Image: U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen reintroduced
            his polluter pays legislation on January 7, 2025.

Climate First! holds its 12th Annual Meeting (AM) virtually on Sunday, March 2, 2025 at 1:30 pm EST. Please consider attending our exciting meeting. See "details" below. And to RSVP, scroll down near to bottom. 

Like those with other climate groups, Climate First!'s activists were dramatically challenged early in the new year. Ever since the new President with his authoritarian-leaning views took charge, and then quickly began taking numerous actions against anything related to clean energy and climate protection, we were utterly baffled as far as how to respond. Add a Republican-controlled Congress that has been almost completely submissive--even seemingly supporting his  unconstitutional acts--and we could have easily fallen into complete despair, which would have, of course, made the administration's job easier.      

However, we at Climate First! have been working at slowly, but surely, adjusting our mindset, as well as our strategies and campaigns to the new “world” that we work in. For example, since we now will likely have less power to move major U.S. banks as far as their massive fossil fuel investments, Climate First! has decided that it will get more involved in political advocacy at the state level, while adapting, to some extent, its bank campaign work. More specifically as far as state level advocacy, we will work with other groups trying to get “polluter pays” legislation passed in Maryland and possibly nearby states. 

Towards that, we have someone from a U.S. Senator's office who will speak at the upcoming AM about the polluter pays principle. With New York State and Vermont having already passed this critical legislation, it is exciting that efforts are also now underway in California, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Minnesota to get fossil fuel companies to start paying for the damages resulting from climate-amplified natural disasters.

Stay tuned for updates.   

DETAILS 
What: Climate First!'s 12th Annual Meeting.
When: Sunday, March 2, 2025; the event starts with a general meeting from 1:30 to 2:30 pm EST, followed by an optional Board of Directors meeting that ends around 3:30 pm. 
Where: Online.
Misc: Please RSVP below to the event. You'll receive, 1 to 2 days before the meeting, a link to attend the AM, and other helpful information. 

We hope that you will attend our Annual Meeting, and learn how we at Climate First! are changing how we move forward in our drive to help save the climate.