On Thursday, March 16, four organizations held a virtual press conference decrying the lack of climate action in the 2023 legislative session and outlining how climate change is already affecting their communities through wildfires, floods, drought, and asthma and other health impacts. Shortly after the press conference, representatives of the organizations gathered at the Roundhouse to deliver a petition with nearly 900 signatures from people across the state calling on the legislature to act, a letter signed by 75 faith leaders calling for climate action, and postcards calling on legislators to act.  Here is the contribution from Sister Joan Brown osf, executive director at New Mexico & El Paso Interfaith Power & Light.

“On behalf of faith leaders across New Mexico, we continue to be very concerned about the lived realities that climate change poses in our state,” said Sister Joan Brown . “We have an ethical and moral responsibility to care for our communities who are suffering and sacred creation and future generations. Acting for the Common Good to address growing climate challenges is NOT OPTIONAL. Our time is one of a spiritual crisis; a moment of conversion and choosing life for the future. We humans have failed in our responsibility as ‘earth keepers’ in caring for Our Common Home. The clock is ticking, communities, those most vulnerable, and Earth are suffering, and our souls call us to act now for change.”

Here comments from representatives of other organizations

“We need climate action as our landscapes must heal from fossil fuel extraction for half a century,” said Wendy Atcitty, Indigenous energy manager at Naeva. “We know the sacredness and relationships of our natural elements, and we can’t waste a moment. Climate resiliency is now.”

“True environmental equity and justice for communities impacted by the climate crisis could help to restore the unbalanced systems of fossil extraction and man-made pollution, and address how the climate crisis has overshadowed generations,” said Ahtza Chavez, executive director at New Mexico Native Vote. “Indigenous people have the traditional knowledge and community power to produce a safe regenerative economy for the future. We as directly impacted communities and earth protectors must be at the forefront of finding solutions and good policy that addresses the needs of our people and of the Earth itself.”

“Families in New Mexico are feeling the impacts of climate change and air pollution on our health and the health of our children,” says Ana Rios, New Mexico State Coordinator for Mom Clean Air Force and Ecomadres. “New Mexico suffers from numerous ongoing impacts of the climate crisis; extreme heat, wildfires, and drought are some of the most noticeable. Our families urgently need climate solutions, and as always, communities of color, indigenous and low-income communities are the most impacted– this time by legislative inaction.”

“The state has made significant progress over the past four years, but the legislature this session failed in establishing statewide climate action,” said Ben Shelton, political & policy director at Conservation Voters New Mexico. “Legislators need to understand that their constituents want meaningful climate action to fully and swiftly meet the climate crisis we are facing in New Mexico. There is a lot of work left to do, but the process leading up to and during this session has revealed a broad and diverse movement that is ready for economy-wide climate action.”