Delay is the new denial. With near universal scientific consensus on the urgency of addressing global climate change, and a worldwide political accord reached in Paris last December, the fossil fuel lobby can no longer deny the science or the global political will. Instead, it is turning to a strategy of trying to delay the future. State and national leaders must ignore these diversions, embrace the moral responsibility to protect the planet and seize the economic opportunity presented by doing so.

State and national leaders must ignore [the] diversions, embrace the moral responsibility to protect the planet and seize the economic opportunity presented by doing so.”

At the Paris climate summit, the future was fully embraced as rich and poor nations pledged to work together to reduce emissions, mobilize public and private investment for clean energy, and monitor and verify progress. The future is also reflected in recent data showing that renewable generating capacity has tripled in less than 10 years while coal-fired power generation has declined sharply and the economic rationale for coal plants evaporates.

Alarmingly, the Supreme Court put the future on hold by staying implementation of President Obama’s Clean Power Plan, a key tool for U.S. achievement of its commitment to reduce global warming pollution. Similarly, the Forest Service is moving ahead with plans to open public lands in Colorado for coal mining.