SIGN PETITION: DECLARE A GLOBAL WARMING STATE OF EMERGENCY
We, the citizens of our nation and of our Earth, are endowed with certain rights, powers, and obligations, which demand we act both individually and collectively to protect and preserve the ongoing evolution of life on Earth, including our future generations.
Based upon a preponderance of scientific evidence we recognize our global climate is rapidly warming and becoming increasingly unstable due to human-caused carbon pollution from the burning of fossil fuels. If we do not change course before global warming tipping points are crossed, this destabilization of our climate will continue to cause ever-increasing suffering and potentially
We further recognize that rapidly escalating global warming and its consequent climate destabilization is the greatest currently active threat to the security of all nations, comparable in scope of impact to global nuclear war. Escalating average global temperature rises will lead to destabilization affecting first millions, then billions of people forced to deal with ongoing climate catastrophes, food and other resource depletion, and mass migrations.
Nearly all of the major problems our world faces today worsen and multiply due to escalating global warming. All of the ecological, economic and political problems listed below will cross-intensify and therefore worsen as average global temperatures rises.
- Food and resource depletion
- Severe droughts, floods, and wildfires
- Rising sea levels
- Water pollution and water table loss
- Desertification and deforestation
- Ocean fish stock depletions
- Growing economic inequity, poverty, and instability
- Political instability and injustice
- War and regional conflicts
- Increasing potential of pandemics and other health crises
Despite 30 years of education, study, and discussion about the possible irreversible effects of human-caused carbon and methane pollution of our atmosphere, global warming temperatures have escalated to levels that may have already passed or be close to passing global warming tipping points with impacts that are irreversible. We must immediately reverse the continued rise of average global temperature by decreasing human-caused production of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels.
Failure to resolve global warming for ourselves and future generations is simply not a survivable option.
As global citizens of every nation on Earth, we ask you, our national leaders, to initiate the necessary steps to formally declare a national and international global warming State of Emergency, calling for the immediate allocation of the needed research, resources, personnel, and interventions to quickly resolve this State of Emergency and sustainably protect, preserve, and advance the continued evolution of humanity and life on Earth.
By signing this petition, I pledge to act together with others as one human family to acknowledge and resolve the escalating global warming-caused climate destabilization crisis.
When we reach the required number of petition signatures for each area, we will submit the petition with all signatures to: (1) the Office of the President of the United States and the members of both houses of U.S. Congress, as well as (2) governing bodies of other nations (if you provide your nationality). Our priority is to make the case to members of both houses of the U.S. Congress that this is the most urgent place to draw a line between themselves and the Trump Administration, in addition to being potentially the most politically defensible. This is true insofar as withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement abdicates America's role in international leadership on the number one issue of the century, isolating the U.S. in a marginalized triad with Syria and Nicaragua, and in opposition to the overwhelming other 193 world nations. We gain nothing by withdrawal except appearing less scientific, rational, and committed to world peace than North Korea and similar rogue states.
