PHILADELPHIA – Thousands will be marching in the streets of Philadelphia on the eve of the Democratic National Convention, calling for a Clean Energy Revolution. Convened by Americans Against Fracking and Pennsylvanians Against Fracking, the march has been endorsed by more than 800 organizations.
Rabbi Mordechai Liebling, with Green Justice Philly, said the Democratic Party platform will be finalized on Monday, and environmentalists want delegates to strengthen the environmental plank.
“We’d like the Democratic National Committee to have no fracking in its platform, a strong endorsement of fighting against climate change, and strong backing of renewable energy,” he said.
Natural gas, or methane, is a greenhouse gas that’s about thirty times more potent than carbon dioxide as an agent of global climate change.
The marchers will also be asking the convention to make opposition to the Trans Pacific Partnership, or TPP, a part of the party platform. According to Liebling signing the TPP, a huge multi-national trade deal, would be very bad for the climate.
“One of the worst parts of the TPP is that it gives multinational corporations the ability to evade national environmental regulations,” he added.
Both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders spoke against the TPP during their presidential primary campaigns.
Globally, 2016 is on track to be the hottest year on record. Liebling maintains it’s no longer a choice, switching to clean energy needs to be the top priority. And that’s what is drawing thousands to Philadelphia to march Sunday for a climate revolution.
“These 800 organizations understand that the greatest crisis facing humanity is global climate change.”
The march will begin with a multi-faith service at Philadelphia’s City Hall.
Eric Tegethoff
Eric Tegethoff is a journalist covering the Northwest. Eric has worked as a reporter for KBOO, XRAY FM, and Oregon Public Broadcasting in Portland, Oregon, as well as other print and digital news media. In 2012, Eric traveled to North Dakota to write about the Bakken region oil boom. He's also worked at a movie theater, as a campaign canvasser and quality assurance at a milk packaging factory. Eric is originally from Orlando, Florida. He graduated from the University of Florida in 2010.
