AN ALL DAY SIT-IN, TEACH-IN - CLIMATE CHANGE SUPERFUND ACT

OUTSIDE THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE IN THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING | DECEMBER 10

PLEASE CONSIDER PARTICIPATING FOR ALL OR PART OF THE DAY AND SHARE THIS INVITATION AND ATTACHED FLIER WITH OTHERS WHO MAY BE INTERESTED.

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URGE GOVERNOR HOCHUL TO SIGN THE CLIMATE CHANGE SUPERFUND ACT

The fossil fuel industry has long been aware that its products lead to climate change. Exxon was aware as early as 1977 that its fossil fuel products could cause global warming with “dramatic environmental effects before the year 2050,” but then engaged in a lengthy disinformation campaign to downplay or discredit what its own scientists had confirmed.  A 1987 internal Shell publication titled “Air Pollution: an Oil Industry Perspective” noted that “further rise in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere could lead to a higher average surface temperature on Earth, which could have far-reaching environmental, social and economic consequences.” Just two years after that report, Shell executive Ged Davis wrote that “Global warming could challenge the very fabric of the world’s ecological and economic systems.”

The oil companies are well aware that the crisis is both social and environmental and that the cry of the earth is intimately linked with the cry of the poor. But rather than heed those cries, they chose to ignore them, placing profits over people and caring more about their corporate coffers than the well-being of creation. Now we are dealing with the damage and with the need to prepare for greater challenges to come— the increased frequency and severity of storms, flooding and extreme heat. Efforts to repair the damage and to prepare for the future must especially take into account the poor and disadvantaged communities who are least responsible for the crisis, and least able to defend themselves against the coming climate chaos.

The New York State Assembly and Senate passed the Climate Change Superfund Act in June but it has not yet been signed by the governor. This bill sets up a fair and just source of revenue to address the climate crisis. It is based on the “polluter pays” legal principle and will raise $3 billion a year from major oil companies for climate-related repair, resilience and community protection projects. Without such a revenue source, the cost of these projects will have to be borne by New York taxpayers.

Last year the costs of such projects amounted to over $2.1 billion. Major oil companies have earned $750 billion in profits since 2021. Thirty to forty of the largest multinational oil, gas, and coal companies would be required to together pay $75 billion total over 25 years to New York State for damages arising from greenhouse gas emissions caused by the burning of fossil fuels.  It is fair and just that those who have made such enormous profits from products which are causing the climate crisis should be made to shoulder the costs of repairing the damage.

Please urge Governor Hochul to sign the Climate Change Superfund Act. With the election of Donald Trump and his promise to relax environmental regulations and increase oil drilling, action at the state level is ever more urgent.