Fairbanksans Gather for Farthest North Event of the End Fossil Fuels Weekend of Action
On Saturday, a group of about 50 community members gathered in Golden Heart Plaza to demand stronger climate action on all levels of government. The event, organized by FCAC’s Keep it in the Ground Working Group, was planned in concert with events happening worldwide ahead of the United Nations Secretary General’s Climate Ambition Summit. US based events demanded that Biden declare a climate emergency and phase out fossil fuel drilling, including recent greenlighting of fossil fuel projects like Willow and the AK LNG pipeline project. Locals who gathered in downtown Fairbanks also called on GVEA, as well as local and state leaders, to take stronger action to phase out fossil fuels and transition to renewable energy.
Arleigh Hitchcock (they/them), FCAC’s Keep it in the Ground Organizer, spoke at the event, calling for a swift transition to fossil fuels that prioritizes workers, saying “It is a false idea that we’re going to leave people behind. We’re not going to leave people behind. We need to make sure our community and our labor force are taken care of first and foremost.”
Santa Claus (he/him), former North Pole City Council member and 2022 candidate for US House of Representatives spoke, saying, “Now is the time to prove to our children that the greatest gift is love. When I went to seminary, I learned, and believe, that we are to love our Creator and love one another. Our Creator gave us this planet Earth, its climate, atmosphere, water, air, and ground. It is our responsibility to love, nurture, and protect our planet, as we love, nurture, and protect our children.”
UAF student and Dene environmental justice advocate Christina Edwin (she/they) spoke about leaders that are blocking change, saying, “These people in power - they do a very good job of hiding the truth, of showing things that make you fearful of making change. And so, I say that all of you are brave to be here, and it’s also brave in the moments when no one’s looking, when you stand for the truth and what’s right.”
Other speakers included Eddie Dellamary, the Rural Energy Specialist at Tanana Chiefs Conference, Kenzley Defler, FCAC’s Energy Justice Organizer, and Emma Sulczynski, FCAC’s Policy and Politics Organizer.
Press:
Fairbanks climate group joins national call to end fossil fuel use
