Michael Brune

Last week, the Sierra Club commemorated Juneteenth. It's a day of celebration for some, but a painful reminder for many. A reminder that justice for Black people in this country is never guaranteed—it is an afterthought and sometimes, not a thought at all. This year marked the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, the anniversary of the 2020 Uprisings, and the 50th anniversary of the War on Drugs—all devastating reminders of how this country has perpetually failed the Black community.

In late February, the fracked gas industry had yet another one of its increasingly frequent bad days. After years of advocacy from thousands of residents, Sierra Club organizers, and numerous partners, the governors of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware unanimously voted to permanently ban fracking in the Delaware River Basin. Nearly half of the basin sits on top of the gas-rich Marcellus Shale, and industry was anticipating blasting up to 4,000 wells into its soil.  

On Wednesday, we learned that Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock had won their Senate races, clinching Democratic control of the House, Senate, and presidency. After months of intense work to elect climate champions up and down the ballot, we finally have leaders committed to climate action in the White House and both houses of Congress.

In its waning days, the Trump administration is rushing to transfer thousands of acres of Arizona public lands that are holy to the Apache and other Tribes so a copper company can develop a vast, Earth-scarring mine. And not just any copper company: One of Resolution Copper’s parent companies, Rio Tinto, is responsible for the destruction of a 46,000-year-old Aboriginal site in Australia. 

Last week, the Trump administration began the formal process of selling leases to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge -- one of our last remaining truly wild places.

Minnesota governor Tim Walz portrays himself as a fighter for clean air, clean water, and a clean energy future. He even wrote an op-ed promising that “Minnesota will lead on climate change if Washington won't.” He cultivates a public image as one of the good guys who listens to the science. 

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The pandemic reminds us that our fates are intertwined

Recently, we passed a major milestone for clean energy in the United States. More than 100 million people now live in places committed to 100 percent clean energy. That’s almost one in three people in this country, representing 163 cities, 13 counties, eight states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

The Sierra Club is investing more resources in this year's races than any previous election