Transcripts For CSPAN3 Climate State Of The Union 20180201

Bill mckevin and hip hop president reverend lenox yearwood in the is just over 90 minutes. [ applause ] thank you. [ applause ] thank you. Thank you. [ applause ] well, let me begin by thanking all of you here and folks watching live stream all over this country for standing up for our environment, for standing up for the fossil fuel industry, and telling them that shortterm profits are not more important than the future of our planet. Thank you all very much. [ applause ] and i want to i want to give special thanks to the Howard University gospel choir for their great performance. [ applause ] and i want to thank 350. Org and the other organizations involved in this event. And ill tell you why. Its not just that bill mckib ben is a neighbor of mine in vermont, its that i am inspired, i am truly inspired by the work that you are doing. And your understanding that while donald trump wants ton divi to divide us up, you are helping to bring people from all walks of life together. [ applause ] and not only all walks of life in the United States of america when we talk about Climate Change, it goes without saying that we are talking about a Global Crisis and that its imperative that we bring people all over the world together to fight to save this planet. [ applause ] you know, last night we heard President Trumps state of the union address. [ booing ]. And it is my job as the United States senator to have to be there, thats what i got to do. But among the many other, many of the absurd and dishonest things and ugly things that he said, there is one interesting reality, in that you go to the Scientific Community and you say to them what is the major Global Crisis that we face, the vast majority of them will say it is Climate Change and they will say that it is absolutely imperative and a life and death issue that we have got to transform our Energy System away from fossil fuel to Sustainable Energy. [ applause ] and yet donald trump spoke last night for over an hour. He talked about many things, but somehow he forgot to mention the words Climate Change. What an outrage. But we should not be surprised because donald trump, one of the great scientists of our time, has determined after years and years of exhaustive study that Climate Change is a hoax brought to us from china. And based on that brilliant analysis, not only does he not talk about Climate Change, but horrifically and dangerously he has appointed administrators of the epa, of the department of energy who are doing everything they can to stop the Movement Towards Sustainable Energy. [ booing ]. And what we are about here tonight and all over this country and what we will be about tomorrow as we knock on doors as we get involved in grassroots politics [ applause ] what we are about is telling donald trump and the Koch Brothers and all of these people that their days are numbered. Fossil fuels days are numbered. We are going to transform our Energy System. [ cheers and applause ] if donald trump doesnt know it, i know that you do, that this planet is warming at an alarming rate. 2017 was the second hottest year on record behind only 2016. And 17 of the 18 hottest years have occurred since 2001. Yes, mr. Trump, Climate Change is real. [ applause ] and what you have seen in people all across this country have seen, sometimes in very tragic ways are the kinds the kinds of extreme weather disturbances that have impacted so many people, the type of flooding that is impacting not only areas of the United States but places all over the world, drought, wildfires, heat waves, extreme storms, mudslides, rising sea levels, and much, much more. In terms of Climate Change, the debate is over. What we now have to understand is the issue in front of us is not a scientific debate, it has everything to do with political will. [ applause ] some of you may have noticed the other day that the Koch Brothers and their billionaire friends are planning to spend some 400 million on the 2018 elections. [ booing ]. 400 million coming from a handful of billionaires. And that tells me and tells you that not only do we have to take on the fossil fuel industry, to disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision. [ applause ] because because whether the issue is Climate Change, whether the issue is health care and the need to move this country to a medicare for all single payer system, whether the issue is daca and the need for comprehensive immigration reform, whether the issue is raising the minimum wage to a living wage, whether the issue is making public colleges and universities tuition free, whether the issue is protecting a womans right to choose, and establishing equal pay for equal work. All of those issues and many more are issues that the American People want resolved. They want a government. They want an economy. They want an environment that works for all of us, not just the few. Now, the good news, at all of you know, is notwithstanding trump in our country and cities and towns and states and all over this world, we are making significant progress in transforming our global Energy System. In chile, the lowest cost electricity ever produced is coming from solar. And in our own country, we are seeing hundreds of thousands of goodpaying jobs being established through wind and solar and geothermal and other sustainable energies. There is no doubt in my mind and by the way, no doubt in corporate americas mind, who are investing more and more in Sustainable Energy and less and less in fossil fuels. There is no doubt that the future is with us. That we will create an Energy System which is clean, nonpolluting, and sustainable. Now, that is what we will do, and the question is how quickly we will accomplish that, so my request of of you is please get involved in the political process. Start running for office. You can do it. You can run for school board, city council, state legislature, congress, or the senate. Trust me. I work in the senate. I know that you can do it. So, brothers and sisters, we got a lot of work in front of us, but i am honestly so inspired by seeing people all over this country do extraordinary work, and i know that you are going to get involved in that process. And let me conclude as a father of four and a grandfather of seven. What we are talking about is nothing less than the future of this planet. And in this struggle, we cannot, we must not fail, and with your hard work, i know we will succeed. And now, i want to introduce to you your mcs for the evening, reverend Lennox Yearwood of the hip hop caucus and Bill Mckibben of 350. Org. Thank you all very much. [ applause ] you tell them. You tell them. You can do better than that. Lets make some noise for senator Bernie Sanders. [ applause ] so, before we get started, let me say this. As you can see from my hat, i actually want to start by giving honor to, one, all of the amazing climate activists like bertha, who gave their lives for this movement. [ applause ] and for an amazing equity Freedom Fighter warrior, my friend, erica garner. [ applause ] and those things those things are connected, for those who are watching who may not know that erica garners father was killed by the new