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Climate Defiance group pledge solely to fight ‘cowards’ of US politics

‘We do not do petitions. We do direct action,’ is the opening gambit of Climate Defiance’s website. The eco activist outfit’s MO is political disruption, and it has its eye on the 2024 US election.

With the next US presidential election scheduled for November 2024, the nation’s eco-activists are upping the ante to ensure ecological reform is high on the agenda of candidates.

One such group, which sprung to life in March 2023, has proclaimed it will take action against ‘cowards’ and ‘criminals’ of all political affiliations in the run-up to next winter.

Unmoved by the colossal shortcoming that was COP28, ‘Climate Defiance’ believes its hand has been forced and will now spearhead ‘disruptive, nonviolent direct action’ targeted at US legislators responsible for thwarting progress.

Throughout Q three and four of 2023, Climate Defiance raucously popped up (without invitation) at a string of events involving officials from Biden’s administration and banking chiefs from the Federal Reserve.

Having upended several such fancy gatherings – including those hosted by transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg and energy secretary Jennifer Granholm – its most notable outing saw an honorary soiree for Exxon CEO Darren Woods completely ousted last month.

Like the many eco outfits that came before it, Climate Defiance’s ultimate enemy is the expansion of fossil fuels – and the now ubiquitous fact that it is the leading driver of climate change. Its fundamental focus on political chiefs, however, is a shrewd MO that may land it a seat at the table during congressional meetings.

Senior group member Michael Greenberg claims that he was invited to meet with deputy energy secretary David Turk mere days after disrupting one of his events. I’d call that a resounding success.

‘The reason they’re [politicians] willing to meet with us is they know we are really intense and really strident,’ he says.

‘If we were a new group asking nicely… the White House could just have conversations with groups a hundred times our size who did the same thing. Why would they talk to us?’

While the likes of Extinction Rebellion, Greenpeace, and Just Stop Oil continue to make adversaries of fossil fuel companies – and rightly so – Climate Defiance is pouring all its resources and manpower into niggling away at the oval office.

It’s a simple shift, but one that’s proving effective in gaining the attention of those pulling the strings within the US’ Big Oil enterprise. There’s also an argument that ditching public disruption stunts for strictly political targets may be a preferable tactic to garner positive PR and bring credence to the cause.

The Climate Emergency Fund, which has financially backed several climate outfits, recently provided Climate Defiance with $225,000 in funding, and ‘roughly’ the same amount has reportedly been generated from other donors.

In the months to come, this will be mobilised to intensify efforts to make climate change ‘a top three issue’ in the next election cycle.

For now, you can expect the acting Democrats to bear the brunt of the group’s action, but any public sway towards the Republicans will draw attention beyond just Richard Powell.

It’s safe to say we’ll be hearing plenty more from the burgeoning group in 2024, given Climate Defiance wasted absolutely no time in 2023.

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