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I AM STILL IN: Your Guide to Taking Action to Support the Paris Agreement

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THANK YOU FOR COMMITTING TO CLIMATE ACTION

We stand at a critical moment for the climate movement and for the planet. On June 1, President Trump announced the US was beginning the process of withdrawing from the Paris Agreement (sometimes called the “Paris Accord”) to cut the dangerous greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change. He spoke for the White House and an administration packed with fossil fuel insiders. But he sure didn’t speak for us, the 70 percent of Americans who support the agreement. He didn’t speak for the two-thirds of the country that wants the government to protect our planet and expand clean energy choices like wind and solar over dirty fossil fuels. The good news is that with the White House out of the way, forward-looking cities, states, companies, schools and

citizens are stepping up to push forward and accelerate the shift to a clean energy economy. Our future is in our hands – and we don’t need the president to seize the moment.

If you’re ready to join us, this action kit can help you get started in making a difference and keeping our progress on our Paris Agreement commitments going – right when it matters most. In this kit, you’ll learn the facts about the Paris Agreement, who’s still supporting the US commitments to climate action, and how you can take action to build support for clean energy and other climate solutions. By taking action, you’ll join thousands and thousands of other Americans committed to doing our part as a nation to cut emissions, fulfill our Paris commitments, and together solve the crisis.

AFTER ALL, WE MADE A PROMISE TO THE WORLD IN PARIS.

AND WE INTEND TO KEEP IT.

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1. ABOUT CLIMATE REALITY

2. THE PARIS AGREEMENT

3. TAKE ACTION a. Sign the I Am Still In Pledge

b. Contact Your Elected Leaders

c. Share Online: Social Media Posts and Instructions

d. Write a Letter to the Editor

e. Host a Climate Reality Leader Presentation

f. An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power

g. Become a Climate Reality Leader

h. Support Climate Reality’s Critical Work

4. MAKING HISTORY IN PARIS

5. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead, Cultural Anthropologist

At The Climate Reality Project, we are catalysts of change. Led by our chairman, former Vice President Al Gore, and president and CEO Ken Berlin, we believe lasting social transformation comes from the ground up. We know the majority of politicians lead where their constituents tell them to go. We know the majority of Americans and citizens everywhere are ready for a clean energy future.

That’s why we work to empower and inspire committed citizens across the planet to become committed activists who can make this future a reality, shaping public opinion across society, creating overwhelming pressure on policymakers, and building unstoppable momentum for solutions.

Our promise is simple: You want to change the world and help solve the climate crisis. We’ll show you how.

For additional information on our work and how you can get involved, visit climaterealityproject.org, follow us on Facebook at fb.com/ClimateReality or on Twitter at @ClimateReality.

ABOUT CLIMATE REALITY

THIS IS OUR REALITY.

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THE PARIS AGREEMENT

• Historic deal between 195 nations and parties to cut dangerous greenhouse gas emissions and confront the climate crisis together as one planet.

• Goal is to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius, with best efforts to limit rise to below 1.5 degrees.

• Each country and party set a target for how much it would cut emissions and take action domestically, and provided a roadmap and commitment to reaching this goal in its nationally determined contribution (NDC).

• Went into force in November 2016 after over 55 countries responsible for over 55 percent of global emissions formally joined the agreement.

• At a time when heat records are falling, seas are rising, and dangerous droughts and storms are hitting more and more often, the Paris Agreement unites world leaders and citizens in

working together to solve the crisis that threatens the planet we all share.

• With 195 countries and parties committing to cut emissions, the message to markets and governments around the world is clear: Dirty fossil fuels are the past and the future is renewable.

• By accelerating the shift to a clean energy economy worldwide, the Paris Agreement also encourages investors and businesses to grow the clean tech sector that already employs 2.8 million Americans. Which means more opportunities for American companies and more jobs with a future for American workers.

WHAT IS IT?

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

British economist and environmentalist Nicholas Stern, former Vice President Al Gore, and French Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy Ségolène Royal applaud the landmark Paris Agreement.