York Police Department in an illegal choke hold. You saw him. His last words were, i cant breathe. And erica sprung up. And whats the connection with the climate, though, is even if he hadnt been choked, eric garner and all his children had asthma, and so even for him and then when erica died, she had an asthma attack, which then created a heart attack, which put her in a coma and she died at 27 just one month ago. So i want to lead off with that, because these things are connected. And so with that, you know, i just want to thank all of the activists who are watching around the the over 300 house parties. Make some noise for the house parties. [ applause ] who are fighting this fight on the local level and even groups here like ccan who has booths in the background and are studying the pipelines that are running through here, locally. Now, as you know, i am the rev and if yall know, our keystone fights and from standing rock, its time to get fired up. Are yall ready . [ applause ] oh, oh. I cant they cant hear you. Are you ready . [ applause ] if youre ready, and youre ready to be a part of the resistance and to go fossil free fast, somebody make some noise [ applause ] brother i brought you a present from vermont. Thank you very much for that. Take a bite. See what you think. Now, there is a reason that reverend yearwood is eating the apple tonight, okay . Vermont apple. They asked me to come up with a name for this thing tonight. I think they asked because i was a writer. They said, write a script. Come up with a name. So i said, okay, well call it fossil free fast, because it has three fs in a row. Im a writer. The alphabets kind of our jam, you know . And i thought it was terrific, but i forgot just how zealous some of our colleagues really were. I started hearing from people around the country saying, when am i supposed to stop eating . And was like, what . Fast. So, i am glad that everybody is so committed that they would go without food if need be. And we will let you know if the need arises for this. But if theres anybody out at any of these house parties or something just sitting there with a glass of water in front of them, now is the time to go get the doritos, you know . And bring them forward. Because we need you strong. Thats right. Because we have to go swiftly. Thats right. Rapidly. With dispatch. Okay . And the reason and the reason and here im reminded that my job in the world is basically to bum people out, okay . The reason we have to go fast is because we are behind. Because things are not going well. Think about the last six months in this country and this country only covers 2 of the planets surface, but think about this country. We had the biggest rainstorm in American History, 4. 5 feet of water fell on houston. We had the longest stretch of extreme winds, 185 Miles Per Hour with hurricane irma. Hurricane maria brought utter devastation, longest blackout in our history, a third of that island, our fellow americans, still without power now. Then we had the deadliest wild fire in california history killing 42 people in napa and sonoma and we had the largest wild fire in california history, and it happened in december, two months after wild fire season is supposed to end, because weve changed the world. Because were breaking it. In january, epic rains fell on the land, made barren by those fires, and the mudslides killed 25 people. Its a different, different world. I didnt know that we were supposed to be depressing people. And if thats the case, then i could do better than that. Now, now, yes, and a few boos, but the reality is that he has the power right now. And hes using that power for the fossil fuel industry and big oil and gas and coal, and hes using that power to damage our communities. But heres a chart. Of new solar installations worldwide. And next to that chart well, no, not that guy, and next to that chart, you have new solar installations here in the u. S. You remember that chart. The big the big blue spike was the obama administration. Yes. And then and then, thats the thing. And then while three months during this administration and after that, after that big blue spike, you saw, it goes off a cliff. A cliff called trump, koch and exxon. So our job tonight, beginning tonight, is to turn that around. Were not going to turn it around in washington, not for the moment, even if trump left, the men around him would keep the same course, okay . But the big marble buildings here in d. C. Are not the only halls of power that there are. [ applause ] thats right. We have weve got some other ways to wipe that smug grin off his face. Three ways, to be specific, three arms of this campaign that were unveiling tonight. Number one, a fast, Just Transition to 100 Renewable Energy. Number two, an end to new fossil fuel projects. No new fossil fuel fossil fuel infrastructure. Three, not one penny more flowing toward dirty energy. [ applause ] those those three pieces together, they represent a fullscale shift away from this old fossil fuel economy and all the injustice that comes with it. To a new Renewable Energy economy, one that works for everyone. Three pieces that we can drive from the local level to the National Level to the international. All three underway already in beautiful bits and pieces. But its time to bring them together now, and thats what fossil free fast means. It begins with job one, a commitment to 100 Renewable Energy. This first of these campaigns is already underway across america, and our colleagues at the sierra club and elsewhere have been making great progress. Theyve already helped pave the way by bringing thousands of new people into the Climate Movement. Fighting for our cities and towns to be at the forefront of the fast and Just Transition to 100 renewable. Heres jamika. Give it up. She is the lead organizer with sierra clubs ready for 100 campaign, which has been coaching local organizers on how to do this work effectively in their communities. Make some noise for my dear sister [ applause ] oh, its a little bright. Okay. So, thank you all for coming. Im here to share the news that the transition to the 100 Renewable Energy is under way. Already yes. Already, 56 cities in 6 counties have committed to transition entirely to 100 Renewable Energy. Thats a lot, guys. [ applause ] but even more importantly, a wave of momentum is building as an unprecedented number of people join in social movements. A movement of communities demanding cleaner energy has made a just and equitable transition, the new bar of leadership. As a lead organizer for the ready for 100 campaign, i coach and support local organizers in cities like atlanta, pittsburgh, and cleveland. I help out organizers create and execute campaigns where the benefits are just and equitable. The work to advance a transition to 100 clean energy is about more than just metrics on how many kilowatt hours of clean energy have been put into use. Its about supporting local Environmental Justice groups, housing justice advocates, and living wage advocates and organizations. [ applause ] its about asking what communities need and crafting a plan based on the communitys response. I want to be clear. These 100 Clean Energy Commitments mean little if we leave low