As the year comes to a close, we want to know how we can best support your advocacy work in 2024. Why is this so important to us?
The answer is simple -- we are now witnessing a pivotal moment in the history of global climate action. In the United States, for instance, never before have we seen such historic local, state, and federal government investments in climate mitigation and adaptation strategies, often with an environmental justice lens. Once in profound opposition to the larger aims of the movement, the state is now beginning to partner with climate justice activists to advance policy goals all over the country. The upcoming U.S. Presidential elections in November will help determine whether such a partnership will continue to grow for the next four years. Big oil and the polluter-industrial complex realize the importance of these elections, and are now devoting millions of dollars to voter suppression efforts, climate denialism and delay, and the weakening of voting rights and our democratic institutions. More than ever, we need a multi-racial, multi-class, multi-generational, and multi-national movement capable of fighting the power of Big Oil. Our numbers are growing. More communities than ever before are feeling the impacts of the climate crisis. The age of consequences is upon us – what is most important now is how we respond to this growing crisis.
So, How Can We Help You Succeed in 2024?
Our purpose at the Center is to help foster a more intersectional, transformative, and powerful movement for climate justice. That means supporting climate justice advocates of all stripes: community activists, Indigenous peoples, policy experts, youth, elected officials, labor unions, racial justice advocates, planners and government staff, researchers, writers, and everyone in between. In February 2024, we will be unveiling our comprehensive new primer on federal funding opportunities for climate action that has been almost a year in the making. We are also building a series of strategy workshops for local climate justice action and policy implementation to capitalize on these funding opportunities.
Right now, we're interested not in what you can do for us, but what we can do to support your own advocacy, policymaking, networking, and community building in 2024. What are your priorities in 2024, and what kinds of resources would best enable your work? Share your thoughts with us in the short survey link below. Don’t worry – there’s no year-end deadline to our survey, we will keep it open for the month of January.
What's in This Month's Climate Justice Action Update?
It may be the end of the year, but we haven’t forgotten to bring you the latest and greatest climate justice action resources! As momentum builds worldwide for a just and sustainable transition, we’re highlighting some of the most inspiring recent developments: from permanent housing for people suffering chronic homelessness, transformative government project agreements that will accelerate mass transit infrastructure, to exciting renewable energy leadership in Texas. Our own 2024 Funding Primer will provide step-by-step guides for applying to federal grants, and numerous new other funding opportunities. Take a glance through the December Update and follow the links to the resources that are most valuable to you. We encourage you to forward the Updates to like-minded colleagues and allies.
Wishing a Happy New Year to You and Yours,
Christina Schlegel, Executive Director
and our entire Climate Justice Center Team