NOTABLE PETITION SIGNERS*
Vinit Allen, Founder & Executive Director, Sustainable World Coalition
Paul Allen, Project Co-coordinator, Zero Carbon Britain
Steve Bhaerman, Co-author of "Spontaneous Evolution: Our Positive Future and a Way to Get There From Here" and political satirist
Philip Bogdonoff, Director, Washington DC Chapter of Biodiversity for a Livable Climate
Russell Brockhurst, Project Team Leader, Caterpillar of Australia, Ltd
Gerardo Ceballos, PhD, Senior Researcher, Institute of Ecology, UNAM [National Autonomous University of Mexico], Districto Federal, Mexico
Karen Cisler, Secretary-Treasurer, PSR-TN [TN Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility]; member, Air Quality Board, State of TN Department of Environmental Conservation
Cliff Cockerham, PhD, Director, PSR-TN [TN Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility]
Siobhan Colombo, Faculty of Science & Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
John Cooksey, Writer/Director/Producer, "How to Boil a Frog"
Raymond Cummings, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Villanova University
Kathy Dervin, Senior Consultant, Center for Climate Change & Health
Rev. Michael Dowd, Pro-Future Evangelist
Hans Ehrbar, PhD, Professor of Economics - retired, University of Utah
Duane Elgin, Author of "Voluntary Simplicity"
Dave Ewoldt, Co-founder & Senior Analyst, Coalitions for Mutual Endeavor
Karen Feridun, Founder, Berks Gas Truth [fighting shale gas development]
Peter Fiekowsky, Founder, The Healthy Climate Project; Lead Volunteer & Founder, CCL's 100-Year Planning Group
Len Finegold, PhD, Professor of Biophysics - retired, Drexel University
Dr. Katherine Forrest, MD, MPH, Co-Founder & former President, The Commonweal Institute; Board Member of The Peninsular Democratic Coalition [PDC] and founding member of PDC's Climate Action Group
Len Frenkel, Author of "Will We Survive Climate Change?: One Last Chance"
Victoria Furio, Convener, The Climate Justice Initiative at Union Theological Seminary
Valerie Gardner, Founder & Executive Director, Climate Coalition
Gisele Giorgi, PhD, Biosciences Faculty, Merritt College
Russell Greene, President, PDA-People Demanding Action & is the leading climate activist of Progressive Democrats of America who is credited with securing the Climate Mobilization plank in the 2016 Democratic Presidential platform, saying: "There is time left for gradualism. That window has passed. This is a climate emergency — the moment to make a stand for the future. For each other. For our children."
Mary Gutierrez, Executive Director, Earth Ethics and Earth Action, Inc.
Heidi Harmon, Co-Organizer, "Up to Us Caravan" to the DNC
Dr. Mary Headrick, MD, Board Member, PSR-TN
Harold Hedelman, Director of Engagement - Business Climate Leaders at Citizens' Climate Lobby
Bill Henderson, Freelance Climate Journalist
Cynthia Flores Hernandez, PhD, former Researcher, Institute of Ecology, UNAM, Districto Federal, Mexico
Ken Hickson, Author of "Race for Sustainability" and "ABC of Carbon"
James Hilgend Video Producer & Author of eleven books, including: "A New Myth for America", Forever Here", "The Great New Emerging Civilization"
Michael Hoexter, PhD, Research Scholar, Binzagr Institute for Sustainable Prosperity and Campaign Volunteer for Bernie Sanders 2016
Allen Johnson, PhD, Professor of Geology - retired, University of West Chester
John Jorgensen, Biologist-turned Activist/Marcher, Great March for Climate Action
Hannah Kaminsky, Author of "My Sweet Vegan", "Vegan Desserts", "Vegan a la Mode", "Easy as Vegan Pie"
George Paul Kemp, PhD, Associate Research Professor, Center for Coastal, Energy and Environmental Resources, Louisiana State University; Co-founder & former Executive Director, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
Rev. Earl Koteen, Environmental Justice Minister and Board Member, Unitarian Universalist Earth Ministry
Felix Kramer, Founder, Beyond Cassandra and the of Congressional Climate Project
Mark Lichty, Documentary Film Producer of "Groundswell Rising"
Natalie Lucas, Executive Director, Care About Climate; member of U.S. student delegations to the UN's COP 18 (Doha), 19 (Warsaw), 20 (Lima), & 21 (Paris)
Cynthia Lukas, Producer, "Heaven on Earth Creations'" and upcoming film "Ghandi's Gift"
Chloe Maxmin, Co-founder, Divest Harvard
Bruce Melton, PE, Executive Director, Climate Change Now Initiative
Debbie Mytels, Associate Director, Acterra: Action for a Sustainable Earth
Jim Newell, PhD, lobbyist & government relations professional & CEO, ELS, Inc and TCM [The Climate Mobilization] Lead Organizer - Washington, DC Chapter
Terry Patten, Founder, Bay Area Integral
