NYC March Demands Urgent Action to End Fossil Fuels Supported by Over 500 Organizations
In the wake of scorching heat waves, devastating wildfires, and rising sea levels, over 500 organizations are joining forces to demand President Biden to take decisive action on fossil fuels. The upcoming March to End Fossil Fuels, set to take place in New York City on September 17th, aims to address the global climate emergency that requires immediate and impactful solutions.
Organizers of the march have garnered support from influential groups such as the NAACP, Sierra Club, and Sunrise Movement. These organizations are lending their voices to the plea for bold action, following a deadly summer characterized by record-breaking temperatures and climate-related disasters. Joining them are key groups at the forefront of organizing the march, including the Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Popular Democracy, Climate Organizing Hub, Food & Water Watch, Fridays For Future USA & NYC, Earthworks, Greenfaith, Indigenous Environmental Network, New York Communities for Change, Oil Change International, and Oil & Gas Action Network.
The momentum of this movement extends beyond 500 endorsing organizations. Renowned leaders, including Senator Ed Markey, Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Jamaal Bowman, Tennessee State Representative Justin Pearson, former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, and Chair of The Elders, along with influential figures like Jane Fonda, Naomi Klein, Mark Ruffalo, and Bill McKibben, have pledged their support to the cause. The march is expected to attract over 10,000 attendees from across the nation, including Goldman Prize winners Nalleli Cobo and Sharon Lavigne, UN youth adviser Ayisha Siddiqa, scientist Peter Kalmus, Gulf Coast leaders John Beard, Jr. and Roishetta Ozane, and Mountain Valley Pipeline fighters such as Crystal Cavalier.
Highlighting the urgency for action, Olivia Leirer, Co-Executive Director of New York Communities for Change, stressed the vital need for President Biden to enact actionable solutions that match the magnitude of the crisis at hand. While New York City has taken a significant step in the right direction by passing Local Law 97, regarded as the most crucial climate and jobs law at the city level, it alone won’t suffice in addressing the global climate emergency. Leirer emphasized that the time for complacency from leaders has passed, and the march serves not as a mere request but as a staunch demand for President Biden to make a resolute stand against fossil fuels.
The march, scheduled to commence at 1 pm, will see participants gathering at 56th Street and Broadway between 12 and 1 pm. Organizers advise taking the subway to Columbus Circle (A, B, C, D, or 1 trains) and proceeding south on Broadway towards 56th Street for the most convenient access to the event.
With the support and endorsement of numerous organizations, influential leaders, and advocates for climate and racial justice, the March to End Fossil Fuels is poised to make a powerful statement. As the world grapples with the dire consequences of our reliance on fossil fuels, this unified call for immediate action resonates louder than ever before.