ABSTRACT
The combined impacts of fossil fuel pollution and climate-fueled disasters disproportionately hit Black, Brown, Indigenous, and working-class communities. The fossil fuel industry — oil corporations like Shell, Exxon, Chevron, BP, and their friends —have known their business depends on being able to pollute for free for a long time. The truth is that they caused this crisis, knew the truth, lied about it, and are continuing to fuel a global emergency while casting themselves as saviors. A climate president could stop all new fossil fuel extraction. That should start on day one with an executive order to stop new oil, gas, and coal leasing on the public lands, which already accounts for 24% of US carbon emissions. A climate Congress could pass a Green New Deal, transforming the basis of the economy from extraction and exploitation to community-powered, renewable energy.