Dr. Linda Rudolph, MD, MPH, Co-Director, Climate Change and Public Health Project, Public Health Institute
Vanessa Rule, Co-founder, Mothers Out Front - Mobilizing for a Livable Climate
Dr. Pouné Saberi, MD, MPH, National Board of Directors, PSR; President, PSR-Philadelphia; Clinical Faculty, University of Pennsylvania; Section Chief for Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Philadelphia VA Medical Center
Adam Sacks, Executive Director, Biodiversity for a Livable Climate
Paul Severance, Chair, Elders Climate Action
Ezra Silk, Co-Founder and Director of Policy and Strategy, The Climate Mobilization
Mariana Garcia Solana, Executive Director, The Friends of the Maya Foundation and Climate Mobilization Volunteer Lead Organizer for Mexico
Susan Soleil, Former Executive Director, Utah Interfaith Power & Light
Maria Luisa Tasayco, PhD, Emeritus Professor, Biochemistry & Biophysics Graduate Center, City University of New York
Kristina Turechek, Adjunct Faculty, SUNY College at Oneonta
Brian von Herzen, PhD, Executive Director, The Climate Foundation
Cassandra Wardle, Conservation Researcher, School of the Environment, Griffith University, Australia
Tom Weis, President, Climate Crisis Solutions
Lawrence Wollersheim, Director, Job One for Humanity
Elizabeth Woodworth, co-author of "Unprecedented Climate Mobilization"
"I heartily support the Climate Emergency Coalition and its work to shift philanthropy to organizations and initiatives fighting the threats to humanity brought by climate change."
- Paul R. Ehrlich
People who have worked with us on earlier breakthrough initiatives beginning in 2014:
Turner Anderson, Project Engineer at Siemens Energy, Inc.**
Duncan Callaway, PhD, Associate Professor of Energy & Resources, Division of Electrical Engineering/EECS, University of California - Berkeley**
William Christopfel, PhD, Director of Scientific Affairs, Bell Pharmaceuticals**
Simon Dalby, PhD, Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies and CIGI Chair in the Political Economy of Climate Change, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada**
Robert Dello-Russo, PhD, Research Associate Professor of Anthropology & Director, Office of Contract Archaeology, University of New Mexico**
William DeMott, PhD, Professor of Biology, Purdue University**
Paul R. Ehrlich, PhD, Bing Professor of Population Studies and President, Center for Conservation Biology, Stanford University
Daniela Gioseffi, Editor & Publisher of Eco-Poetry.org & PoetsUSA.com; American Book Award-winning author of 16 books of poetry and prose***
Sebastian Groh, PhD, CEO at ME SOLshare Ltd; Assistant Professor at North South University, Bangaldesh**
John Harte, PhD, jointly appointed Professor in the Energy & Resources Group and the Ecosystem Sciences Division of the College of Natural Resources, University of California - Berkeley**
Donald Hnatowich, PhD, Professor of Radiology - retired, University of Massachusetts Medical School; Presenter, Climate Reality**
Andy Hoffmann, PhD, Office of Sustainability working group, University of Utah**
Daniel Kammen, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Energy, Energy and Resources Group, University of California - Berkeley**
Rik Leemans, PhD, Professor of Environmental Systems Analysis Wageningen University, The Netherlands**
Michael Mann, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Meteorology & Director of the Earth System Science Center Penn State University**
Trae Menard, Director of Forest Conservation, Hawaii Chapter - The Nature Conservancy**
Sergio Pacca, PhD, Research Fellow, University of Michigan Center for Sustainable Systems; Associate Professor of Energy & Sustainability, Sao Paolo University, Brasil**
Robert Strom, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Lunar and Planetary Lab. and Dept. of Planetary Science, University of Redlands**
Anders Wijkman, PhD, elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for outstanding services to the environment; Co-President, Club of Rome**
Cleo Woelfle-Erskine, PhD, Fellow, Energy and Resources Group, University of California - Berkeley; Fellow, Institute for Advanced Studies on Science, Technology and Society, Austria**
* Institutional affiliation listed for identification purposes only
** Signers of preliminary sign on letters leading up to the emergency petition.
SIGN PETITION: DECLARE A GLOBAL WARMING STATE OF EMERGENCY
See the petition and notable signers below
We, the citizens of our nation and of our Earth, are endowed with certain rights, powers, and obligations, which demand we act both individually and collectively to protect and preserve the ongoing evolution of life on Earth, including our future generations.
