Global Warming

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Curb Climate Change

Global warming is the most urgent issue of our time. Fossil fuel burning, industrial agriculture and forest destruction cause the climate to change by releasing billions of tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Scientists predict that unless humans significantly reduce carbon emissions, sea levels will rise, and weather patterns will shift violently. Human-caused pollution has left our planet on the verge of a tipping point at which ecosystems will die and release massive amounts of CO2. If that happens, the changes to the climate could be irreversible, countless species will go extinct, and our economic and cultural way of life will be forever altered.

RAN is working to curb the global warming crisis. By taking action now, we can reduce emissions by more than 85 percent by mid-century and prevent this climate catastrophe before it’s too late.  

Protect tropical ecosystems

Protecting tropical rainforests, which are home to more biodiversity than any other ecosystem, is key to protecting the planet’s health and curbing climate change.

The greatest threat to global rainforests is the rapid proliferation of soy and palm oil plantations owned by U.S. agribusinesses like ADM, Bunge and Cargill. RAN is calling on agribusinesses to protect these vital ecosystems by stopping industrial agrisprawl.

 

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Coal is over, fund the future

Wind and solar power, energy efficiency, a green energy grid—these are our energy future. It’s time to end dirty coal development and invest in sustainable solutions.

Coal is the country's largest, dirtiest source of electricity and climate-changing greenhouse gases. U.S. coal plants are a leading cause of asthma and lung cancer. Despite what the coal industry would have us believe, there’s no such thing as “clean coal.” RAN is calling for a complete halt to new coal development and demanding that banks divert funding away from coal and into renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power and energy efficiency initiatives.

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Banking as if climate mattered

Dirty coal plants, industrial agrofuels, destructive oil extraction and pipelines, and unsustainable logging operations all depend on one thing: the financial support of major banks.

By balancing boardroom negotiations with grassroots pressure, RAN’s Global Finance team is holding banks accountable for the climate-changing industries they finance. Don’t let Wall Street use your money to bankroll climate change. See how you can become a part of the solution.

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Protect Canada's forests from destructive investment

Canada’s boreal forest is North America's largest intact forest, comprising 25 percent of the world’s remaining original forests. Let’s keep it that way.

Canada's five largest banks – RBC, Scotiabank, Toronto-Dominion, BMO and CIBC – are destroying Canadian wilderness and communities by bankrolling oil, gas and forestry operations that spoil critical habitat for threatened and endangered species; fuel global warming; and contribute to human rights abuses. RAN is urging these banks to adopt comprehensive policies that address the environmental and human impacts of their lending.

 

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Build support for good alternatives to oil

America can no longer afford the risks associated with our oil addiction. The auto industry has myriad options at its disposal to lead us into an oil-free, pollution-free 21st century.

Mass production of fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid electric vehicles powered by clean, cheap, domestic electricity is one way to wean America off oil. Using existing technology to improve the efficiency of traditional internal combustion engines is another. There's no shortage of options that, if adopted, will pay huge dividends for the environment and the climate.

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Featured item

Mountaintop Removal Protests Go National

Across the country a coalition of environmental groups are calling for the EPA to stop recent blasting on Coal River Mountain, WV. Find out what you can do.

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