In case you haven't heard the thunderous celebration by the North American climate movement, on Wednesday the U.S. State Department outright rejected the Keystone XL pipeline. #booyah
This is a reminder that people power works. Direct action works. Social movements work. Grassroots organizing works. Let's take some time today to celebrate another huge victory. Every time we win, it builds our resolve for the next fight. We know the fossil fuel industry owns the U.S. Congress, and so far the Keystone XL campaign has been like playing Whack-A-Mole, or kinda like going to battle with a zombie who just won't die. There may yet be another stage of the fight, and there will definitely be other theatres of engagement continuing to heat up in the tar sands fights, like the Enbridge Northern Gateway. I'm confident we'll be ready to take 'em on. Moments like this help us remember our power, and that it's worth all the headaches and stress of movement-building. So let's keep winning.
If you're in D.C., help build the momentum by joining 500 referees blowing the whistle on Congress being soaked in big oil Jan. 24. Or this Friday, you can join the J20 (Jan. 20) #occupy actions all around the world mobilizing to take on dirty corporate interests. Here in the Bay Area we will be shutting down the SF financial district with nonviolent direct action (check out the hot Lady Gaga outreach flashmob video here).
Here's a quick sampling of the breaking coverage of the Keystone XL victory from Globe and Mail, Washington Post, Mother Jones, Huffington Post, ThinkProgress, Grist, Daily Kos, and Politico.
Congratulations, climate movement. What a great way to kick off the new year, huh?
This fight is far from over. Barack Obama wants the Keystone XL pipeline, and it is only political fear in an election year that is making him postpone a decision. If he is re-elected in November, he will approve the pipeline in his final term as president.
Obama has been careful not to express any opposition to Keystone, and did expressly invite the proponents to renew their application. U.S. capitalism wants Canada's tar sands oil, and both the governments of Canada and the U.S. are determined to make it happen.