Join Us
ABOUT
I’ve spent my life fighting for what I believe in. When I was 32, President Nixon had me arrested. 50 years later I was arrested five times for protesting the government’s inaction on climate change. It’s no secret that I have a history of ruffling feathers in Washington. Today, support for climate action is unprecedented. The public is voting with the climate in mind, but the people we elect are not. This has led me to reflect on what we need to do to secure meaningful action on climate. Our planet is on fire and our leaders are failing us, so if we can’t change the minds of the people in power, we need to change the people in power. It is for that reason that I started Jane Fonda Climate PAC, which is laser-focused on one goal:Do what it takes to defeat fossil fuel supporters and elect climate champions at all levels of government. I believe this is the most important thing I will do in my lifetime.
OUR TEAM
Jane Fonda, Principal
Jane Fonda has famously dedicated her life to activism, most recently mobilizing thousands of people to take action on climate through Fire Drill Fridays, a set of weekly climate demonstrations on Capitol Hill. Her book, What Can I Do? My Path from Climate Despair to Action, equips activists with the tools needed to engage and take action on climate change.
Annie Leonard, Former Executive Director of Greenpeace USA and creator of The Story of Stuff (organizations listed for identification purposes only).
Annie Leonard is an experienced and prominent climate change leader in the United States. She has a track record of over 30 years of activism and is the former Executive Director of Greenpeace US where she led a team to inspire and mobilize millions of people to take action to create a more sustainable and just future together. Note: Jane’s Climate PAC is independent from Greenpeace and the collaboration it runs with Jane, Fire Drill Fridays.
MISSION
The climate crisis poses unprecedented threats to our communities, our environment, our economy, and our security. It’s not too late to change our course. But it won’t happen as long as oil, gas, and coal companies maintain their stranglehold on American politics. In 2020, the fossil fuel industry poured $139 million into our elections. This money has real consequences. Major solutions are stopped cold: the Green New Deal, Build Back Better, clean energy investments, ending billions in tax subsidies to the fossil fuel industry — all because of politicians backed by Big Oil. Fossil fuel lobbyists and their money control Congress. They block actions with huge donations to politicians from both parties. Jane Fonda Climate PAC will help elect leaders who will rise to the urgency of this moment and stand up to the fossil fuel industry. Jane Fonda Climate PAC will leverage the donations of those who are climate-concerned to counter the outsized influence the fossil fuel industry has on our government. We will make sure politicians who support oil and gas are as afraid for their jobs as we are about the impending climate disaster.
WHY NOW
We have reached a stark turning point. We are no longer just imagining how the world will look in a disrupted climate; we’re seeing and feeling the reality of the crisis every single day as we witness wildfires, heat waves, and floods destroy communities. The most recent IPCC report told us that half of the world population is already in the danger zone, that every fraction of a degree matters, and that every second counts.Scientists tell us we have just eight years left to curtail fossil fuel use and prevent the worst climate outcomes. It’s not too late to change our course. But it won’t happen as long as oil, gas, and coal companies maintain their stranglehold on American politics. We have to cut our fossil fuel emissions in half in the next eight years to avoid complete climate disaster.That means we have just four election cycles to elect politicians who will stand up to the fossil fuel industry and fight for the future of our planet. It’s not too late to make a change, but we need to act right away. We are going to target candidates and elected officials who are protecting fossil fuels instead of protecting people and the planet. This moment calls for agile, aggressive action, and we are ready to provide it. This is just the start of an effort that will last for years to come, help level the playing field in our political system, and elect true climate leaders across the nation. If we don’t act now, things will only get worse.