For Immediate Release

Seattle, WA — This morning, President Biden visited Seattle for an Earth Day event and signing of a new executive order to protect old growth forests. Dozens of climate activists were there to demand that the President reject fossil fuel projects and declare a climate emergency. President Biden’s trip comes just one week after his administration opened up thousands of acres of federal land for oil and gas drilling, contradicting a specific pledge from the President’s campaign. Local activists present on Friday represented Food & Water Watch, 350 Seattle, Stand.earth and others from Build Back Fossil Free, a national coalition of over 1,100 groups pressuring the Biden Administration to declare a climate emergency and end the federal approval of new fossil fuel projects.  

The latest scientific report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned of severe consequences to human health, security, food and water supplies, and more should world leaders fail to quickly curtail the use of fossil fuels. 

“Fossil fuels are destroying our climate with direct impacts in our own backyard,” said Thomas Meyer, Seattle-based national organizing manager at Food & Water Watch. “On this Earth Day, President Biden can’t claim to be a climate leader just a week after his administration opened up more of our federal lands for fracking and drilling. This contradicts an explicit campaign promise and flies in the face of the latest UN climate report. President Biden has the power to meaningfully address the climate crisis by ending federal fossil fuel sales, rejecting permits for fossil fuel infrastructure projects, and declaring a national climate emergency to quickly expand the clean energy economy.” 

The Pacific Northwest has faced record heat waves, drought, and wildfires in recent years, impacts that climate scientists say will likely get worse in the near future unless drastic action is taken to reduce fossil fuel use. 

Activists held signs urging Biden to stop fossil fuel projects and declare a climate emergency. A 15-foot banner read “C’mon man, the IPCC says it’s now or never: put an end to fossil fuels!” 

Link to photos and video here (credit Food & Water Watch).

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Contact: Jessica Gable – [email protected], 202-683-2478