Message of the Week: November 12, 2019

As we recognize both Veterans Day and National Veterans and Military Families Month in November, it’s important to remember that more than two-thirds of critical military bases and installations are at risk from extreme weather made more frequent and intense as a result of climate change. Military and national security experts, as well as the Department of Defense, have identified climate change as a national security threat that is already impacting our military readiness, increasing threats to our troops, and jeopardizing military installations at home and around the world. The Trump administration’s climate change denial is undermining our national security and putting our troops and military readiness at risk. 

Reorient Target Messaging

• Earlier this year, a report released by the Department of Defense found that more than two-thirds of critical military installations are threatened by climate change. 
• [Senator] must listen to the warnings from the Department of Defense and the demands from  [his/her] constituents to support climate action to protect our servicemembers. That’s putting America first. 
• Climate change is happening and jeopardizing America’s national security. In the absence of federal leadership, state and local officials, businesses, and community leaders are already investing in clean energy that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and bolster America’s security. 
• [State Demonym]s are already experiencing the impacts of climate change and are urging [Senator] to stand up to the Trump administration’s attempts to roll back health and environmental protections and to support America’s growing clean energy economy.  

Renew Target Messaging

• A Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that a growing number of Americans describe climate change as a crisis and two-thirds believe the Trump administration is not doing enough to tackle it.
• According to the Department of Defense and national security experts, climate change is threatening our national security, military readiness, and military installations across the country.  [Senator] should oppose the Trump administration’s efforts to increase our dependence on foreign oil and roll back protections that reduce the pollution contributing to the climate crisis. We need bold climate solutions and are looking to [Senator] for [his/her] leadership. 
• As Americans grow increasingly concerned about the climate crisis, we need [Senator] to take action to help protect our national security, health, and environment and mitigate the worst impacts of climate change. 

Energize Target Messaging

• [Representative] should listen to the demands for climate solutions and co-sponsor the 100% Clean Economy Act of 2019. 
• City, state, and business leaders are already making commitments to achieve steep carbon pollution reductions and accelerate and incentivize the transition to clean, secure, and carbon-free energy. America is transitioning to a 100% clean energy economy, and [Representative] should join this momentum by co-sponsoring the 100% Clean Economy Act of 2019.

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND

• A CBS News poll released September 15 found that a majority of Americans think action needs to be taken right now to address climate change. Most consider it at least to be a serious problem — including more than a quarter who say it is a crisis.
• A Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll released on September 13 found that an overwhelming majority of Americans — about 8 in 10 — say that human activity is fueling climate change. Roughly half believe action is urgently needed within the next decade to avert the worst effects of climate change. 
• Navigator Research revealed that seven-in-ten Americans think climate change is either a dangerous problem for people today or one that needs to be addressed today in order to prevent it from becoming dangerous in the future. 
• 12 states are considering policies that would generate 100% of their electricity from clean energy sources. 
• Nearly 3.3 million jobs nationally have been created as part of America’s transition to a clean energy economy. 
• A climate assessment published by the Trump administration itself found extreme heat events are on the rise in the United States and have been since 1970.
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) confirmed that September 2019 tied with 2015 as the hottest September in its 140 years of recording temperatures. The agency also reported that July 2019 was the hottest month ever on record. 
  
  

For more national and state-specific facts about climate change, clean energy, extreme weather, and carbon pollution, please visit the Climate Change Index at https://climateindex.org/

The 100% Clean Economy Act of 2019 Toolkit is accessible here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Uj-4HtIaULMOQAk9_sI85pk9S8MTsJeOVoMrffzjLaE/edit?usp=sharing