The National Wildlife Federation chair Larry Shweigher just warmed us up.
The topic: "Next Steps for the Climate Movement"
starts with thanks to Maggie Fox, Larry Schweigher
and deep thanks to everyone on this call
"I have a diffiicult task tonightRepower
I have to call you to action
I have to begin by telling you what you know
in all candor
the United States governement
in its entirety
largely because of the opposition in the US Senate
... has failed us
(continued across the jump)
(all words are America Chair Al Gore's verbatim utterings unless otherwise noted - I try to indicate gaps by hitting return or typing an ellipsis but don't always succeed.)
(wrapping up call at 6:16 PM... Maggie says "tell your friends and family about the call")
http://www.RepowerAmerica.org/
America is capable of great things
...
history of leadership from our earliest days
...
defines us as a nation
but we haven't always succeeded
the first time we have confronted
a mighty challenge
(8:50 PM EDT)
in the last few weeks
the US senate has failed the challenge
announced they would not take up comprehensive climate legislation
bringing to a temporary disappointing call
a fight we have been fighting for a year and a half and longer
likely not to be debated
when the Senate returns
from the August recesses
we have to have a realistic view
they have failed.
they have failed, badly.
The possiblity of a debate after the midterm elections
This battle has not been successful
it is pretty much over for this year
but the battle is not over
but we simply have no choice
but to win this battle
linking climate crisis, economy...
the house of representatives did its job
in large part because of your efforts
the American people as a whole
by a margin of 60% or more
say they support passing legislation
but the very powerful special interests
that make up the oil, utility... coal sectors
not every company
... (missed 1 minute while publishing)
on the whole our governement is not working
as our founders intended it to
special interests and their allies in Congress
have been fighting every day
to stop progress
on the most important issue that we know
for civilization as we know it
they have been able to stop progress
coordinated, cynical campaign
to stop any regulation of global warming pollution
have spent hundreds of millions this year alone
just on lobbying
not to mention their large public relations campiagns
they attack science, scientists
they used very harsh, cynical political rhetoric
worked hard to publish..
many eleected officials simply too scared to act on
they spread untruths that during a time of
economic recession, rather than soliving this crisis
and creating millions of jobs in the process
it would be to economic advanatage
they're wrong
we have to win this struggle.
so how do we move ahead?
we have an ally on our side: Reality.
millions more people all the time are recognizing what's going on.
(missed a minute again)
climate records set
17 nations this year alone
Russia climate guy
"we have an archive of records stretching over 1000 years"
there has been nothing matching
Medvyedev: "What is happening now in our central regions.
we have never in our history faced such weather conditions in the past."
in my home city Nashville where I am right now
thousands of neighbors lost their homes
had no flood insurance
lived outside flood plains
Army Corps "once in a thousnad year rainfall"
floodplains as once measured
no longer relevant to the future
we have an extra __% extra moisture in the atmosphere
every degree sends it up an extra 7%.
the same increased heat
pulls the moisture out of the soil
creating the historic drought in russia
and many places around the world
we are seeing records set
place after place
many places around the world
a massive island many times the size of Manhattan
just broke off of greenland
you have heard the scientists say
will become more commonplace
because of global warming
despite mischaracterize ... media
scientific community is virtually unaninmous
more than 97% of cliamte scientists around the world
the last formal international assesment declared... "unequivocal"
extreme situtation
we also know
the benefits of making the shift
will reduce our depeendence on foreign oil markets
a very unstable region of the world
will create miillions of new jobs
here in the US
that cannot be outsourced.
so what can we do
whats next?
well its time for our leaders to act
... oil spill
hold polluters accountable
fend off attacks
like (AB32) in CA
(lost minute while updating)
its time for our elected officials to stand up
we must defend the clean air act
and fight back against efforts to weaken it
that will be one of the battles that lies ahead
we must...
defeat the special interests
shift... from lobbyists and their interests
to American people
we must conitnue to be involved
in this historic effort
old cliche "its darkest just before the dawn"
"we have just begun to fight"
we need you now more than ever
we need to hear directly from you
your ideas and input
http://www.repoweramerica.org/
tell me what you think
I'm personally asking you to recommit
to join me in the fight
for what lies ahead
we have to make certain
we protect
our cviilization
help those who were with us during this battle
and who we need to continue to be with us
push back on efforts to block the reduction in greenhouse gases
with their recent advances, our opposition is embolded
but that's just another reason
why we have to redouble our efforts
we have enough time
we can take the bold steps
that will turn this tide
we can protect our economy, our national security, and our future
there's no better way to secure the promise of america
for our children and our fturue
I want to end as I begin
expressing my thanks to all of you
without the work of all of you
we would not have gotten as far as we have
many thought it was impossible...
to get the initiatives
that are now pending
these things are possible
because you have written hundreds of letters...
write your newspaper, signed peittions.
I thank you personally
for your dedication, passion, commitment
you have been an inpsiration for me
we need inspiration still
we are redoubling our efforts
we simply cannot lose this fight
too much depends on it
our greatest work
and most important successes
still lies ahead of us.
I know I can count on you
to keep up this fight.
9:06 PM EDT Q&A
Q: ClimateGate - why are we not effective?
A: Mark Twain. Echo chamber. undermine evidence.
There have been multiple formal inquiries
all of which have dispelled the falsehoods
which go under the title "climategate"
the 3 separate inquiries
...
strongly reaffirmed the basic assertions that they have been making.
The WSJ wrote upwards of 30 editorials and new stories
during ithe time the East Anglia stories broke
and not one presented
the side of teh scientists
it is our responsibliity
to pressure that all reporters and editors
report the truth
it is only thru pressure...
that we will get the truth out.
post comments online.
Q#2: on partisanship
It didn't use to be a partisan issue.
I think its a moral issue
the impacts on the envi conditions
that are favorable to human beings
should of course transcend any boundaries
including ideological
communicate the urgency of the crisis
and the availability of the solutions
and communicate these truths clearly enough
to people of all walks of life
and all political persuasions
that we have a moral duty to act
we have to build
not only the strength and breadth
of these convictions
but also the intensity
it has at times
appeared to be partisan
simply because
of the nearly lockstep opposition
on the other side
I should hasten to add
a few republicans have stood up
and I acknowledge that
it is simply a matter of sicentific fact
whether we are willing to fight
for the ffuture of the civilization
and all that we hold dear
fight across ideological, political boundary lines
because that is one of the keys to success
Q #3: why Senate allowing china to lead way in clean energy tech?
China big investment... wind energy
our country having developed these tech
have allowed them to be developed by other countries
we need to lead
...
harness the innovation of American workers
that's precisely why we need to pass national legislation
so we can equip ourselves
(Maggie wraps up - 3 Q's is it... our work is certainly not done yet)
we've made great progress
we've made great gains
we cannot fail
we will not fail
with your help we will succeed
(Maggie: request from input from Repower America members)
http://www.repoweramerica.org/...
post ideas, provide input, share your voice for the best way forward for the climate movement
the opposition is not wasting any ....
that's why so important
our leaders may have abandoned the fight this year
but we haven't
and so need your help.
will be compiling yoru input
as we plan our long-term strategy