350.org Responds to Biden's Upcoming Presidential Inauguration

Tomorrow, Joe Biden will be inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States. Inauguration Day arrives two weeks after a pro-Trump, white supremacist attack on the Capitol. The FBI has warned of further extremist violence in all 50 state capitols and Washington, D.C. President-elect Biden has indicated his plans to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline permit on Day 1 in office. This will be a massive movement victory and will fuel widespread pressure for Biden to stop all fossil fuel projects, including Line 3 and the Dakota Access pipeline.

May Boeve, 350.org Executive Director, gave the following response:

"Tomorrow, the American people will inaugurate a president with the strongest climate commitments in US history. This is our time to go big. Our job is to ensure all our communities are healthy, safe, and free against oppressive systems of white supremacy, capitalism, and the patriarchy -- all of which perpetuate the climate crisis. We cannot be complacent. This means demanding swift executive actions on day one that prioritize our communities and hold accountable billionaires and polluters. On Inauguration Day, we expect to see Biden reenter the Paris agreement and stop the Keystone XL pipeline. Then we'll ensure he stops all harmful fossil fuel infrastructure, including at Line 3, in the Arctic, and at the Dakota Access pipeline. Now the real work of rebuilding our country and securing a livable future begins."

Thanu Yakupitiyage, 350.org US Communications Director, added:

"We inaugurate our new leaders amidst violent white supremacist threats to our democracy, rampant police brutality, a global pandemic, and a fast escalating climate crisis. White nationalism is a direct threat to the planet. This country is built on stolen land by stolen labor, and this racist underpinning has escalated our current climate emergency. We must acknowledge the racist roots of climate denial and delay in order to move forward. To be a true climate president, Biden must not only ensure bold action -- he must address the inequities of the crisis by supporting legislation that prioritizes Black, Indigenous, working class, and communities of color most impacted and in need of a just recovery, a Green New Deal, and the Thrive resolution. We will hold the Biden administration to their promises and push them to be bolder on every issue."

350.org is a founding member of Build Back Fossil Free, a growing campaign of nearly 200 groups representing millions of people across the country fighting for intersectional justice that have come together to ensure Biden becomes the climate president he promised to be. The campaign is hosting a digital rally on Tuesday, January 26th to escalate demands for bold climate action during Biden's first 100 days in office, and beyond.