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TAKE ACTION

The White House may speak for the US government, but it sure doesn’t speak for the American people on climate. And with the future of our planet at stake, we’re not about to keep quiet.

That’s why today, thousands and thousands of Americans are standing up to tell the world “I Am Still In” and committed to helping the US honor its Paris pledge to act on climate. They’re committing to pressuring their leaders and working with forward-looking companies, communities, states, and colleges to cut emissions and accelerate the clean energy revolution across the country.

You can join them. Add your name to the I Am Still In pledge and tell the world you commit to:

1. Reduce my own carbon emissions and do what I can through everyday actions such as taking public transportation

or carpooling, making my home more energy efficient, switching my home electricity to renewable sources, and limiting food waste.

2. Support US states, cities, businesses, investors, universities, and other entities taking strong climate action and showing the world that the US is still working to fulfill the Paris Agreement – and call on others to join them.

3. Urge President Trump to keep the US in the Paris Agreement and protect federal safeguards for our health and environment from regulatory rollbacks and budget cuts.

4. Call on Congress to hold polluters accountable and oppose any efforts to weaken the environmental protections and climate policies that protect our health and well-being.

SIGN THE I AM STILL IN PLEDGE

SIGN THE I AM STILL IN

PLEDGE HERE.

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CONTACT YOUR LEADERS

Calling your elected officials’ offices is a useful way to communicate your opinions on the climate crisis, especially when an action (such as a vote) is pending. Although it’s unlikely you’ll speak directly to your official, their staff tracks the number of calls they receive on various topics, and most legislators do pay attention to communications from their constituents.

Just a handful of phone calls into an office can bring an issue to the attention of your legislator and have a major impact.

Here are some tips to help you make a call:

• Ask to speak to the aide who handles the issue about which you are calling. Your call will be more influential if you speak to the correct aide. However, this is not always possible, and if you cannot speak directly with the appropriate aide, leave a message with the receptionist stating your views.

• Let them know that you are a constituent. Elected officials are most interested in your opinions if you’re their constituent, so be sure to say where you’re from.

• Know your facts. Be sure you have the basic information about climate change included in this tool kit in front of you when you call. You should be able to describe the topic about which you are calling and state your opinion on what your elected leader should do.

• Note your expertise. If you have professional experience on the issue on which you are calling, be sure to mention it. It will establish your credibility on the issue and may even prompt the aide to ask you for some guidance.

• Be brief. Aides receive a high volume of phone calls every day, so try to keep your call short.

• Contact all your leaders. Don’t forget that you may have multiple elected leaders representing you and you should call each one, including your city councilors, mayor, county commissioners, state representatives, and national representatives.

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Looking for more direction? Follow this sample call script:

Hello, I would like to make a comment to ____________ about the climate crisis.

(If you do not know the appropriate aide to speak with, feel free to say, “I’d like to speak with the individual in your office who handles environmental issues.”)

Thank you. My name is ______ ________, and I live at [full address]. I’m calling to ask (Senator, Mayor, Congresswoman, etc.) __________ to support continued US action on the climate crisis that’s now devastating our planet and uphold the values of the Paris Agreement.

We know the crisis is real and unfolding right in front of us. We’ve seen average global temperatures rise since 1901 and 16 of the 17 hottest years on record come this century.

As I’m sure you know, concerted international action to cut emissions and expand clean energy choices through the Paris Agreement gives us the best way to confront the crisis, both as a nation and a planet. But now the president has announced the US will leave the agreement and it’s up to us at the (city, state, or county) level to keep the fight going, with or without the White House.

One way to do so right now is for ______ (your city, state, or county) to sign on to the We Are Still In letter at wearestillin.com.

Certainly. I can transfer you to _______.

Thank you for your comments.

YOU:

YOU:

LEADER/REPRESENTATIVE’S STAFF MEMBER:

LEADER/REPRESENTATIVE’S STAFF MEMBER:

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USE THE POWER OF YOUR VOICE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media can be a powerful way to raise your voice and create change in tandem with on-the-ground activism. With so many Americans turning to social media and their friends to get their news,

it’s more important than ever to make sure we get the truth about the crisis and the clean energy solutions in our hands out there. And the best person to ensure your friends and family get the truth is you.

