To Tackle Climate Crisis, Says Bernie Sanders, US Must 'Be Bold and Aggressive in Standing Up to Greed of Fossil Fuel Industry'

In an interview on CBS's "Face the Nation" shortly after the Trump administration attempted to bury a devastating report on the climate crisis, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said it is more important than ever to unite the public around ambitious solutions to human-caused climate change as the White House actively works with the fossil fuel industry to make it worse.

"We need millions of people all over this country to stand up and demand fundamental changes in our energy policy in order to protect our kids and our grandchildren and the planet."

"It is very clear that we have got to bring our people together to address this terribly important issue. And it is amazing to me that we have an administration right now that still considers climate change to be a hoax," Sanders said. "We have got to rally the American people."

"The scientific community has made it 100 percent clear... this is a major crisis facing this country and our planet, and we have got to be bold and aggressive in standing up to the greed of the fossil fuel industry, who are more concerned about short-term profits than the planet we are leaving our kids and our grandchildren," Sanders concluded.

.@SenSanders talks climate change: It is very clear that we have got to bring our people together to address this terribly important issue. And it is amazing to me that we have an administration right now that still considers our climate change to be a hoax. pic.twitter.com/c3oUOCe3QF — Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) November 25, 2018

In an effort to build grassroots support for bold climate action as the corporate media fails to give the planetary emergency the attention it so badly needs, Sanders early next month is hosting a town hall titled "Solving Our Climate Crisis" in partnership with independent progressive media outlets.

The event will feature prominent environmentalists and scientists who are dedicated to "addressing the global threat of climate change and exploring solutions that can protect the planet from devastation and create tens of millions of good-paying jobs."

"We need millions of people all over this country to stand up and demand fundamental changes in our energy policy in order to protect our kids and our grandchildren and the planet," Sanders told the Huffington Post last week. "The good news is the American people are beginning to stand up and fight back."

Among those fighting back are youth climate leaders and their backers in Congress. As Common Dreams reported, the Sunrise Movement has staged sit-ins at the offices of Democratic leaders to demand that they back a Green New Deal.

Additionally, environmentalists and progressive lawmakers have pushed Democrats—who will control the House in the next Congress—to form a Green New Deal Select Committee and make Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez the chair.

According to the Sunrise Movement, 12 House Democrats have expressed their support for a Green New Deal Select Committee. Click here to contact your representatives if they are not on the list.