Millions without power. Catastrophic flooding. Deadly heat waves. Dangerous smoke from wildfires. Homes and businesses destroyed to the tune of billions of dollars.
These are all the ways Americans are paying the price for climate-driven extreme weather. And 2024 is shaping up to be the hottest year on record, with devastating extreme heat, tornadoes, wildfires, and hurricanes already happening – the time to act is now.
Many people don’t connect the dots that all this extreme weather is being driven by the burning of fossil fuels. That’s why it is crucial to name names.
Seventy years ago, the U.S. began naming hurricanes alphabetically after women. Men’s names began to be included in 1978. But average people aren’t fueling this extreme weather. Big polluters burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas are to blame for these more intense, dangerous, and damaging hurricanes. It’s time to name names.
Sign this petition to: The National Hurricane Center and the World Meteorological Organization
And, demand that:
1. The National Hurricane Center and the World Meteorological Organization begin naming all extreme weather events after the big polluters most responsible for climate pollution.
2. These names are used consistently in all official communications and media reports.
3. This practice continues until the major polluters take significant steps to reduce their contributions to climate pollution.
The science is clear that climate change exacerbates hurricanes, makes wildfires more likely and quicker to spread, and intensifies heat waves, leading to widespread devastation and death. But it doesn’t need to be this way.
We are calling for accountability and transparency. It’s time to call these events by their true names and hold those responsible accountable for their role fueling the climate crisis.
