The DNC platform is being improved!

Thanks to you, the DNC platform is being improved! At the end of a long day of amendments, hearings, and markups, we’re pleased to report that most of the amendments supported by Climate Hawks Vote folk like you have been approved!

Here’s a sampling of the amendments where your public support made a difference:

— We won a commitment to 1.5 degrees! Perhaps the single most important amendment, where we collaborated closely with the DNC Climate Council, this language reflects science, the Paris Agreement, and equity among nations. The language: “Democrats will immediately rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement, commit the United States to doing its fair share and leading the world in the effort to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and convene a world summit aimed at new and more ambitious global targets to reduce greenhouse gas pollution.”

— We’ve added climate finance language, building upon bills proposed by Congressional climate hawks Elizabeth Warren and Sean Casten. The platform now includes this language: “Democrats recognize that climate change poses serious risks to the economy and the financial system. We will require public companies to disclose climate risks and greenhouse gas emissions in their operations and supply chains.”

— We added #ExxonKnew language: “We will hold polluters and corporate executives accountable for intentionally hiding or distorting material information and for affecting the health and safety of workers and communities.”

— We’ve succeeded in adding in fossil fuel language and a pledge to end their subsidies! Although an early draft of the platform only mentioned “fossil fuels” once, the new platform adds, twice: “Democrats support eliminating tax breaks and subsidies for fossil fuels, and will fight to defend and extend tax incentives for energy efficiency and clean energy.”

— And we’ve won a small victory on electric cars. The Biden campaign rejected our main request for a sunset on gasoline-powered car sales. However, the campaign acknowledged a point we’ve hammered on social and earned media: the increased domestic manufacturing base envisioned by the platform must be in service of electric vehicles.

Thanks again to the thousands of Climate Hawks Vote folk who’ve signed last week’s petition and engaged with the important work of the DNC Climate Council. Your voices made a huge difference in negotiations. 

Anything that you can chip in fuels the next phase of this critical work.  And yes, there will be a next phase.

Your fellow climate hawk (and DNC member-elect),

RL Miller

P.S. The final platform hasn’t been compiled yet, but here’s the original draft, the “manager mark” of agreed-upon amendments, and a separate package of 18 amendments getting votes (not all passed).

Climate Hawks Vote
PO Box 141
Agoura Hills, CA 91376-0141
United States