Advancing a Future that Centers Climate Reparations

WHEREAS, the NAACP reaffirms its commitment from 2007, 2015, 2018, 2022, and 2023 to ensure frontline communities do not bear the brunt of climate-related actions without centering solutions; and

WHEREAS, Communities across the world are during a climate crisis because of the increased emissions due to fossil fuel companies polluting heavily in frontline communities; and

WHEREAS, There have been accountability measures put in place through laws such as the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act that allows for retroactive liability for environmental hazards, but there is a gap in many states to hold fossil fuel companies financially accountable for their contributions to global warming; and

WHEREAS, State climate superfund bills are a way to hold polluters accountable regardless of legality for the harm at the time and have been passed in at least two states and are pending in at least eight more states; and

WHEREAS, The reports demonstrate that five of the major oil companies made a combined profit of $102 billion in 2024; and

WHEREAS, The World Economic Forum has attributed a global cost of climate change damage to be estimated to be between $1.7 trillion and $3.1 trillion per year by 2050; and

WHEREAS, Taxpayers should not shoulder the cost of fossil fuel companies polluting in Black and other frontline communities; and

WHEREAS, Fossil fuel companies continue to extract from frontline and fence line communities domestically and globally, but are not paying for the losses and damages, nor are they assisting with adapting to greener, renewable energy sources; and

WHEREAS, climate reparations mean rectifying the past harm done to frontline communities who have had to bear the impact of greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and health impacts in their communities by actions they did not cause which stems from a history of extraction in their communities and colonial practices, and then shifts toward antiracist and equitable climate policies, not just wealth transfer; and

WHEREAS, Rising global temperatures have increased inflation and the price of food due to the disruption of the food and energy supply chain according to the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and the European Central Bank in Germany; and

WHEREAS, Research fellows have found that certain fossil fuel companies are purposely misleading the public regarding their role in causing the climate crisis including Exxon who knew their products would cause global warming since at least the 1970s; and

WHEREAS, States play a major role in ensuring that the public holds fossil fuel companies accountable.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) demands that the federal and state agencies hold fossil fuel companies accountable and build a mechanism for additional recovery within communities.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the NAACP also demands that the Trump Administration take action to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels that is causing a global climate crisis.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the NAACP demands Congress ensures a comprehensive approach to ensuring more accountability for polluters in frontline and fence line communities.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, NAACP will continue to advocate domestically and globally for climate reparations, recovery, and resources that reflects a recognition of the decades of extraction and disinvestment that created the climate crisis due to wealthy fossil fuel company decisions.