Reasons for Hope

As we write this, the election has not happened, and we are working for a positive outcome with hope and determination. But whatever the outcome, beacons of light shine out in the twilight, giving us reasons for hope. There are more than you think!

The growth of clean energy is unstoppable. According to the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook report, solar power is expected to quadruple by 2030, EV adoption is on the rise, and battery storage continues to grow. Offshore wind is also taking off. Thanks to these global shifts, the IEA estimates that carbon dioxide emissions will peak next year, and solar will become the world’s biggest source of electricity by 2033!
Chief polluters are being held accountable for exacerbating the climate crisis. Between Attorney General Bonta suing ExxonMobil in California, Chevron’s huge payout to the city of Richmond, and the introduction of “climate superfund” bills at the state and federal levels, we’re seeing major momentum around efforts to make polluters pay.
Countless species are getting a new lease on life. Chinook salmon have reappeared in the Klamath River for the first time in over a century, the sihek are once again flying free in the wild, and the Fish and Wildlife Service is implementing recovery efforts for key endangered species groups thanks to new funding!
There are currently 8 countries that are 100% clean energy-powered—and 20 that are over the 90% threshold. Large and small, developed and developing, these countries are proving that renewables are reliable, cost-effective, and worth investing in.
Strong regulations and enforcement are slowing the rate of deforestation. Deforestation in the Amazon is the lowest it’s been in almost a decade. While we are currently off track to bring a stop to global deforestation by 2030, the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation will lend a helping hand when it goes into effect at the end of the year.
We are starting to listen to and learn from Indigenous peoples. As the original stewards of the land, Indigenous peoples have long known what the planet needs and how best to coexist with our natural environment. From the widespread adoption of prescribed burns to the establishment of the nation’s first Indigenous-led marine sanctuary, decades of advocacy efforts are starting to pay off, and traditional practices are taking center stage.

If you’re looking for more climate positivity, there’s plenty more where this came from:

Our personal favorite publications are our very own Your Daily Dose of Climate Hope (okay, so we’re a little biased)
The Beacon, Grist’s weekly source of good climate news
Chop Wood, Carry Water by our good friend Jessica Craven.
The Daily Climate’s “Good News” page
Inside the Movement’s “Wins for the Planet” section, which compiles positive climate stories from all over the web in one place.

We’re doing what we can, so hang in there. And remember: no matter the outcome, we have reasons for hope!

CANdoers across the country are sending postcards and letters by the thousands, making calls, and canvassing. CANdoer and CAN friend Jessica Craven sent this report from North Carolina, where she is canvassing with Robert Hubbell, who sends this report.

For my part, I took a break from canvassing in Pennsylvania to try my hand at persuading Green Party members to vote for Kamala. Green Party candidate Jill Stein remains implacable and unmoved by entreaties, even from her own family, to endorse Kamala, but Party members, of course, have their own minds.

“I may be a Green Party member," one of them told me, "but I’m not insane." He was voting for Kamala. Many said they were voting for Kamala, and some said they couldn't support her, but I spoke with a couple who were teetering on the fence and was able to tip them into Kamala's camp.

Here is the voice message I left for those who didn't answer the phone:

"Sorry I missed you. I’m Brett Walter, CEO of Climate Action Now, a climate advocacy organization. As a Green Party member, I figure you are as concerned about climate change as I am. I realize that a lot of Green Party folks think Democrats are just as bad as Republicans, but when it comes to climate change, there really is a huge difference between the parties. Democrats passed once-in-a-lifetime legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act, that is bringing about our first real progress on climate. If elected, Trump will undo that progress and the consequences will be devastating for people all around the world. A vote for Jill would be an honorable vote, I get that, but it won’t help people whose lives are being destroyed by climate change. Kamala Harris is the only person on the ballot who can and will protect our progress on climate. So, whatever you may think of her, I hope you vote for Kamala Harris."

If you would like to try your hand at persuading Green Party voters in the final hours of this campaign, ask your local county Democratic HQ to send you an openvpb link loaded with Green Party members in swing states.

- Brett

And the winner is… 🥁🥁🥁

Mary from Virginia! Congratulations on winning our monthly raffle. 20 trees are being planted in your name!

Mary completed every Five Minutes for the Future action in October, sent in a photo, and shared a favorite climate quote with us. That’s all you have to do to qualify for a chance to win, so take those actions and send your materials to climateactionteam.rrvolunteers@gmail.com. And as always, thank you for helping us get the climate action we need!

If so, please help us continue it!

Become a Climate Action Now Member for as little as $4.95/month.
Become a Planet-Saving Subscriber for as little as $9.95/month. Every month or year on your behalf we'll plant a certain number of trees, reduce a certain amount of CO2 from the atmosphere, and preserve forever an area of vital habitat.
Give the gift of trees and vital habitat to your friends and loved ones.

In the app, become a Bonus Trees subscriber and double or triple the trees you can earn while you take climate action. Touch the ☰ icon in the upper left corner.