Appointments a Victory for the Climate Justice Movement
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***: June 23, 2020
Contact: Arielle Swernoff | (646) 450-5461 | arielle@nyrenews.org
Web: @NYRenews | www.nyrenews.org
Statement on Appointments to the Climate Justice Working Group
Appointments of environmental justice & frontline leaders a victory for the climate justice movement
“It is an enormous victory for the climate and environmental justice movement that so many environmental justice leaders, including three members of the NY Renews Steering Committee, and two additional members of the NY Renews coalition, have been appointed to the NY State Climate Justice Working Group.
Eddie Bautista, Executive Director of the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance (NYC-EJA), Rahwa Ghirmatzion, Executive Director of PUSH Buffalo, Elizabeth Yeampierre, Executive Director of UPROSE and Co-Chair of the Climate Justice Alliance, are members of the NY Renews Steering Committee. Cecil Corbin-Mark, Deputy Director of WE-ACT for Environmental Justice, and Abigail McHugh-Grifa, Executive Director of the Rochester People’s Climate Coalition, are both leaders within the NY Renews coalition. Together, they will provide necessary and critical guidance to New York on issues of climate and environmental justice as the state implements the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
The Climate Justice Working Group will guide the state in implementing New York’s climate law in a way that benefits Black, Brown, and low-income communities hit first and worst by the climate crisis. Across New York State, communities of color and low-income communities have contributed the least to pollution and the climate crisis, but bear the worst brunt of its impacts.
These appointees include some of the most experienced and well-respected environmental and racial justice leaders in New York State. They will bring their depth of experience, accountability to frontline communities, and leadership in the issues of environmental, climate, racial and economic justice to the Climate Justice Working Group, and all New Yorkers will benefit.”
About NY Renews:
NY Renews is a coalition of over 200 environmental, justice, faith, labor, and community groups, and the force behind the nation’s most progressive climate law, New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. The coalition fights for good jobs and climate justice in New York State.
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