• Tag or mention specific friends that you know are interested in climate solutions.

• Post more than once. Share posts on different days of the week and differ-ent times of day to be sure your social networks see your message.

• Write your own! Use your own voice and facts from reliable sources across the internet to spread the word about the urgency of the climate crisis. Want more? Follow Climate Reality on Twitter and Facebook so you can share the latest updates!

TIPS ON MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGES:

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WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR

The opinion section of a newspaper is often one of its most widely read sections. By getting a letter to the editor published in the opinion section, you’ll share your insights and shape the opinions of hundreds or thousands of people in your community. Plus local influencers, including business leaders and elected officials, read opinion pieces to learn what their customers and constituents care about.

Here are some guidelines for writing a letter to the editor (LTE):

1. Find an article in the paper you can respond to – or craft your own specific message. An LTE is generally a short (100-200 words), to-the-point message written in response to an issue that has been in the paper recently or is otherwise current news.

2. Write and edit your LTE. We invite you to personalize the sample letter to reflect your own situation.

3. Submit it to your local newspaper or other publication. Be sure to look up your target paper’s letter submission process and carefully follow the instructions.

Not sure where to begin? Adapt this sample LTE by adding in your story and personal message:

There’s no question about the climate crisis. We’ve seen average global temperatures rise since 1901, with 16 of the 17 hottest years on record occurring in the twenty-first century. And the science shows that crisis is already threatening our families’ health and our economy.

The only question is how we respond. The US leaving the Paris Agreement – the breakthrough deal 195 countries and parties signed back in 2015 to cut greenhouse gas emissions and together limit global warming – means losing our seat at the table in a planet-wide effort that will redefine markets, transform industries, create thousands of jobs, and shape this century.

With the clean energy solutions we need already in our hands and getting more affordable every year, it’s time for our leaders to put the health of our families first and keep working to fulfil our Paris Agreement commitments. It’s time for us as Americans to take our future into our own hands and push our cities, states, businesses and universities to continue the clean energy revolution – with or without the federal government.

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SCHEDULE A CUSTOMIZED PRESENTATION ABOUT THE CRISIS FROM A TRAINED CLIMATE LEADER

You know the climate crisis is happening – and you understand we need to take action. But how? “I’m just one person,” you might say.

The truth is, you are only one person – but you’re someone who sees the big picture, and that makes you an important change-maker who can catalyze action in your community. You have friends, family, neighbors, work colleagues, and school connections – and all these contacts add up to an incredibly vital network.

Together, your network can achieve great change for your community. Imagine thousands upon thousands of

communities standing up for climate action and demanding solutions. Together, we’d change the world.

Where do you start? It’s simple – just as any movement begins with sparking awareness, the first step in rallying your community begins with educating them about the climate crisis and its solutions. And Climate Reality Leaders – experts trained to make this complex issue accessible to

everyone – are ready to help you.

Invite a trained Climate Reality Leader in your area to give an up-to-date multimedia presentation about the crisis and how we solve it. All you have to do is bring an audience (groups have ranged from a few people to a few hundred), a venue, and a screen. We’ll connect you with a Climate Reality Leader in your area, and they’ll get in touch to begin planning the presentation.

Ready to learn more? Request a presentation now.

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AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL

At Climate Reality, we train and empower everyday people like you to become world changers – because we know they – and you – can.

Want proof? Just look at our founder and chairman, former Vice President Al Gore.

A decade after he helped get millions talking about the climate crisis with the film An Inconvenient Truth, Vice President Gore returns to the big screen with An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power. An Inconvenient Sequel tells the story of one man’s fight to solve the crisis, following Vice President Gore he travels the Earth, witnessing a planet transformed by rising temperatures and building an international coalition of citizens, policymakers, and business leader to confront the greatest challenge of our time.

But An Inconvenient Sequel isn’t just Mr. Gore’s story – it’s our story too. The film shows how we can all make a difference as we see the next generation of citizen activists trained as Climate Reality Leaders to inspire their communities and accelerate the clean energy revolution around the planet.

