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For Immediate Release
Contact:

Jennifer K. Falcon, Indigenous Environmental Network, Fossil Free Media, jennifer@ienearth.org

Build Back Fossil Free Statement on State of the Union

WASHINGTON
Build Back Fossil Free, a 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, released the following statement in response to the conflict in Ukraine, the latest IPCC report, and President Biden's State of the Union:

As a coalition led by Black, Indigenous peoples, people of the global majority and those on the frontlines of fossil fuel industry expansion, we stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, and people everywhere, who are resisting attacks on their sovereignty and their homes. Everyone has the right to protect the land, air, and water, whether the threat comes from Putin's tanks or the fossil fuel industry's bulldozers.

President Biden missed an opportunity in his State of the Union address to lay out a clear agenda for how to end our reliance on fossil fuels - fuels that are bankrolling Putin's regime, wreaking havoc on our communities, and destroying our climate. It is time for Biden to finally commit to protecting vulnerable communities and building back fossil free, both here in the United States and around the world.

Established in 1990 within the United States, IEN was formed by grassroots Indigenous peoples and individuals to address environmental and economic justice issues (EJ). IEN's activities include building the capacity of Indigenous communities and tribal governments to develop mechanisms to protect our sacred sites, land, water, air, natural resources, health of both our people and all living things, and to build economically sustainable communities.