income, black, brown, and indigenous communities in the same conditions. [ applause ] in the same conditions that an economy based on fossil fuel extraction and burning has left them in. We must Work Together to ensure that a shift to 100 clean energy addresses the injustice and inequalities of the fossil fuel economy. Nows the time to hold ourselves, our organizations, and our movements accountable to censoring front line communities, and that requires work, work as selftransforms, work with our communities and work with our families. What ive learned is that to do truly inspiring work on climate, we cannot separate climate and Environmental Justice from other struggles for justice. [ applause ] we have seen examples across the country where this can be done right. Weve seen this in pueblo, colorado, a community where the local Utility Community has wrongly shut off electricity for thousands of people and where an Upcoming Community Solar Project will largely be dedicated to low income residents. [ applause ] weve seen this in atlanta where there has been a communitywide engagement strategy and planning process to ensure that commitments to 100 clean energy will create jobs and reduce air pollution, and weve seen this right here in the Nations Capital where theres an ambitious commitment to power 100,000 low income homes with solar by 2032. This moment in history, our moment, is a critical turning point requiring multiissue movement building. We have the tools. We need to get the job done, and if we do so in sync, we will win. Thank you. [ applause ] jameka, thank you so much. Okay. You get the message. Some place here, weve got a map, a map of the 56 cities and 6 counties that have so far agreed to go 100 renewable. Thats good. Okay . Theres a list of some of them. Thats tremendous. There are all the communities that have not yet agreed, okay . So, our job and there are tens of thousands of them is to get them and fast. All of you out there watching in your communities, we have model legislation available. Weve got templates for how to convince City Councils and town boards, how to convince them that this is good news, not just for the climate but for the local economy. And we need everyone to start fighting for this change right in your community. First task that you might want to do is text the phrase fossil free to 83224. This gets everybody i think we can even put it up on the screen. This gets everybody absolutely on the same page, okay . So that we have the list that we need to be sending out, the kind of coordinated action when we need to and so that you can let us know how things are going. You will get some more chances to do that in the course of the evening. But 83224. Now, an advocate is someone who argues for change. To give us some sense of how to argue effectively, because its not just getting up and shouting, not just to give us some sense of how to argue effectively, i want to introduce you to one of the best advocates in the entire country. Jacqueline patterson, the first person the naacp ever hired to work specifically on Environmental Justice. [ applause ] thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Okay. So, thank you so much. Its good to be here with you. So, whats happening in communities across the country, resulting from the drivers and the impacts of Climate Change, is an urgent call to action to eliminate fossil fuels from our energy mix and with the naacp, we know children like elijah in florida, who lives near a coal plant and has such severe asthma that he has to take a handful of drugs every day in order to be able to get through the day so his airway passages are open so he can survive. We know families like the hendersons who live across the fence line from an oil refinery in the middle of the petrochemical corridor in southern louisiana. They, like every single household on their block, have a Family Member with cancer from living in the toxic doughnut that they call home and community. We know that 76,000 coal miners have died of black lung disease since 1968. We are the people paying the price for this nations addiction to fossil fuels. We know families in houston, texas, and san juan, puerto rico, and florida who are still displaced after hurricanes harvey, maria, and irma, storms likely strengthened by fossil fuel Climate Change. We know women who were sexually assaulted after the hurricanes. We know men who have been displaced by the everrising sea levels overtaking their land. They can certainly tell the tale of the grim impacts of fossil fuel driven Climate Change. And the face of all of this, we have an intensifying atmosphere of increasing hate against other, which is often defined as anyone who isnt a rich white heterosexual american male. [ applause ] as such, we are in a situation where the powers that be are decreasing regulations on pollution and corporations with an aim of protecting profits while increasing regulations on and criminalization of people, especially women, especially people who are lgbtqqi, especially immigrants and black males as they roll back protections on human rights. Corporations get a free pass to pollute and others have protections withdrawn. At best or criminalized at worst with fatal effect. The u. S. Pulls out of the Paris Agreement and abandons all responsibility for being 4 of the global population, but 25 were responsible for 5 of t 25 of the emissions that drive Climate Change. Simultaneously, this administration tightens immigration laws as people are being driven from their homelands by wars over scarce resources, by disasters and floods as they seek sanctuary. In the words of a poet, no one puts their child in a boat unless the water is safer than the land. [ applause ] thank you. So, at the same time, the resistance is rising. Communities are reclaiming our rights. Sanctuary churches, communities, and campuses are springing up all over the country. Groups like for the love of water are pushing back against privatization and claiming Community Control of Water Systems to uphold our rights to this basic resource. Communities are pushing back against corporations that would snatch the bottle out of a babys mouth to turn a profit. And they are instead planting and harvesting natures bounty through local food movements. Communities are pushing back against corporate greed and generating their own energy through the godgiven sun that we have. To take us off this path towards catastrophic Climate Change. The replacing systems rooted in extraction, exploitation, and domination with principles and practices of regeneration, cooperation, and resilience, communities are rising up. Coming together. And practicing [ applause ] thank you. And communities are practicing dr. Martin luther kings vision of are revolutionary love. Thank you. In this uprising, in this principled resistance, in this practice of revolutionary love lies our hope for a fossil free future. Thank you. [ applause ] come on now. You can do better than that. [ applause ] come on now. You can do better than that. Make some noise for jackie patterson, yall. [ applause ] so you know your first assignment. Local resolutions across the nation calling for no new fossil fuels and a fast and Just Transition to 100 