CLIMATE ACTIVISTS WAX INDIGNANT AT THE "OVAL OFFICE"
July 25, 2023
Contact: xrnyc_press@unitedrebellion.com
New York, NY - On Saturday, July 22nd, Extinction Rebellion and Rise & Resist NYC staged a symbolic nonviolent action at Madame Tussauds waxwork model of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, demanding the government declare a climate emergency.
Eighteen climate activists assembled at the museum’s Oval Office exhibition and raised their voices in unison, performing the rousing chorus of “It’s The End Of the World As We Know It” by R.E.M. Additionally, the activists wrapped black-colored streamers around the waxworks, representing how the government, which is entrusted to work in the best interest of citizens, is captured by the fossil fuel industry.
The protest took place on Climate Emergency Day, during which the Climate Clock in Union Square counted down from six years to five. This countdown represents the remaining time before continued CO2 emissions lock in at least 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming – a crucial threshold for achieving global climate goals under the Paris Agreement. The projection is based on the assumption that global emissions maintain a pace similar to 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unfortunately, pollution has surged following the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a record-high in energy-related CO2 emissions. This troubling trend indicates that the timeline for maintaining global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius is likely shorter than previously estimated. Recently, Professor Sir Bob Watson, a prominent British climate scientist and former head of the United Nations climate body, voiced his belief that the target to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius will be missed.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has not lived up to his climate pledges and rhetoric made during the 2020 election campaign. Despite promising to lead the nation away from fossil fuels, his administration has, in fact, expanded fossil fuel oil and gas drilling, production, and export. Projects such as the Willow Project and Alaska LNG, commonly referred to as "carbon bombs," will trigger catastrophic climate breakdown.
This marks the third protest in New York in a span of three weeks, provoked by the extremely excessive charges pressed against Joanna Smith and Tim Martin (referred to as “The Degas Two”), both members of the climate group Declare Emergency, for their symbolic, nonviolent action at the National Gallery of Art on April 27th, 2023. It is important to note that no direct damage to the artwork occurred or was attempted during the protest, and the estimated total damage to the installation amounts to $2,400, a far cry from $250,000, representing the maximum fine for each charge for each defendant.
The group is committed to maintaining pressure on the government and exposing its repression of the climate movement. To support the #FreeTheDegasTwo campaign, the public is encouraged to sign a petition urging Assistant U.S. District Attorney Cameron A. Tepfer to dismiss the charges against Joanna Smith and Tim Martin.
Quotes
Jack Baldwin, spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion, said, "The climate crisis has already exceeded its equivalent of a 'Pearl Harbor' event. It is severe, urgent, and demands a response on par with a wartime mobilization from all sectors of society. First and foremost, President Biden must declare a climate emergency."
"Time is running out. Missing the opportunity to restrict global warming to a mere 1.5 degrees is a critical moment in our history, but it can also serve as a turning point for something remarkable. We can't allow the government to escape responsibility for the commitments made at the 2015 Paris Conference. Instead, we must view this as a significant wake-up call and seize control of our own future," said Laura Esther Wolfson, an Extinction Rebellion activist .
"Throughout this month, we have witnessed record-breaking heatwaves in the South, unparalleled flooding in the Northeast, and severe hail and thunderstorms in the Midwest. While President Biden has acknowledged that the climate crisis is an existential threat, the promises made to us and our children are not being fulfilled. Now, more than ever, we urgently demand unprecedented efforts in climate mitigation and adaptation," said Mun Chong, spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion.