This morning, President Biden formally approved the Willow Master Development Project, a massive oil drilling development across federal land in Alaska’s western Arctic.
Despite his promises to stop drilling on federal lands, and against the actions of millions who urged his administration to stop Willow, President Biden decided to approve the massive oil project. The project would lock-in pollution equivalent to the emissions of 76 coal-fired power plants over the next 30 years.
The world cannot afford to develop any new fossil fuel reserves to have a chance of keeping global temperatures below the 1.5°C threshold outlined in the Paris Agreement. The Biden administration must prioritize a just transition to renewable energy, stop new fossil fuel projects, and phase-out existing fossil fuel infrastructure.
Developing new fossil fuel projects is incompatible with a livable climate and puts communities' health and safety at risk. The Willow project will disproportionately harm the Alaska Native Village of Nuiqsut, which is already burdened by existing fossil fuel infrastructure and the impacts of climate change.
We'll keep you updated about what's next in the fight against Willow. In the meantime, here are links to a few of the responses from us and our partners that you can read and amplify:
1. This statement from the Sovereign Iñupiat for a Living Arctic (SILA)on how the approval of the Willow project abandons our climate promises.
2. This TikTok from Elise Joshi of Gen Z for Climate Change calling on people to flood President Biden's social media with outrage over the decision.
3. This reaction from the People vs. Fossil Fuels coalition to the approval of the Willow project and abandonment of Biden’s climate promises.
4. This Twitter thread from us at Oil Change International echoing frontline calls condemning Biden’s approval of the Willow project.
Thanks,
Allie Rosenbluth
U.S. Program Co-Manager
Oil Change International
Oil Change International campaigns to expose the true costs of fossil fuels and facilitate the coming transition towards clean energy. We are dedicated to identifying and overcoming barriers to that transition.
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