Renewable Energy. Fast, because were running out of time. This is a crisis. With a time limit. And just because thats not simply the right way. Its the only way. We have to do this together. Weve got a deadline. Theres a conference in San Francisco in september where mayors, governors, and regional leaders from all over the planet will present plans for how to keep the climate fight going. Thats your target date. September. And if in the process youre able to inspire lots of voters, respect my vote for the fall election, so much the better. [ applause ] and if you need some inspiration anybody here need a little bit of inspiration . Lets make this very, very real. Tara rodriguez runs a remarkable project in puerto rico called El Departmento de comida, the department of food. Its a Grassroots Organization that develops markets for local farmers and what do you know . It was wiped out by hurricane maria. Tara is putting their own project back together. We are helping to coordinate relief through the puerto rico Resilience Fund, and theyre going to tell us about a vision for a renewed puerto rico. Thats a vision for us as well. Make some noise for tara, yall. [ applause ] [ speaking Foreign Language ] i summon the original name of the island you know of as a rich port. Im a queer person of color, food activist, committed to a Just Recovery for my island and we are a network of people building resistance, not bureaucratic relief. Hurricane maria increased our food dependency from an already 85 to 98 . While the jones act made it impossible for other nations to directly provide aid to our people. The work of grassroots organizers is what many of us are relying on right now while our Government Systems are failing. We launched the department of food as a Resilience Fund and its become an example of what locals on the islands can do together. The day after the storm, we started immediately supporting Sustainable Food projects for the next 24 months through seeds, farming, reforestation, rain water collection, Renewable Energy, and community wellness. All actions that will ensure a decolonized future for puerto rico. [ applause ] we have birthed an intersectional collaboration with groups all over the United States and the world, fighting outdated models of extractive economy in our own neighborhoods and ecosystems. The plan for puerto rico has been for centuries one of exploitation of labor and land, extraction of resources, importation of food and corporate subsidies. We are the perfect example of how colonialism and Climate Change have disproportionately affected low income communities of color. These injustices and second class citizen treatment should be understood as a violation of our human rights. [ applause ] we all know that hurricanes unveil, for many of us, the ugly consequences of extractive economies. So, why would we rebuild the same destructive, unsustainable systems that caused this crisis in the first place . If we rebuild in harmony with our islands ecosystems, we have everything we need to feed ourselves, generate our own power, and take care of each other. [ applause ] if we make this succeed in puerto rico and other front line communities, everybody is included in this success. Bandana shiva warns how chemical agriculture is completely related to fossil fuels and reminds us that diversity is really what creates stability. To me, fossil fuel free fast means if its not renewable, owned by the people, and for the people, we dont want it. [ applause ] the u. S. Government continues to silence our voices and allow others to pretend that they represent us. We demand sovereignty, and we demand reparations. We are creating our own projects, and its our responsibility to help ourselves thrive in the face of adversity. [ applause ] do you want to help our island . Back us up. Do not buy us out. [ applause ] big environmental groups redirect more resources towards supporting and mobilizing grassrootsbased action, and to all the borriquas in the diaspora, we have no time to wait for politicians, laws, nor promises to be kept. We have begun to do it ourselves. If we adopted Renewable Energy, we would create ten times more jobs. We would be able to heal our lands. Puerto ricos colonial history might not allow for political sovereignty immediately, but we will achieve our freedom now through food and energy independence. [ applause ] such good work. Rev, by the way, i notice youre on hat three for the evening. If there were any justice in the world, those of us with no hair would be wearing the hats. But there we are. Look, time now to talk about job two. Just important just as important there it is. [ applause ] just as important as the energy we do want is the energy we simply cannot have, and that energy is fossil fuel. The math as we have said on so many occasions is so simple. If we dig up the current reserves of coal and oil and gas, we will cook the planet five times over. Its exactly that simple. Thats right. I know what youre thinking. Were losing the fight right now. And true, trump is trying to open up National Monuments to drilling for oil. Hes opened up the arctic. Hes opening up our entire countrys coastlines. Thats right. You can boo on that one. The dangerous rise in american oil and gas extraction that has begun under the past few administrations seems likely to accelerate. But Something Else began during the obama years too. And that was the fullon resistance to new fossil fuel projects. [ applause ] from the fight against the keystone xl pipeline, which so many people here in d. C. Were part of, from that grew so many more fights, and we won tons of them. No fracking in new york. No fracking in maryland. Now in a dozen countries around the world. [ applause ] shell got chased out of the arctic by the activists. Weve beaten six, count them, six new coal ports in the pacific northwest. Were going to win many, many more of these battles. And every time we fight one of these battles, we cost this industry time and money. Theres not going to be a carbon tax coming from the Trump Administration any time soon, but as naomi kline said once upon a time, we can impose a de facto carbon tax with our resistance. Thats right. Let me introduce you to not only one of my friends, dear friends, a he aro of those fights, one o the leaders at the remarkable stand at standing rock. From the indin ngenous and environmental network, my dear brother, dallas goldtooth. [ applause ] thank you. And thank you, dallas, who i hope is watching tonight. You know, when i was asked to speak with you tonight, i thought long and hard about what i should say. A lot of things went through my mind, considering that my state, louisiana, is losing a football field of land every 45 minutes and weve lost a million football fields to date. I could go into how the rising flood waters entered my home a year ago last august and then again in that following may, but the storms are getting more frequent, more intense, more costly, and more deadly. I could tell you how the photo behind me is of the base. Its the largest natural swamp in north america, and i would certainly throw in that it is the most beautiful places on earth. Thats my swamp. It also contains some of the 700 waterways