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Calling on Leaders to Speak Up about Climate Catastrophes

On January 6th, we sent our petition to President Biden, calling on him to declare a climate emergency before he leaves office. One day later, the climate emergency came to the people of Los Angeles county, in the form of unprecedented wildfires tearing through homes and businesses. In the six days that followed, the fires displaced tens of thousands, and claimed the lives of at least two dozen people. Today, those fires are still not contained.

Video recorded January 13, 2025.

A scientist in a labcoat holds a sign reading "Biden Declare Climate Emergency" in the lobby of the US Post Office in Palo Alto, California.

We again call on President Biden and the Democratic party to make a very clear and public statement connecting the ways climate change has made catastrophes like this more intense and more frequent. 

As scientists, we know the “weather whiplash” of rainy-er wet years, followed by an intensely dry, hot year like this one, are caused by increased carbon warming the atmosphere. That’s what provided the abundant yet tinder-dry vegetation that allowed these fires to explode out of control in the extreme hurricane-force Santa Ana winds on January 7th, the morning after we sent our petition. 

Crucially, people also need to hear from the president that this “unnatural disaster” and others like it will be worse and more frequent unless we drastically reduce our use of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. That’s the only thing we know we can do TODAY to slow worsening climate change. 

We need leadership that speaks up, and takes a stand to protect people from climate catastrophes by resisting the fossil fuel industry. Every day matters. Later is too late!

What we sent on Jan 6th:

Full video of Michelle and Jeff explaining the petition. January 6, 2025. US Post Office in Palo Alto, California.
Scientist Rebellion logotype with climate stripes.

January 6, 2025

President Joseph R. Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500

Cover letter for Petition:Biden: Declare Climate Emergency

Dear President Biden,

You have said that climate change is the biggest threat humanity faces. The last two years of your presidency were the hottest two years on record. You now have only two weeks left in office to secure your legacy as a real champion on climate. We are calling on you to make a clear public declaration of climate emergency.  

We recognize that an Emergency Declaration should be symbolic and must be temporary and end before the Inauguration on January 20th (to avoid giving Trump the powers such a declaration would grant). That means you must act immediately.

We hope that your administration can find ways to make this a more-than-symbolic gesture. You could call on Secretary Granholm to outright cancel pending permits for LNG export terminals, in addition to re-instating the LNG terminal permitting pause. You could designate more new national monuments for preservation, and even cancel permits for fossil fuel extraction projects on federal lands. You could sign the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. Sure, the next administration may hasten to undo these things, but it could considerably slow them down, and provide time and inspiration for opposition to swell.

Enclosed is our petition, signed by 173 people at https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/biden-declare-climate-emergency. As informed activists with Scientist Rebellion Turtle Island, we urge you to take this stand immediately and publicly.

Sincerely,

Jeff Beeman & Michelle Merrill, Ph.D.


As you may recall, January 6th is a significant date in the transition of presidential power in the United States. It is the date when the U.S. Congress certifies the election results.

Don’t Look Away from the Climate Emergency

After sending our petition to President Biden, Michelle and Jeff went to nearby Stanford University to decorate some statues, reinforcing our message to Biden:

  • Two scientists look at bronze head statue of Jean D'Aire by Rodin, blindfolded and holding a sign that reads "Biden Declare a Climate Emergency" #DontLookAway. Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA. January 6, 2025.
  • A scientist points at large marble statue of man, blindfolded and holding signs that reads "Biden Declare a Climate Emergency" and "End Fossil Fuels" #TheScienceIsClear #DontLookAway. Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA. January 6, 2025.
  • Two scientists look at large marble statue of woman, blindfolded and holding a sign that reads "Biden Declare a Climate Emergency" #DontLookAway. Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA. January 6, 2025.
  • Scientists kneels next to bronze head statue of woman by Rodin, blindfolded and holding a sign that reads "Biden Declare a Climate Emergency" #DontLookAway. Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA. January 6, 2025.
  • Two scientists look at bronze gryphon statue, blindfolded and holding a sign that reads "Biden Declare a Climate Emergency" #DontLookAway. Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA. January 6, 2025.
  • A scientist holds a sign that reads "Biden Declare a Climate Emergency" #TheScienceIsClear #DontLookAway. US Post Office, Palo Alto, CA. January 6, 2025.
Two scientists look at large marble statue of woman, blindfolded and holding a sign that reads "Biden Declare a Climate Emergency" #DontLookAway. Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA. January 6, 2025.

#TheScienceIsClear #DontLookAway

This Post Has One Comment

  1. Greg Spooner

    Biden had the opportunity to declare a Climate Emergency and take action, but did not in spite of many calls to do so. In this new era of authoritarianism, we must continue to look for ways in which we can pressure the federal government to respond to this emergency, but also to seek action at state, local levels and in the commercial sector. This is a fight with a thousand fronts!

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