Washington, DC – Gina McCarthy, the Managing Co-Chair of America is All In and former White House national climate advisor, released the following statement on the draft COP28 negotiating text released on Monday:

“The language on fossil fuels in the draft text is so wishy-washy that it renders itself meaningless. We all know what has caused climate change and we all know the task at hand: to phase out fossil fuels in a just and equitable way starting now so that by 2030 we can hold our heads up, look our children in the eye and tell them that we are on the road to a clean energy future. We have the clean energy technologies - with more coming along every day - to deliver the future we all want and need. Let's debunk the myth of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). CCS is not a panacea or even a next step - it's just a way for fossil fuel companies to avoid facing the reality that the transition to clean energy is real, it's accelerating, and it is our future.

We can no longer allow fossil fuels to have a chokehold on our health, our natural resources, our pocketbooks, or our national and international security. We need a clear signal in the text stating that fossil fuels must be phased out in a just and equitable way. If that happens, the path to tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030 will become clear, and public and private sector investments in the developing world to halt deforestation and land degradation will scale up, giving every country - especially those in the Global South - a chance to build stable, secure clean energy economies. ”

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About America Is All In
America Is All In is the most expansive coalition of leaders ever assembled in support of climate action in the United States. Mobilizing thousands of U.S. cities, states, tribal nations, businesses, schools, and faith, health, and cultural institutions, the coalition is focused on pushing and partnering with the federal government to develop an ambitious, all-in national climate strategy that meets the urgency of the climate crisis; scaling climate action around the country to accelerate the transition to a 100 percent clean energy economy; and promoting the leadership of non-federal actors on the world stage.

Led by the U.N. Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions Michael R. Bloomberg, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, Apple Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives Lisa Jackson, and former White House National Climate Advisor and 13th U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy, America Is All In is driving a nationwide movement to cut U.S. emissions in half or more by 2030 from 2005 levels and reach net zero emissions by 2050, while guarding against the impacts of climate disruption.

Alongside whole-of-government action on climate, America Is All In champions a whole-of-society mobilization to deliver the transformational change that science demands, with the goal of a healthy, prosperous, equitable, and sustainable future. To learn more or get involved, visit www.americaisallin.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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MEDIA CONTACT: 
Siham Zniber
America Is All In
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