that Energy Transfer partners, the Pipeline Company that brought you Dakota Access and the human rights abuses at standing rock, are trying to ram their bayou bridge pipeline through. They are also endangering the Drinking Water of thousands of people. This industry has taken hundreds of landowners to court and taken their land through imminent domain and they continue to commit acts of environmental racism while continuing to have the worst spill record in u. S. History. But you can learn that at nobbp. Org. I decided what id rather tell you about is how were building a Sustainable Community in south louisiana. [ applause ] yeah. Were going to have which i thinkens chickens and were going to teach kids how to can and were going to teach oil workers how to build solar panels. I want to let you know that we have a camp. Its called a camp that means, water is life. Its a resistant camp for the bayou bridge pipeline. More and more people are standing up to be water protectors too, to monitor our endangered waterways and i would tell you that the free town, st. James community, that theyre standing tall. That the people in the basin are fighting back. That landowners all across louisiana are raising their voices. That every day, more and more people are saying no more. Brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, the resistance in louisiana and in the gulf of mexico is strong, and it is growing. [ applause ] because we, the people, must not yield to agencies or administrations or corporations that do not serve us. [ applause ] rather, we must rise like the waters. We must meld together like the cypress trees when they fight against a storm. We must be fierce, and we must be unafraid. But mainly, brothers and sisters, we must believe, because believing is the only way that change and justice has ever been created. We can do this with faith and courage and i believe in you. Because i believe that we will win, and im going to need you to help me because sometimes, brothers and sisters, it gets hard. You know it gets hard, right . And times maybe were too tired and we dont think we have the will otogo on but you know what . We have to tell each other. We have to hold each other, and we have to say, i believe that we will win. And i want you to say it with me now. I want you to say it like you mean it from your heart. I believe that we will win. Say it. I believe that we will win. Again. I believe that we will win. I believe that we will win. Hold it, brothers and sisters. Hold it. In your heart and in your hands and keep it. And whenever you see somebody get tired, say it again. I believe that we will win. Because we will. We will win. [ applause ] so i know what some of you are thinking right now. Look, i live in maybe in the suburbs or maybe theres no coal mine near me. No pipelines, you know, how do i help . Well, you help by signing that promise to protect that dallas told us about, and if need be, showing up when our indigenous brothers and sisters call on us for help. So now, you can do that now by texting fossil free to 83224. Thats fossil free to 83224. And you can help even closer to home too. Because now cities and towns and states are starting to ban new fossil fuel projects. So, if were going to be 100 renewable, what do we need with new pipelines running through our communities, new oil terminals. Weve got to get rid of this stuff and get rid of this stuff right now. [ applause ] and were were doing it now. We could not be prouder of the work of the roughly 150 local 350 groups throughout the u. S. [ applause ] theyre unbelievable. I know that 350 d. C. And Montgomery County and everybody else here tonight, we know about their amazing work to build the Climate Movement, advance solutions. Tonight, as we speak, the pipeline fighters minnesota are preparing for decision on line three and weve got a fighting chance. Let me introduce someone to you now who shaped a model for how to get this done. Last year, activists in portland, oregon, passed one of the original fossil free ordinances in the whole country. Thats right. Now theyre collaborating on a big city Level Initiative that would achieve climate and Racial Justice goals. Its a precedent that portland could set and become a model for cities everywhere. And adriana of 350 pdx, shes been right at the front of all this work. [ applause ] a few years ago, my sisterinlaw told me about Bill Mckibben and his do the math tour. I had just spent years finishing my medical degree and my doctorate in neuroscience while raising four Young Children with my artist husband. It was [ applause ] as a mother, it was hearing you speak, bill, that inspired me to switch my path entirely and cofound 350 pdx out of our Family Living room. A lots happened in the four years since then. We grew from a handful of volunteers to now over 300 activists, 10,000 active supporters, not to mention the many diverse coalitions that are at the heart of our local movement. And weve had some amazing successes in portland. Against all odds, we stopped a large fossil fuel export terminal from being built. We got our city to divest from fossil fuels. [ applause ] we removed Climate Change denial from our Public School textbooks. [ applause ] we allied against White Supremacy and immigrant deportations. [ applause ] and organized an activist blockade against shells arctic ice breaker. We also passed one of the strongest 100 renewables resolutions and tired of federal inaction and years of whackamole fights against the countless fossil fuel terminal proposals in our region, we got our city to pass the nations most comprehensive ban on new fossil fuel infrastructure. [ applause ] big industry tried everything to challenge the ordinance in court, but just earlier this month, the oregon court of appeals ruled that the ban did not violate the interstate Commerce Clause of the constitution and is therefore legal, paving the way for other cities and towns to do the same. In 2018, were continuing full speed ahead. Were working to hold our statewide elected representatives accountable to making big polluters pay and to saying no to lng pipelines. 350 pdx has also been collaborating with frontline communityled groups, including the portland naacp on a precedentsetting city based initiative. This initiative would help transform Portlands Energy future but generating tens of millions of dollars annually to invest in Renewable Energy and other Just Transition projects while providing Economic Opportunities for those who have been left out of our economy. As the old world order begins to crumble, theres a growing awareness that were all interconnected. Many of our resistance struggles share the same root causes from mass incarceration, the erosion of our democracy, and permanent war to mass pollution, factory farms, animal cruelty, Climate Change, and extinction of life on our only planet. Trump is but a symptom. Albeit a pathologically dangerous one of a very broken system, of a systemic illness, and our movement is part of a collective immune system essential in fighting for the type of transformational change we need. Trump [ applause ] and his sickening agenda have aroused our immune system like a booster shot with hundreds of thousands of