FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 7, 2020
Contact:
David Turnbull, david [at] priceofoil.org
Oil Change U.S. Response to Biden Presidential Election Victory
Multiple news outlets have now confirmed the results of enough states to give Joe Biden the necessary 270 electoral votes to win the presidential election. In response, Oil Change U.S. experts released the following statements:
Elizabeth Bast, Executive Director:
“The victory of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris over Donald Trump is an important victory for democracy against fascism. It’s a win for the climate and for trusting science, and it’s a win for all who fought to stand up to Trump and his blatant racism and misogyny. But the work is nowhere near over. These next four years may be the most critical years we’ve ever seen — for the climate, for restoring our democracy, and for pushing back against growing white supremacy and moving towards real racial justice.
“Joe Biden said he will transition the U.S. away from oil, and we’re here for it. The American public is desperate for real climate action, and we look forward to working with the Biden and Harris administration to live up to all they’ve promised. This includes taking critical first steps in winding down an out of control fossil fuel industry in the United States: stopping the Keystone XL pipeline yet again, ending fossil fuel leases on public lands, ending fossil fuel subsidies and finance, implementing strong environmental justice standards and respecting Indigenous sovereignty, and recommitting to international climate leadership through re-engaging with the Paris Agreement and leading the G20 in a transition away from fossil fuels.
“There is much work to do, but we welcome this opportunity to advance our collective efforts for climate justice and a managed decline of fossil fuels.”
Rebecca Concepcion Apostol, National Program Director:
“While the Biden climate plan is perhaps the most ambitious of any incoming President, we know it’s still not enough to protect our climate and communities from the mounting disasters we are facing all over the country. After a round of well-deserved celebrations, we’ll get back to work pushing with the urgency our climate crisis requires. A critical first step in the days ahead is ensuring Biden appoints true climate champions to all key positions and keeps fossil fuel representatives and lobbyists out of the incoming administration.
“We need to see a new Biden administration move aggressively to phase out fossil fuel production in the United States with a people-centered just transition for workers and communities, including enacting ambitious executive orders to get the ball rolling immediately upon taking office, and working to instate climate action that matches the needs of the people.”
Alex Doukas, Stop Funding Fossils Program Director:
“Joe Biden has repeatedly committed to ending the billions in subsidies that go to the fossil fuel industry each year, and we look forward to holding him to this commitment. Biden has spoken frequently about moving the United States into a leadership position on climate, and one way he can back that rhetoric up is to end U.S. public support for fossil fuel production abroad. This would mean ending dirty finance overseas via the Export Import Bank, Development Finance Corporation, and U.S. participation in multilateral development banks, while delivering on Biden’s campaign promise to get a G20 commitment on ending export finance for high-carbon projects, including all fossil fuel infrastructure.”
Collin Rees, Senior Campaigner:
“This election has played out in a time of extreme turmoil — it’s happened amidst a deadly pandemic, an unprecedented uprising against racial injustice, and a climate crisis seizing headlines like never before. People-powered movements have changed the public conversation, and climate is now a top concern for voters.
“Progressives across the country in swing districts and swing states proved that by leaning into bold, winning messages like standing up to Big Oil’s dirty dollars, providing health care for all, and defunding the racist police state, Democrats can win big. But the conversation in DC is stuck in the past, and we’ll need to push harder than ever to stop false solutions and win the transformative climate agenda we need. Joe Biden must lay out a bold agenda on climate from Day One, and we’ll be here to hold him to it.”
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