November 15, 2020
Activists Will Continue to Push Biden
on Climate
By Ben Gurin
When President-elect Joe Biden first proposed his climate plan during the Democratic primaries, some environmental groups had reservations. Youth-led organization Sunrise Movement ranked the plan lower than those of fellow candidates Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, citing its “lack [of] detail and ambition.” In response to those concerns, Biden and his campaign strengthened and reintroduced the plan with new, more aggressive proposals. The Biden Plan for a Clean Energy Revolution and Environmental Justice lays out interconnected aspects of climate action including infrastructure, public health, racial and economic justice, and job creation, among others. The Plan especially emphasizes the establishment of well-paid union jobs in clean energy fields such as installation, manufacturing, and construction.
Biden has acknowledged the influence that youth activists had on the reformation of his climate plan. At a virtual fundraiser in July, he said, “I want young climate activists, young people everywhere, to know: I see you. I hear you. I understand the urgency, and together we can get this done.”
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Varshini Prakash, co-founder and executive director of Sunrise, told The Washington Post that she and her colleagues observed “a pretty huge transformation in Biden’s climate plan.” While Sunrise did not find the new plan strong enough to officially endorse Biden as they had some congressional candidates, they did campaign for his election.
Sunrise Movement is well known for organizing environmental protests and rallies internationally. Photo courtesy of Sunrise Movement.
But the fight for environmental reform by groups such as Sunrise did not end with Biden’s win. Environmental activists have said that they will hold the president-elect accountable to ensure his follow-through on policies. Biden’s stance on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has particularly been a cause for criticism. Although his views on the oil drilling method were sometimes unclear during his campaign, he did state definitively that he would not put a ban on its practice.
Sunrise Movement and Justice Democrats have co-written a Climate Mandate for the Biden administration. The mandate includes the establishment of an Office of Climate Mobilization, which Biden himself has said he is considering. Such an office would carry out aspects of Biden’s climate plan that wouldn't necessarily need authorization from Congress. The mandate also suggests top choices for Biden’s cabinet members based on their progressive stances on environmental policy.
Garrett Blad of Sunrise Movement told Grist, “We would rather be friendly than be aggressive right now, but we are ready to mobilize to back [Biden’s] agenda.” When the president-elect takes office, Sunrise will continue to organize as it has under Trump; by bringing people together for rallies, protests, and other public actions throughout the country.
Many climate activists are worried that even if Biden is true to his climate plan, a Republican Senate would make it difficult for his policies to get passed, or that bills would be weakened by compromise between parties. However, some environmental groups say there are ways in which Biden would be able to significantly make strides on climate policy without the approval of Congress.
A coalition of several environmental organizations including 350 Action, Greenpeace, and Center for Biological Diversity, and Food & Water Watch among others presented a Climate President Action Plan with “10 steps for the next administration’s first 10 days” to address the climate crisis without the need of Congress’ cooperation. Each of the ten steps in the Plan is followed by several concrete actions, which include an executive order to stop fossil fuel leases and permits, new rules under the Clean Air Act to reduce greenhouse emissions, and legal action against polluting corporations.
Despite these possibilities, a Republican Senate would most likely bar many of Biden’s climate initiatives. In hopes of securing a Democratic Congress, 350 Action, Sunrise Movement and other organizations are now directing much of their efforts towards campaigning for the two Georgia Democrats up for election next January. These groups are citing Biden’s success in Georgia in the presidential election as precedent for what is possible in the upcoming runoffs.
Whether or not Biden has the support of Congress, environmental groups and climate activists alike will be ready on day one to ensure that the president-elect keeps his word on climate policy. Emily Southard, a campaign manager with 350 Action, told Inside Climate News that the organization is “excited to hold a Biden administration accountable” to his promises on climate policy. “We’ll push where we need to push.”