people signing up to resist in communities across the country. We have a historic opportunity right now to correct the path of destruction taken over past generations and turn the tide for generations to come. Lets forge a new path, one based in compassion, justice, and renewed connection with nature and with each other. With cities and local communities in the lead, lets fight together for all that we love. [ applause ] come on. You can do better than that. [ applause ] come on, you can do better than that now. [ applause ] so now youve got your second homework assignment. Were going to keep it in the ground, and were going to do it by pass fossil free resolutions locally. And by coming together nationally with the promise to protect. Sorry to interrupt. We know that you mostly wanted to focus on the u. S. Tonight. [ applause ] hey, naomi is right. You know she usually is. For many years, 350 has focused on the money that is powered fossil fuel corporations. Naomi helped birth the Divestment Movement in 2012. By now, 6 trillion worth of endowments and portfolios have invested. Gw, our host tonight, has begun the process of getting out of coal. Students are fighting to make sure they go further. Thank you guys. Right there. Because lots of people are going much, much, much further. In december, norways sovereign wealth fund, the largest pool of Investment Capital in the world, began divesting from fossil fuel. And its not just stops. Banks and Insurance Companies are starting to do the right thing. Last month, the huge European Insurance Company axis said it would stop insuring or funding tar sand pipelines because they said its an overheating planet. The ceo said, quote, its not sustainable and therefore not insurable. Now, that that very same day, very same day that that Insurance Company did that, the world bank, after 20 years of campaigning from all the friends of ours like oil change international, the world bank announced in that in 2019, it was going to stop funding all new oil and gas exploration. Thats a big dial. Thats a big deal. Yep. We need not just the world bank. We need every bank around the world to do the same. Right. And rev, do you know what happened earlier this month . You know the reason that despite the president , ive been in a pretty good mood for weeks. Ive noticed a good mood, actually. Ive noticed that. New york city, which is [ applause ] new york city, which is, no offense to the district, but new york city may be the most vital and diverse city on the face of the earth. New york city decided that it would divest from fossil fuel. Thanks to the unyielding work of local organizers, nyc took a lead from the district, and then it went it one better. Not only divesting, not only divesting, but joining cities across the country in suing the five Biggest Oil Companies for climate damages. [ applause ] we thought you might like to hear from a leader who listened to his constituents to make this happen. The mayor of the city of new york, bill de blasio. Last night, the city of new york filed a lawsuit in federal court against five investorowned fossil fuel companies, most responsible for global warming. New york city leaders are taking the fight against claimant change to oil companies. The city alleges the fossil fuel industry has been aware for decades that burning fuel was impacting the climate. Mayor de blasio says the city will seek billions of clars. I want to thank everyone gathered in washington and watching across the country. You are leading a fight for our lives. Its a tragedy that the Trump Administration and the Gopled Congress dont admit the truth about Climate Change. But we cannot and we will not wait on them. Thats why new york city took two bold steps this month. We have begun to divest our Pension Funds from companies that own fossil fuel reserves. Ultimately, wereserves. Ultimately, we will divest 5 billion. That will get the industrys full attention. We are suing five major oil companies, exxonmobil, b. P. , shell, conocophillips and chevr chevron from endangering our people. People like you inspired us to make this happen. You asked for it. You demanded it. You can make other cities and states follow. Big oil thinks they are living in trumps america. They are wrong. They are living in your america. Any should be scared out of their minds by engaged, intelligent, relentless activists like you. Cities and states and the people are going to defend ourselves from rising seas and killer storms and corporate greed. We will do it ourselves. Thanks, everyone and onward. Mr. Mayor, thank you so much. It is true that organized people need organized money every single time. Every time. So we have three jobs that are all part of the fossilfree campaign. Nobody has to do every one. Yall have to do something. Some have already crossed one off the list. We can go to the neck. Other places, one will make more sense than the other. Everybody at this point should be able to see a specific task that they can take on together. One, demand a fast, Just Transition to 100 renewables in your community. Two, make sure fossil fuels stay in the ground. Three, turn off the spigot of dollars that keeps the spigot of oil and gas flowing. Lets drive this home. Time for the audience here to do a little bit of work. Are you guys willing to chant for us . I know many of you are highly educated and incredibly skilled. This shouldnt tax you too much. On this side, we are going to talk about job one, the transition to Renewable Energy. The word you are going to yell is sun. On this middle part, we are going to talk about job two, which is keeping things in the ground. There are many ways to do it. One of them is sitting in. So your word is sit. Over here, we are going to talk about turning off the money. Your word is sell. We like this, three ss in a row. Are you ready . You need to get to your feet on this one. Get ready. If you are watching at home, if you are watching on your live stream, get up also. Are you ready . Here we go. Now, sit was very, very good. Lets try that again. Here we go. [ chanting ] excellent. Your turn. No, no. Thank yall so much. Back home too. Sit down. I know you are in your living rooms standing right now. I dont want you to do that. We are almost dop here. We have to talk about how we are going to do it. Not what we are going to do but how we are going to do it. The key word is together. Together. This is a multiracial movement. It requires all of us, black, white, latino, asian. Young and old, indigenous and immigrant, blue state and red state, urban and rural. Eve it requires every single one of us. I am going to put these cards to the side here. This introduction is very important to me. I want to introduce a leader who understands that better than most of us. Jessica works in houston and pasadena, texas. On behalf of undocumented communities, as many as half a Million People that were severely affected by Hurricane Harvey and had little to no support in recovery, i want to take a moment to note how deeply disturbing it is for the Trump Administration to stoke dangerous antiimmigrant flames. We in the Climate Movement will not stand for this. We know all of our work is interconnected. I say to you now, loud and