An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth To Power opens in US theaters July 28, 2017. To see where it’s playing and to learn more, visit inconvenientsequel.com.

If you’re ready to train as a Climate Reality Leader just like the world changers in the film, visit climaterealityproject.org/training.

And if you’re ready to jump in and learn even more about the crisis and how you can help solve it, check out the companion book by Vice President Gore, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power. With updates on the latest climate science as well as an in-depth guide to how you can make urgent action a necessity at every level of society, An Inconvenient Sequel is a must-read handbook for driving change in the twenty-first century. Learn more.

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BECOME A CLIMATE REALITY LEADER

You want to make a difference. But how?

Trained by The Climate Reality Project Founder and Chairman Al Gore and renowned climate scientists and communicators from around the world, our Climate Reality Leaders shape the conversation on climate science and solutions in forums from family dinners to international summits, building a twenty-first century movement that will change the world.

How do you become a Climate Reality Leader? Attend an upcoming Climate Reality Leadership Corps training. Each multi-day training takes place in a pivotal location for the movement for climate solutions and features speakers and sessions preparing activists to lead the fight on key regional issues. Every training also includes workshops and talks that prepare all Climate Reality Leaders to be effective global activists.

Volunteers come to trainings committed to making a difference; they leave with the skills, knowledge, and network to do it.

With more than 11,000 Climate Reality Leaders in more than 135 countries, our Leaders all over the globe are spreading the truth of the climate crisis and the solutions we have today, turning a planet-wide challenge into a personal issue for people everywhere.

You know that climate change is the greatest challenge of our time. Now lead the fight to solve it.

“ I’ve been a ‘climate leader’ on my own for most of my career now … so my heart is in this. [Now] I can add my strengths to the amazing structure that Climate Reality has put together. One person can make a difference, but [thousands] can change the world.”

– Nancy Skinner, Climate Reality Leader

“ This is the best thing you can do if this is your passion. No other outlet has a stronger impact than joining the Climate Reality Leadership Corps.”

– Kent Taylor, Climate Reality Leader

LEARN HOW YOU CAN BECOME A CLIMATE REALITY LEADER

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READY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR PLANET?

Our work to solve the climate crisis has ever faced has never been easy. But with the White House stepping aside and announcing plans to exit the Paris Agreement, it’s up to us – forward-looking citizens, business leaders, and elected officials across the country – to lead the fight for the future of our planet.

The good news is that Americans of all ages and walks of life are responding to the challenge and rising to the moment. And at The Climate Reality Project, we’re standing on the front lines, organizing communities and empowering citizens to fight like our world depends on it.

The Paris Agreement happened because of the work of millions of people like you. Together, we fought to make climate

action a priority for every nation on Earth. And together, we can show the world once again that it still is.

You can help by supporting our work and powering the grassroots movement that will solve the crisis. With your support, we can train thousands more Climate Reality Leaders to stand up for what matters and inspire local action, educate communities about clean energy solutions, and spread the word about the thousands of good jobs coming with the renewable revolution.

We aren’t going anywhere – in fact, we’re only getting louder. Make a donation today at climaterealityproject.org/donateforaction.

DONATE

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MAKING HISTORY IN PARIS

THE WORLD COMES TOGETHERIn December 2015, leaders from 195 countries and parties came together to reach a historic deal to cut the dangerous greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change. Known as the Paris Agreement, this landmark accord aims to keep “global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.” If this scope of international cooperation on climate sounds unprecedented, that’s because it is. To reach the agreement, each country submitted its own plan to cut emissions and expand solutions

at home, a plan known as an intended nationally determined contribution (INDC), which then became nationally determined contributions (NDCs) after the agreement went into effect. That’s 195 countries and nations all making some tough choices and putting their differences aside to work together toward the common goal of protecting our planet.

