Advancing Global Climate and Environmental Justice

WHEREAS, A primary focus of the 2021 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Conference of Parties 26 (COP26) held in Glasgow, Scotland was to complete provisions of the Paris Rulebook to ensure the global community's commitment to keeping the rise in global temperature to well-below 1.5C.  However, it failed to deliver on the urgency to scale up ambition in all areas of climate action to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, address the root causes of global warming, and excluded provisions to protect and prepare the most climate-vulnerable impacted populations; and

WHEREAS, Approximately 3.3 to 3.6 billion people live in contexts that are highly vulnerable to climate change. Current unsustainable development patterns are increasing the exposure of ecosystems and people to climate hazards; and

WHEREAS, In Glasgow, countries agreed to come back in 2022 with new strengthened commitments, and a new UN climate program on mitigation ambition as they finalized the Paris Rulebook. To deliver on these stretching targets, the Biden Administration has driven commitments to move away from coal power, halt and reverse deforestation, reduce methane emissions and speed up the switch to electric vehicles; and

WHEREAS, The NAACP has observer status to UNFCCC and has been engaged in the COP process since 2008, including having representation in Glasgow, Scotland to engage in the process to demand a Just Transition for communities negatively impacted by racist systems and practices that exacerbate the impacts of environmental and climate injustices; and

WHEREAS, The NAACP sent a delegation to Glasgow, Scotland, and engaged in the process to demand Just Transition for communities negatively impacted by racist systems and practices that exacerbate the impacts of environmental and climate injustices.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP calls upon all member nations of the UNFCCC, particularly the United States, to employ equitable and just climate emergency actions including, but not limited to:

• Set aggressive targets to transition the economy away from fossil fuels, in alignment with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) designated pathway to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, keeping global warming below the 1.5 C preferred limits of the Paris Agreement; and end all new fossil fuel exploration and extraction immediately, and;
• Ensure developed nations follow through on their pledge of $100 billion in climate financing and further support for damages and losses to disadvantaged nations, especially nations in Africa, which have been oppressed through colonialism and imperialism, continue to be exploited for natural resources, and are at heightened risk to escalating environmental disasters like flooding due to global warming and further environmental destruction;
• Halt deforestation and wood pellet biomass production;
• Oppose false geo-technologies like carbon capture sequestration; and
• Debunk the carbon market schemes that advance net-zero emissions goals as opposed to zero emissions standards and approaches.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED thatthe NAACP will continue to provide primary and secondary research, tools, and strategies for frontline communities, partners, and stakeholders to achieve the goals listed above and achieve zero emissions, eliminate climate racism, and ensure a just transition for communities and workers.