Climate Petition to AARP
To the leadership of the AARP:
We are members (and future members) of AARP and we are concerned about the climate crisis.
AARP’s official policy book (2020-2021) calls for “all levels of government…[to] work to prevent and minimize the effects of climate change.” Now is the time for AARP leadership to act urgently on this policy.
We need a national climate mobilization—within the term of the current President of the United States— proportional to the scale of the problem. It must drive the legislative, regulatory and diplomatic initiatives needed to change the trajectory of global warming in order to avoid the worst consequences for our children and grandchildren.
The scientific consensus says this will require slashing global greenhouse gas emissions 45% below 2010 levels by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050. The good news is that we have the tools, know-how, and resources to achieve this goal. Now we need the political will.
It makes sense for AARP to be a leader in this fight. We seniors have benefited from a stable climate for most of our lives. Now we are seeing the climate emergency take shape before our eyes—devastating floods, wildfires, heat waves, droughts, and climate-driven migrations on an unprecedented scale. The future will be significantly worse if we fail to act now.
Our children and grandchildren could find themselves facing severe shortages of food, water, and housing; unable to earn a living because of disruptions to the economy; and physically threatened by ever-increasing conflicts over scarce resources. The AMA has already designated climate change a “health emergency” and the US military has determined that it is our number one security threat.
We urge AARP to act in solidarity with young people who are striking, protesting, and otherwise calling attention to this looming catastrophe. We owe it to them–our children, grandchildren and all future generations–to use our influence and resources to assure them a world in which they can live safely.
We are eager to work with AARP on this issue, on many fronts and at all levels of government. We urge AARP to take the lead in helping secure what we seniors want most: to leave as our legacy a livable world for all generations to come.
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