Reaching the agreement wasn’t the end of the story. Each country still had to approve the accord at home and at least 55 countries representing at least 55 percent of global emissions had to do so before it would officially go into effect. With China, Brazil, India, the US, and the EU – along with many others – all

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approving the agreement by October 4, 2016, the deal went into force on November 4, 2016. The next step was for all parties to the agreement to meet in 2020 – and every five years after that – to review their progress in fulfilling their NDC pledges and make even greater commitments to cutting emissions.

LEAVING PARIS On June 1, the president announced the US would begin the process of exiting the Paris Agreement. The US can’t simply walk away – the agreement was written so that parties can’t begin the withdrawal process until three years after the accord went into force and then there’s another one-year waiting period before the withdrawal takes effect. Which makes the earliest possible date for the US to truly withdraw November 4, 2020. But even with these procedural hurdles, the message from the White House couldn’t have been clearer.Outside of a few fossil fuel company boardrooms, the response across the country and around the world was almost unanimous. First, disbelief. Then disappointment. Then defiance. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni spoke for the international community, declaring in a rare joint statement, “We

deem the momentum generated in Paris in December 2015 irreversible and we firmly believe that the Paris Agreement cannot be renegotiated.” Encouragingly, the response at home was just as forceful with the governors of California, New York, Washington, Colorado, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Oregon, and Virginia and the mayors of 61 cities all immediately reiterating their strong support for the agreement. Then the business community stepped up and spoke up. On Twitter, General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt declared: “Disappointed with today’s decision on the Paris Agreement. Climate change is real. Industry must now lead and not depend on government.”Immelt was far from alone. After serving on the White House’s council of economic advisors, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced, “Am departing presidential councils. Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world.” Disney CEO Bob Iger, another key advisor, followed suit, saying, “As a matter of principle, I’ve resigned from the President’s Council over the #ParisAgreement withdrawal.” Sure, the president sent a message. But the world sent one back. That message? We’re not stopping. Whatever you do.

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

CLIMATE REALITY SOCIAL MEDIA

With your help, we can speak with one voice to send a clear message to world leaders: We have a global climate agreement. Now it’s time for bold action.

Follow Climate Reality and our founder and chairman, former Vice President Al Gore, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates on the clean energy revolution and what you can do.

• The Climate Reality Project on Twitter: @ClimateReality

• Former Vice President Al Gore on Twitter: @AlGore

• The Climate Reality Project on Facebook: facebook.com/climatereality

• Former Vice President Al Gore on Facebook: facebook.com/algore

• The Climate Reality Project on Instagram: @ClimateReality

Looking for other climate influencers to follow on social media? Check out these individuals and organizations:

• An Inconvenient Sequel: @AITruthFilm or facebook.com/AnInconvenientTruth

• Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, climate scientist: @KHayhoe on Twitter

• Dr. Michael E. Mann, climate scientist: @MichaelEMann on Twitter

• Climate Central, independent climate change research organization: @ClimateCentral on Twitter

• The Union of Concerned Scientists, nonprofit science advocacy organization: @UCSUSA on Twitter

• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC): @UNFCCC on Twitter

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THANK YOU FOR TRAVELING THE ROAD FORWARD ALONGSIDE US.

NOW, LET’S GET OUT THERE AND SHOW THE WORLD THAT WE’RE STILL IN!

HELPFUL ORGANIZATIONS AND FURTHER READING

For additional information on the Paris Agreement, visit the sites below.

• World Resource Institute’s CAIT Climate Data Explorer

• Learn more about the Paris Agreement from the UNFCCC

• Climate Action Tracker

CLIMATE REALITY E-BOOKS

Here at The Climate Reality Project, we’re always taking outdated information about the climate crisis and setting the record straight, making sure the most up-to-date climate science is available to our readers.

Be sure to check out our e-books on a variety of pertinent climate concerns, from debunking myths about solar and wind energy to the questions every climate activist hears and so much more.

• The 12 Questions Every Climate Activist Hears and What to Say

• Cities 100: 100 Solutions for Climate Action in Cities

• Top Solar Energy Myths

• Climate Change and the Water Cycle: Four Big Questions Answered

• Finding Your Purpose: Lessons from Six Climate Reality Leaders

• Top Wind Energy Myths