FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CCL campaign uses WWII imagery to link clean energy to fight against Putin

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 11, 2022 — In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, funded primarily by the sale of oil and gas, Citizens’ Climate Lobby has launched a campaign calling for a swift transition to clean energy and electric vehicles to reduce the leverage of autocratic petro-states. The campaign uses images inspired by World War-era posters that boosted morale during the fight against tyranny. 

“We chose to work with posters from the World War era as they represent, for some, a time when people came together around a common effort to defend against a shared threat,” said Tony Sirna, CCL’s Vice President of Organizational Strategy. “In our updated versions, weapons become clean energy infrastructure – solar panels and wind turbines replacing torpedoes and weaponry.”

With the ban on Russian oil tightening global supplies, President Biden and Congress face pressure to double down on fossil fuels, but real energy independence will come when the U.S. and the rest of the world end their dependence on oil and gas. CCL’s campaign directs Americans to send emails to the president, their senators and their representatives, telling them they support a transition to clean energy as the best way to beat Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Legislation to address climate change and move the U.S. away from dependency on fossil fuels is currently stalled in the U.S. Senate. The campaign urges the president and Congress to negotiate a bill in reconciliation that includes all of the climate provisions of the House-passed Build Back Better Act — tax credits and other incentives for clean energy and electric vehicles. Adding a price on carbon to the legislative package will substantially speed the transition away from fossil fuels.

“Our dependence on oil and gas affects our health and our climate, and the crisis in Ukraine shows us that such dependence also weakens our national security and our ability to respond to aggression from tyrants like Putin,” said CCL Executive Director Madeleine Para. “We can strengthen our hand and help Ukraine by committing to clean energy.” 

CONTACT: Flannery Winchester, Communications Director, , 615-337-3642