Newsletters: Thank you, Lorelei

Lorelei,

With the coming of the New Year, many of us take a moment to pause and reflect. We reflect on the triumphs and lows of the previous year, on the ways in which we've grown and how far we've come.

We reflect as a way to look at the year ahead, to bolster our spirits and move with intentionality and a fresh outlook. Join us for a moment as we reflect on the people-powered movements and milestones that stood out in 2018.

Local climate action shined bright in 2018. In September, thousands across the country and around the world took the streets in a massive show of solidarity for global climate action. Rise for Climate, Jobs and Justice was a resounding success as climate activists new and old gathered to speak out on the need for real climate action from local officials.

There were some hard times. Several of the most progressive climate initiatives were on the ballot in the midterm elections. Washington state proposed the most aggressive carbon tax the U.S. has ever seen. Colorado fought hard against the expansion of the fracking industry in it's backyard. Yet, Big Oil outspent communities 40-1 striking a blow to climate action on the ballot.

But, there were also some big wins. In a historic move, New York City divested its $189-billion pension fund from fossil fuels and committed to reinvest $4 billion in solutions. The movement to Keep It In The Ground is gaining momentum with several momentous wins including the recent victory against the Potomac Pipeline. Following years of grassroots organizing and efforts from Indigenous communities, Trump's "presidential permit" for Keystone XL was struck down in a major blow to TransCanada. Meanwhile, farmers and Indigenous leaders built more solar panels in the proposed path of the pipeline.

We saw what bold action looks like. In November, our friends at the Sunrise Movement occupied the halls of Congress to demand a Green New Deal that would create millions of jobs transforming our economy to run on 100% renewable energy. You joined this call for action and it's our job to keep up the momentum in the coming months.

Photo Credit: Bold Nebraska

The world's top climate scientists issued a dire warning: to avoid more than 1.5°C of global warming our societies need a massive overhaul towards renewable energy. As climate disasters like superstorms Hurricane Florence and Michael slammed the South and wildfires tore through the West coast, the IPCC report served as a wake up call to each and every one of us: the climate crisis is severely altering our lives as we know it. We must act now.

We know 2019 will be a pivotal year in the fight for climate justice. There's still much work to do.

People power is the cornerstone of this work, so thank you for being with us and with this movement. We're going to keep up the momentum in 2019 fighting harder than ever to stem the climate crisis. Stay tuned to join us in the fight.

Onward through the New Year!

Avery

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