MEDIA ADVISORY
August 2, 2022
For more information contact: Colleen Kelly, 314-899-4515
Military Veterans Demand We Stop War, Save Climate
Will Engage in Peaceful Civil Disobedience to Help Spur Presidential & Congressional Action
Who: Veterans For Peace-an organization of over 120 military veteran chapters, worldwide whose collective efforts are to end militarism.
What: Aug 3, 2022 at 9am ET: Veterans For Peace members will conduct a peaceful escalating action and risk arrest.
Where: Upper Senate Park between the U.S. Capitol and Union Station.
Why: U.S. military veterans are willing to be arrested to express the urgent need to address U.S. militarism as a critical threat that can't be ignored if we are to meet climate goals that will prevent the most devastating environmental consequences to our communities.
We demand that the President and Congress:
- Stop the U.S.-driven wars and all military weapons sales, shipments and support to nation states engaged in open armed conflict.
- Require the U.S. military release a full report on their greenhouse gas emissions. The United States military does not publicly and regularly report its overall fuel consumption or greenhouse gas emissions—despite requirements laid out in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021. DoD is estimated to emit more CO2 than over 120 separate countries.
- Declare a Climate Emergency NOW–and use all the resulting Presidential powers including stopping the granting of new resource extraction permits and leases, e.g., drilling on public lands and pipeline construction, and strengthening of standards including air quality and methane emissions.
- Cut the Pentagon Budget- Military spending should be reduced by at least $200 billion annually, freeing up $2 trillion or more over the next decade for domestic and human needs priorities. With those spending cuts, the Pentagon’s budget would remain more than enough to keep America safe at a level well above our nation’s post-World War II historical average.
- Prioritize investing in communities in the U.S. impacted by the military and climate change and in the Global South including paying the US’ climate debt.
- Prioritize diplomacy over the threat of military force, beginning with negotiations for a global Climate Emergency Treaty and the renegotiation of lapsed nuclear arms treaties between U.S. and Russia.
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