilization to defeat climate change.
Upcoming Hearings:
- Wednesday, February 3 at 10am ET: Miguel Cardona for Sec. of Education
- Wednesday, February…
The world’s top economists are clear: climate change is a major threat and could cause the next recession. President-elect Biden must rein in climate’s systemic risk to our financial system. Selecting Gary Gensler to chair the SEC shows that Biden takes the climate financial risk seriously. During the Obama Administration, Gary Gensler was a strong voice for Wall Street accountability, and he must bring that same approach to the SEC.
Gensler must set new rules to enhance public disclosure of climate risks such as fossil fuel holdings, and emissions reduction targets. The Securities and Exchange Commission’s job is to enforce…
Originally published January 7, 2021
America can’t fight the 21st century’s greatest threat, climate change, with 20th century economic policies. The Department of Commerce will be critical for making the U.S. a leader in the global clean energy economy with millions of good-paying union jobs.
Gina Raimondo has the opportunity to lead the U.S. Department of Commerce to drive major investment in clean energy manufacturing training and jobs across America. The Department of Commerce should work to incentivize clean energy at home and around the world, including joining the U.S. …
Originally published January 7, 2021
Biden must build his climate mobilization on a strong labor foundation. Growing the clean energy economy and strengthening workers rights go hand in hand. The Biden administration has a mandate to make historic climate investments and create millions of good-paying, union jobs in a clean energy economy. The Secretary of Labor must play a critical role in restoring workers rights and investing in America’s workforce for a clean energy economy.
Donald Trump built on decades of damage to lead the most anti-worker administration in recent memory. Mayor Walsh has much damage to undo and he…