clear, the Climate Movement stands with immigrant communities. We stand. Dreamers, we stand with dreamers and against deportation and border walls and the current administrations attempt at deciding who is worthy of being in our country. It is our honor to welcome Jessica Loretta randall who can talk about this and incredible communities like ours. Hello, everybody. My name is Jessica Loretta randall. I am undocumented and unafraid. As an undocumented person, i know first hahand what my commuy faces. They are constantly under attack with the Trump Administration. I also know ways in which the issue of Climate Change impacts the vulnerable Communities Just like mine. Hurricane harvey, which came in and tore apart houston and surrounding areas, dropped 33 trillion gallons of water. Thats a total of the flow of the Niagara Falls for 509 days nonstop. In the news, you saw families being evacuated from their homes with motorboats and kayaks. The reality was much different. Our community doesnt have kayaks and motorboats hanging out in their garages. We were hiding in attics out of fear for deportation. Our communities were not coming out seeking for help. Harvey left 39,000 peoples out of their home and left a total of 180 billion worth of damages. Yet, instead of focusing on this, our beautiful president is focusing on that 25 billion w wall we are doing. Our communities were not taken into consideration when making the Natural Disaster preparation plans and are still not being taken into consideration when making these plans and that has to change. Our communities were the last ones to get food at their supermarkets, the last ones to get any aide. Our children were exposed to floodwaters filled with chemicals. You didnt see that in the news. You didnt see the petrochemical plant spilling these chemicals on to the floodwaters and our children getting sick. Nobody was talking about it and it was something that needed to be brought to their attention. Months later, we have undocumented communities and families that are living in homes where there is mold growing on their walls with the same carpet that was filled with flo flo floodwaters. They are scared to bring that to the attention of the landlord. They will threaten them and say, if you continue to complain, i will call immigration Customs Enforcement on you, known as i. C. E. That has to change. The undocumented community, the community that brings houston its culture and economically drives it, we deserve better. To address these issues, extreme Natural Disaster and social consequences, we must get to the root of the problem thats causing Climate Change. Those are fossil fuels. We must shut them down and build 100 Renewable Energy for all. Our communities, including the undocumented communities to serve a fossilfree future where we live free and we are treated with respect and dignity. [ speaking in spanish ] [ chanting in spanish ] thank you. Gracias. De nada. Magnificent. Thank you so much, jessica. While we are on the subject of extremely powerful young women, i want to introduce you to the last speaker of the evening. Varshini farkash is the definition of a fierce leader. She led the entire university of massachusetts system to divest from fossil fuels. She is now one of the chief architects of the sunrise movement, an army of young people to elect candidates who will look toward the future and not toward the past. Hello, everyone. So in june, 2016, my university divested from fossil fuels after a twoweek long epic escalation. It was one of the most pivotal moments of my life and it led me to coach and support die vechve campaigns. G. W. Administration, if you are listening, seriously consider supporting your students leadership here and divest the rest. Here and everywhere, the Divestment Movement has put them on the defensive and made them fight tooth and nail. In this political era, when we have suffered so many losses, we need to take the next step and bring the logic of divestment into the political arena. As young people, we need to contest for power and get involved in the political system where fossil fuel executives are currently calling all of the shots. Sunrise has a fouryear plan to break the hold of fossil fuel executives on our democracy and elect leaders who care about the health and wellbeing of all people, not just 1 . In 2018, young people are drawing a line. We are making it the year whether no politician can seriously seem to care about our generations future and still take money from the fos sisil f executives and lobbyists and front groups that jeopardize our lives. Fossil fuel billionaires really stand to lose billions of dollars if we leave oil and gas in the ground. They have been buying off politicians for decades to bail out their dying industry and stop the Just Transition that we need. You could say that some of our leaders in washington and around the country have a really bad coke problem. Now, not that kind of coke problem. That kind of koch problem. In 2016, charles and david koch spent 750 million on the elections to sway them in their favor. Thats almost as much as the democratic and the Republican Party spent each. 750 million to sway them in their favor. Politicians who are bought out by those guys cannot be counted on to do whats right and get us fossil free fast. So this year, young people around the country will shine a light on the corrupting influence of people like the kochs. Well challenge hundreds of candidates to choose whether they are siding with big oil or with the American People. They can prove that they are with us by signing on to the no fossil fuel money pledge, which states that politicians will not take contributions from the oil, gas, and coal industry and prioritize the health and wellbeing of our families, climate and democracy. Almost 200 candidates have signed to date. If candidates sign, they will be in good company. Just backstage, Bernie Sanders remember him . Bernie sanders renewed his pledge to reject contributions from these bad actors. He is calling on politicians and candidates from every corner of this country to join him. To launch this work on the no fossil fuel money pledge and grow our numbers, sunrise is speaking to over 12,000 young people just this spring. When june comes around, we are putting a volunteer army of hundreds of young people all on the ground fulltime until the midterm elections in november to help elect the candidates that will stand up for my generation. So if you are a young person in the crowd and you want to join the growing army of young people, text sunrise to 4243 new day. If you struggle with the letters, 4243639329. We call ourselves sunrise, because we know that this dark time in america must come to an end. The sun will rise again where the color of our skin and how much money have doesnt determine our worth and our value. It is an honor to walk together with all of you towards the dawn and a fossilfree world. Thank you. That was fantastic, just fantastic, so good. Now, varshini said it better than i could ever say it. This isnt about changing light bulbs at this point. It is about changing politics. Together, we are going to show everywhere across this country there is a movement demanding fast and Just