Based upon a preponderance of scientific evidence we recognize our global climate is rapidly warming and becoming increasingly unstable due to human-caused carbon pollution from the burning of fossil fuels. If we do not change course before global warming tipping points are crossed, this destabilization of our climate will continue to cause ever-increasing suffering and potentially
We further recognize that rapidly escalating global warming and its consequent climate destabilization is the greatest currently active threat to the security of all nations, comparable in scope of impact to global nuclear war. Escalating average global temperature rises will lead to destabilization affecting first millions, then billions of people forced to deal with ongoing climate catastrophes, food and other resource depletion, and mass migrations.
Nearly all of the major problems our world faces today worsen and multiply due to escalating global warming. All of the ecological, economic and political problems listed below will cross-intensify and therefore worsen as average global temperatures rises.
- Food and resource depletion
- Severe droughts, floods, and wildfires
- Rising sea levels
- Water pollution and water table loss
- Desertification and deforestation
- Ocean fish stock depletions
- Growing economic inequity, poverty, and instability
- Political instability and injustice
- War and regional conflicts
- Increasing potential of pandemics and other health crises
Despite 30 years of education, study, and discussion about the possible irreversible effects of human-caused carbon and methane pollution of our atmosphere, global warming temperatures have escalated to levels that may have already passed or be close to passing global warming tipping points with impacts that are irreversible. We must immediately reverse the continued rise of average global temperature by decreasing human-caused production of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels.
Failure to resolve global warming for ourselves and future generations is simply not a survivable option.
As global citizens of every nation on Earth, we ask you, our national leaders, to initiate the necessary steps to formally declare a national and international global warming State of Emergency, calling for the immediate allocation of the needed research, resources, personnel, and interventions to quickly resolve this State of Emergency and sustainably protect, preserve, and advance the continued evolution of humanity and life on Earth.
By signing this petition, I pledge to act together with others as one human family to acknowledge and resolve the escalating global warming-caused climate destabilization crisis.
When we reach the required number of petition signatures for each area, we will submit the petition with all signatures to: (1) the Office of the President of the United States and the members of both houses of U.S. Congress, as well as (2) governing bodies of other nations (if you provide your nationality). Our priority is to make the case to members of both houses of the U.S. Congress that this is the most urgent place to draw a line between themselves and the Trump Administration, in addition to being potentially the most politically defensible. This is true insofar as withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement abdicates America's role in international leadership on the number one issue of the century, isolating the U.S. in a marginalized triad with Syria and Nicaragua, and in opposition to the overwhelming other 193 world nations. We gain nothing by withdrawal except appearing less scientific, rational, and committed to world peace than North Korea and similar rogue states.
