1Sky ♦ Ceres ♦ Clean Water Action ♦ Compassion, Peace and Justice Ministries,
Presbyterian Church (USA) ♦ Earthjustice ♦ Environmental Defense Fund ♦ Environmental and Energy Study Institute ♦ Friends of the Earth U.S. ♦ ICLEI-Local ♦ Governments for Sustainability U.S.A. ♦ International Rivers ♦ KyotoUSA ♦ Natural Resources Defense Council ♦ National Wildlife Federation ♦ Pennsylvania Interfaith Climate Change Campaign ♦ Pew Environment Group ♦ Public Citizen ♦ Union of Concerned Scientists ♦ US Climate Action Network
Ministers and Delegates
Conference of the Parties 14, Poznan
United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change
As leaders of environmental, conservation, science, health, and faith organizations based in the
United States, we are writing to urge the nations of the world meeting in Poznan to build on the
decisions in Bali and lay the groundwork for rapid action that puts us on track to conclude a
climate change agreement in Copenhagen next year. Our organizations are supported by
millions of Americans, and we are committed to putting America on the path to strong climate
action in 2009.
The American public is committed to action on climate change and clean energy as never before,
demanding action to cut the pollution that causes global warming, repower America with clean
energy, and end our dependence on oil. A poll by respected pollster John Zogby found that a
strong majority of voters in our recent elections believes that action on climate change should be
a high priority for the new Congress and President. Seventy-eight percent of voters believe that
clean energy should be a cornerstone of our economic recovery plan.
Our organizations are urging Congress and President-elect Obama to enact legislation in 2009
that sets mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions that will reduce U.S. emissions
consistent with keeping further warming below 2 degrees F (equivalent to keeping warming
below 2 degrees C from pre-industrial levels). We are also urging President-elect Obama to use
existing domestic laws, including the Clean Air Act, to set standards on global warming
pollution for power plants, vehicles, and fuels. And we are working with states and mayors to
further advance laws that promote clean energy, improve energy efficiency, and limit greenhouse
gas emissions from vehicles and other sources.
Many of our organizations are working to help advance progress in Poznan during these two
weeks. We all will be devoting our efforts and resources over the next year to help Presidentelect
Obama resurrect America’s lost leadership on global warming and the environment. With
diligent efforts by all countries and a renewed spirit of American international cooperation, we
are confident that an agreement on climate change can be reached by the end of next year.
Sincerely,
Gillian Caldwell, Director
1Sky
Lynn Thorp, National Campaigns Coordinator
Clean Water Action
Trip Van Noppen, President
Earthjustice
Carol Werner, Executive Director
Environmental and Energy Study Institute
Michelle Wyman, Executive Director
ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability,
U.S.A
Tom Kelly, Director
KyotoUSA
Larry Schweiger, President and CEO
National Wildlife Federation
Angela L. Anderson, Director, International Global Warming
Pew Environment Group
Alden Meyer, Director of Strategy and Policy
Union of Concerned Scientists
Mindy S. Lubber, President
Ceres
Sara Pottschmidt Lisherness, Director
Compassion, Peace and Justice Ministries Presbyterian Church (USA)
Fred Krupp, President
Environmental Defense Fund
Brent Blackwelder, President
Friends of the Earth U.S.
Patrick McCully, Executive Director
International Rivers
Frances Beinecke, President
Natural Resources Defense Council
Joy Bergey, Project Director
Pennsylvania Interfaith Climate Change Campaign
Tyson Slocum, Director, Energy Program
Public Citizen
Peter Bahouth, Executive Director
US Climate Action Network