Climate justice activists demand ‘comprehensive climate bill’ from Healey administration
By Haley Clough
Representatives from the Mass Power Forward coalition, composed of over 200 climate justice organizations across the state, held a “kicking the climate can” protest today in front of the Massachusetts State House.
The activists staged a performance of several demonstrators, dressed as Gov. Maura Healey, Chairman Roy, Speaker Mariano, and several ambiguously named “Massachusetts Legislator,” kicking green-painted soda cans down the steps as protesters chanted. As the actors sent the aluminum cans tumbling down the steps of the Bulfinch Entrance, the protesters called “don’t kick the can, climate justice now.”
Image courtesy of Axelle Yanakakis-Carroll
Organizer Claire Karl Müller said the purpose of staging a performance within the protest was to “make a really clear visual of how this feels that the legislature is considering not doing a comprehensive bill– a bill that wouldn’t include a gas transition.” They said their focus currently resides in the Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy Committee (TUE).
Before the end of the formal legislative session, in July, Gov. Healey introduced a supplemental budget, citing energy infrastructure, but protester Alan Palm said it is a “far cry from a true democratic process that represents the will of the people in Massachusetts.”
Sen. Michael Barrett, a co-chair of the committee, is a “real champion” of climate justice bills for Mass Power Forward, but is up against Rep. Jeffrey Roy and other resistant committee members who “don’t see the urgency” in stopping the expansion of gas and oil companies, Müller said.
Palm, who wore a suit, top hat, and sign taped to his shirt reading “Speaker Mariano” said he has been involved with climate action with high school students for years. He said he felt it was important for students to understand the intersection between climate injustice and other injustices worldwide. “To students, we need you. We need your leadership. There are so many fights that are connected. Take war and militarism…that is directly connected to the fight for climate justice.”
He said “the reason why the U.S. cares about what’s happening in the Middle East is because of the strategic oil reserves there,” and that democratic governments need to understand the pressing matter at hand.
According to the United Nations, world governments have until 2025 to reverse further global warming before it is irreversible. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other international climate change organizations have long-proclaimed that a rise in global temperatures of just 1.5 Celsius would lead to permanent climate catastrophe.
In agreement with this, Mass Power Forward and its partnering organizations are calling for the Massachusetts legislature to move past reliance on gas in infrastructure and transportation systems.
“We need our democratic representatives to be able to take a stance that might take something away from the ownership class, the billionaire class, the multinational corporations who are in control,” Palm said. He believes legislators are resistant to climate action, fearful that they could lose powerful seats in government if they were to appeal to constituents.
“All around the world, people are losing their lives to climate disaster,” Palm emphasized. “That’s exacerbated by economic inequality, and these are emergencies that are happening right now, and we need to respond to them with urgency.”