NOTABLE PETITION SIGNERS*
Vinit Allen, Founder & Executive Director, Sustainable World Coalition
Paul Allen, Project Co-coordinator, Zero Carbon Britain
Steve Bhaerman, Co-author of "Spontaneous Evolution: Our Positive Future and a Way to Get There From Here" and political satirist
Philip Bogdonoff, Director, Washington DC Chapter of Biodiversity for a Livable Climate
Russell Brockhurst, Project Team Leader, Caterpillar of Australia, Ltd
Gerardo Ceballos, PhD, Senior Researcher, Institute of Ecology, UNAM [National Autonomous University of Mexico], Districto Federal, Mexico
Karen Cisler, Secretary-Treasurer, PSR-TN [TN Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility]; member, Air Quality Board, State of TN Department of Environmental Conservation
Cliff Cockerham, PhD, Director, PSR-TN [TN Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility]
Siobhan Colombo, Faculty of Science & Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
John Cooksey, Writer/Director/Producer, "How to Boil a Frog"
Raymond Cummings, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Villanova University
Kathy Dervin, Senior Consultant, Center for Climate Change & Health
Rev. Michael Dowd, Pro-Future Evangelist
Soumya Dutta, National Convenor - Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha (translates to - India people's science campaign) and Convenor - Climate & Energy Group, Beyond Copenhagen collective, India
Hans Ehrbar, PhD, Professor of Economics - retired, University of Utah
Duane Elgin, Author of "Voluntary Simplicity"
Dave Ewoldt, Co-founder & Senior Analyst, Coalitions for Mutual Endeavor
Karen Feridun, Founder, Berks Gas Truth [fighting shale gas development]
Peter Fiekowsky, Founder, The Healthy Climate Project; Lead Volunteer & Founder, CCL's 100-Year Planning Group
Len Finegold, PhD, Professor of Biophysics - retired, Drexel University
Dr. Katherine Forrest, MD, MPH, Co-Founder & former President, The Commonweal Institute; Board Member of The Peninsular Democratic Coalition [PDC] and founding member of PDC's Climate Action Group
Len Frenkel, Author of "Will We Survive Climate Change?: One Last Chance"
Victoria Furio, Convener, The Climate Justice Initiative at Union Theological Seminary
Valerie Gardner, Founder & Executive Director, Climate Coalition
Gisele Giorgi, PhD, Biosciences Faculty, Merritt College
Russell Greene, President, PDA-People Demanding Action & is the leading climate activist of Progressive Democrats of America who is credited with securing the Climate Mobilization plank in the 2016 Democratic Presidential platform, saying: "There is time left for gradualism. That window has passed. This is a climate emergency — the moment to make a stand for the future. For each other. For our children."
Mary Gutierrez, Executive Director, Earth Ethics and Earth Action, Inc.
Heidi Harmon, Co-Organizer, "Up to Us Caravan" to the DNC
Dr. Mary Headrick, MD, Board Member, PSR-TN
Harold Hedelman, Director of Engagement - Business Climate Leaders at Citizens' Climate Lobby
Bill Henderson, Freelance Climate Journalist
Cynthia Flores Hernandez, PhD, former Researcher, Institute of Ecology, UNAM, Districto Federal, Mexico
Ken Hickson, Author of "Race for Sustainability" and "ABC of Carbon"
James Hilgend Video Producer & Author of eleven books, including: "A New Myth for America", Forever Here", "The Great New Emerging Civilization"
Michael Hoexter, PhD, Research Scholar, Binzagr Institute for Sustainable Prosperity and Campaign Volunteer for Bernie Sanders 2016
Allen Johnson, PhD, Professor of Geology - retired, University of West Chester
John Jorgensen, Biologist-turned Activist/Marcher, Great March for Climate Action
Hannah Kaminsky, Author of "My Sweet Vegan", "Vegan Desserts", "Vegan a la Mode", "Easy as Vegan Pie"
George Paul Kemp, PhD, Associate Research Professor, Center for Coastal, Energy and Environmental Resources, Louisiana State University; Co-founder & former Executive Director, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
Rev. Earl Koteen, Environmental Justice Minister and Board Member, Unitarian Universalist Earth Ministry
Felix Kramer, Founder, Beyond Cassandra and the of Congressional Climate Project
Mark Lichty, Documentary Film Producer of "Groundswell Rising"
Natalie Lucas, Executive Director, Care About Climate; member of U.S. student delegations to the UN's COP 18 (Doha), 19 (Warsaw), 20 (Lima), & 21 (Paris)
Cynthia Lukas, Producer, "Heaven on Earth Creations'" and upcoming film "Ghandi's Gift"
Chloe Maxmin, Co-founder, Divest Harvard