Transition. When you pass a fossilfree resolution locally, you are helping create this upswell toward that vision at the National Level. It doesnt matter it is at your city council. It comes up to the top. You are building a movement that can ensure that as the pendulum naturally begins to swing back, it swings far back. We do not any longer want politicians who believe in Climate Change. That is too low a bar to do us a bit of good. We want leaders who will do something about it. We want leaders ready to pass bold plans like a new deal that would create millions. It all starts at the local level and it starts with you here in this room and all of you out across the country. You are the organizers who either will make it happen or not. Thats right. We need you. We really need you. Every single one of us has a role to play. If you are just jumping on to this at home or wherever you are, you can text fossil free to 83224 to learn more because we really, really need you. Na there is one thing left to do. You and me, bill, have talked about this for a very, very long time. Movement, to be a movement, needs to be about more than statistics. Thats right. Environmentalists have done a good job of appealing to whatever lobby of te of the bra likes bar graphs and pie charts. We need to be about culture. Our goal is Nothing Better than changing the zeitgeist. If with you reach into peoples hearts as well as their heads, the legislation and laws and regulations will follow. Which means art and music. I should interrupt long enough to thank the arts crew at 350 for these banners and signs. Let me tell you something, bill. The best part of my day is when the sun comes up in the morning when we get another day to do the work of making the planet a better place. Thats right. The sun is more or less our symbol tonight. I spent part of last year in ghana, ivory coast, tanzania. They are great places and full of great activists. It was so good to see my colleague and brother, landry, up there talking to us from africa a little while ago. They are coming alive with the sun. Africa did not cause this crisis. Africa cant solve this crisis. Look, if you are watching this at home or with neighbors, you are the engine of our grass roots movement. Tonight, you might already be actively fighting at all export terminals or lobbying for strong climate legislation. In that case, you will end these watch parties by talking about how to bring your campaign to the next level. Maybe your group is brand new to this. Maybe they dont know the other people in the room, the church basement, wherever you are gathered. Well, you will have time in a minute when we are done to talk about how you are going to kick off some fresh campaign, what fossil free looks like where you live. We have watched it in so many places and with so many people, we know that you can do this. So were going to leave you with one last gift. I think we need some music now. Yeah. What do you say some music about the sun. Im with that. I like music about the sun. Ive been researching music about the sun. Im a little scared now. Continue. Ive discovered that there are lots of songs to choose from. I have been going through them. Since im a little older, i tried hard to pick one for the young people in the crowd. Oh, no. Thats too young. Then this one is a little bit older then. Y i think i can help. Its antonique smith, grammy nominated. I thought you were filming on netflix or hollywood. I had to be here with you guys. I could not miss this moment. I know what we should sing, joined by the howard gospel choir. Here comes the sun, little darling i say its all right little darling, its been a long, cold, long winter little darling, it feels like years since its been here here comes the sun here comes the sun i say its all right little darling, smiles returning to their faces little darling, it seems like years since it has been here but here comes the sun, little darling here comes the sun i say, its all right here comes the sun sun, sun, sun here it comes sun, sun, sun here it comes sun, sun, sun here it comes sun, sun, sun, here it come little darling, i feel the ice is slowly melting little darling, it seems like years since its been clear here comes the sun, little darling here comes the sun i say its all right sun, sun, sun, here it comes sun, sun, sun, here it comes [ applause ] thank you so much. Thank yall so much. Thank you. We are going to win this war. Congressional republicans are holding their annual retreat at the Greenbrier Resort in west virginia. President trump will speak to the group at 12 30 eastern and you can see that live on our companion network, cspan. At 2 30, Mitchell Mcconnell and paul ryan will hold a News Conference at the gop retreat in west virginia. That will also be live. Coming up tonight, President Trump will speak to the Republican National committee at his hotel in washington, d. C. That starts at 8 00 p. M. Eastern. We have coverage on cspan. This weekend on American History tv on cspan3 saturday at 8 00 p. M. Eastern on lectures and history, university of North Carolina at chapel hill professor, holly werthen, on 20th century fundamentalisms and the origins and growth of p pentacostalism. Fundamentalists are conservative that is militantly oppose new ideas about the bible, science, and society. At 10 00 p. M. Eastern on real america, the 1989 documentary island of hope, island of tears. Over 12 million men, women and children pass this way, passed through rooms and corridors haunting with a special stillness that remains only in places once noisy with human life, where they bought tickets for 1,000 places in america. Here they traded their drop list and lires and ruples for dollars. They experienced their First American christmas and hanukkah. They waited to be given permission to pass over to the new land. Sunday at 10 00 a. M. Eastern, an interview from the west point center for oral history with katherine westmoreland, wife of u. S. Army general, william westmoreland, who commanded u. S. Forces in vietnam. My main work was for us. I really worked almost every day. I worked in the vietnamese hospital and our hospital. Then i went to natrong once a week to do red cross work. Watch American History tv every weekend on cspan3. Author, bill james, talks about his book the man from the train in which he investigates one of the deadliest serial killers in American History. Many of the crimes happened within 100 yards of the railroad track. One of the things that helps us identify his crime as opposed to somebody elses is that it usually happens at the intersection of two Railroad Tracks. It is at the intersection of two Railroad Tracks presumably, because he knew he had to get out. After he committed his crime, he had to get out of town before dawn. He didnt want to be stranded there waiting for a train to come through that he could hop on. Being at the intersection of multiple Railroad Tracks gave him more opportunities to get out of town before the crime was discovered. Sunday night at 8 00 eastern, on cspans q and a. The u. S. Navy secretary testified recently on capitol hill about Navy Readiness and reviews conducted after two collisions involving navy ships. This is just over two hours