Thread by @LaurieAdkin

This is a good reminder that powerful vested interests don't cede ground without organized, collective action on the part of hundreds of thousands of people.1/n
#MountainsNotMines #WaterNotCoal #JustTransition #GreenNewDealNow

Mary Ann Hitt reminds us that 12 yrs ago, climate & env health activists were told that the US would also be reliant on coal for electricity--just as we are told today that demand for oil will continue to grow. 2/n

The US relied on coal for 50% of its electricity. Today, that figure is down to 20% and falling. It can be done, when there is political will to mobilize the necessary resources. 3/n

sierraclub.org/articles/2021/…
4/n

Coal industry interests were entrenched and they have resisted phase-out. It took the sustained work of countless activists to gain the ground that Hitt describes. 5/n

People pushing back against the misinformation & "uncertainty" widely disseminated by right-wing think tanks, business associations, and allied politicians and media outlets. 6/n

This is not an even playing field. These interests have billionaires behind them, and they own most of the mass media (as well as many politicians). It's really hard for green transition organizers to reach a broad public with alternative information. 7/n

A lot of so-called "grassroots" groups are not grassroots at all, but rather, funded by big corporate interests. This is the story of the Tea Party movement in the USA, organized & funded by the Koch Foundation & allied wealthy people. 8/n

There are, on the other hand, grassroots-funded organizations working hard to expose the corporate interests behind the huge network of think tanks (some based in universities), astro-turf groups, & media outlets. 9/n

Organizations like DeKoch My Campus and Desmog. They do impressive work, with small budgets and a lot of volunteer labour. 10/n
unkochmycampus.org/about-2

So, hats off tonight to @SierraClub, and to all the other ENGOs, public interest, & Indigenous organizations out there that combat Goliaths on a daily basis, with so much heart, self-sacrifice, and hope for the future of humanity. 11/11