Bruce Melton, PE, Executive Director, Climate Change Now Initiative
Debbie Mytels, Associate Director, Acterra: Action for a Sustainable Earth
Jim Newell, PhD, lobbyist & government relations professional & CEO, ELS, Inc and TCM [The Climate Mobilization] Lead Organizer - Washington, DC Chapter
Terry Patten, Founder, Bay Area Integral
Dr. Linda Rudolph, MD, MPH, Co-Director, Climate Change and Public Health Project, Public Health Institute
Vanessa Rule, Co-founder, Mothers Out Front - Mobilizing for a Livable Climate
Dr. Pouné Saberi, MD, MPH, National Board of Directors, PSR; President, PSR-Philadelphia; Clinical Faculty, University of Pennsylvania; Section Chief for Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Philadelphia VA Medical Center
Adam Sacks, Executive Director, Biodiversity for a Livable Climate
Paul Severance, Chair, Elders Climate Action
Ezra Silk, Co-Founder and Director of Policy and Strategy, The Climate Mobilization
Mariana Garcia Solana, Executive Director, The Friends of the Maya Foundation and Climate Mobilization Volunteer Lead Organizer for Mexico
Susan Soleil, Former Executive Director, Utah Interfaith Power & Light
Maria Luisa Tasayco, PhD, Emeritus Professor, Biochemistry & Biophysics Graduate Center, City University of New York
Kristina Turechek, Adjunct Faculty, SUNY College at Oneonta
Brian von Herzen, PhD, Executive Director, The Climate Foundation
Cassandra Wardle, Conservation Researcher, School of the Environment, Griffith University, Australia
Tom Weis, President, Climate Crisis Solutions
Lawrence Wollersheim, Director, Job One for Humanity
Elizabeth Woodworth, co-author of "Unprecedented Climate Mobilization"
"I heartily support the Climate Emergency Coalition and its work to shift philanthropy to organizations and initiatives fighting the threats to humanity brought by climate change."
- Paul R. Ehrlich
People who have worked with us on earlier breakthrough initiatives beginning in 2014:
Turner Anderson, Project Engineer at Siemens Energy, Inc.**
Duncan Callaway, PhD, Associate Professor of Energy & Resources, Division of Electrical Engineering/EECS, University of California - Berkeley**
William Christopfel, PhD, Director of Scientific Affairs, Bell Pharmaceuticals**
Simon Dalby, PhD, Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies and CIGI Chair in the Political Economy of Climate Change, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada**
Robert Dello-Russo, PhD, Research Associate Professor of Anthropology & Director, Office of Contract Archaeology, University of New Mexico**
William DeMott, PhD, Professor of Biology, Purdue University**
Paul R. Ehrlich, PhD, Bing Professor of Population Studies and President, Center for Conservation Biology, Stanford University
Daniela Gioseffi, Editor & Publisher of Eco-Poetry.org & PoetsUSA.com; American Book Award-winning author of 16 books of poetry and prose***
Sebastian Groh, PhD, CEO at ME SOLshare Ltd; Assistant Professor at North South University, Bangaldesh**
John Harte, PhD, jointly appointed Professor in the Energy & Resources Group and the Ecosystem Sciences Division of the College of Natural Resources, University of California - Berkeley**
Donald Hnatowich, PhD, Professor of Radiology - retired, University of Massachusetts Medical School; Presenter, Climate Reality**
Andy Hoffmann, PhD, Office of Sustainability working group, University of Utah**
Daniel Kammen, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Energy, Energy and Resources Group, University of California - Berkeley**
Rik Leemans, PhD, Professor of Environmental Systems Analysis Wageningen University, The Netherlands**
Michael Mann, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Meteorology & Director of the Earth System Science Center Penn State University**
Trae Menard, Director of Forest Conservation, Hawaii Chapter - The Nature Conservancy**
Sergio Pacca, PhD, Research Fellow, University of Michigan Center for Sustainable Systems; Associate Professor of Energy & Sustainability, Sao Paolo University, Brasil**
Robert Strom, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Lunar and Planetary Lab. and Dept. of Planetary Science, University of Redlands**
Anders Wijkman, PhD, elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for outstanding services to the environment; Co-President, Club of Rome**
Cleo Woelfle-Erskine, PhD, Fellow, Energy and Resources Group, University of California - Berkeley; Fellow, Institute for Advanced Studies on Science, Technology and Society, Austria**