“Environmental Justice”: Cornel West Presidential Platform

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- September 25, 2024

“… the Cornel West for President campaign seeks to mitigate climate change’s ravages and forge a new covenant with the earth—a covenant grounded in respect, reciprocity, and radical love. This is our shared journey towards a world that cherishes life in all its diversity, ensuring a sustainable and just future for generations to come. Join us in this sacred quest for environmental justice.”

Cornel West is running for President this November. His running mate is Melina Abdullah. Their campaign is advertised for those

who seek a choice beyond empire, white supremacy, capitalism, patriarchy, and the confines of the corporate-dominated two-party system. Regardless of your current political ideology or stance on policy matters, we sincerely hope that you can join us in support of this revolutionary political movement.

“No More Fossil Fuels … Amen” is one of his slogans and posters.

West/Abdullah have been “pursuing an aggressive 50-state strategy to gain independent ballot access for every voter in the upcoming presidential election, encouraging citizens to value their vote and dismantle the corporate-backed duopoly.” To date, the ticket is on the ballot in 18 states, including seven battlegrounds: Michigan, Georgia, Minnesota, Florida, Wisconsin, Virginia and North Carolina. 

The energy/environment/climate platform is reproduced verbatim.

Environmental Justice

In the rich tradition of love and justice that guides our campaign, the Cornel West for President mission for environmental justice is not merely a policy stance but a moral call to arms. This battle against the existential threat of climate change, compounded by the disproportionate impact on our most vulnerable brothers and sisters, demands a radical reimagining of our relationship with the earth, each other, and future generations.

Fourteen points (verbatim) follow, including “Nationalization of the Fossil Fuel Industry”:

• Global Green Reconstruction Initiative is our collective leap toward healing the planet. It transcends borders, embodying global solidarity in our shared fight against climate catastrophe. This initiative is a testament to our belief that only through unity, sustainable development, and unwavering commitment to renewable energy can we hope to restore balance and ensure a thriving planet for all.
• The Constitutional Right to a Healthy Environment elevates our fundamental needs to the status of sacred rights. Clean air, clean water, and a nourishing environment are not negotiable commodities but inalienable rights; ensuring the health and well-being of every citizen takes precedence over the greed of the few.
• Nationalization of the Fossil Fuel Industry is a bold stride toward dismantling the engines of environmental destruction. By transitioning control to the people, we can decisively phase out the relics of our carbon-dependent past and pave the way for a renewable, just future while caring for those whose livelihoods must evolve in this new dawn.
• Declaration of Climate Emergency is our unequivocal acknowledgment of the urgent crisis at hand. It calls for a united, immediate, and all-encompassing mobilization to confront climate change head-on, transforming our society and economy to meet this monumental challenge.
• Halting Oil and Gas Projects signifies a definitive break from the destructive cycle of fossil fuel dependency. It is a commitment to stop mortgaging our planet’s future for short-term gain, laying the groundwork for a sustainable relationship with our planet.
• Moratorium on False Solutions exposes and halts the dangerous gambles masquerading as solutions, reaffirming our dedication to genuine, ground-up approaches to climate change that confront its causes, not merely its symptoms.
• Climate Reparations recognize the deep injustices of climate change, offering restitution to those who suffer most yet contribute least to the crisis. This is a step towards global equity and justice, acknowledging our collective responsibility to heal the wounds of the past and present.
• Justice for Environmental Sacrifice Zones Demands remediation and recompense for communities living in the shadow of pollution and neglect. It is a vow to cleanse these lands and lives blighted by environmental racism and industrial greed, ensuring their voices lead the march towards justice.
• Cancel Harmful Projects stands as a declaration that we will no longer accept the false dichotomy of development versus sustainability. We choose a path that honors our ecological and communal health, refusing projects that threaten either.
• The Risk Bond Program places the onus of environmental stewardship squarely on those who profit from the earth’s bounty. It assures industry guardians that they cannot shirk their duty to protect and preserve, ensuring they bear the true cost of their endeavors.
• FPIC [Free, Prior, and Informed Consent] for Indigenous Peoples recognizes Indigenous communities’ sovereignty, wisdom, and rights. It enshrines their rightful place at the decision-making table, respecting their ancestral knowledge and their role as earth stewards.
• Ending Water Privatization affirms water as a fundamental human right, not a commodity to be hoarded and sold. It is a commitment to ensure every person has access to clean, safe water, upholding the sanctity of life and dignity.
• Rescinding Harmful Legislation is our promise to excise the toxins from our laws and policies, ensuring that our legislative framework genuinely serves the health of the planet and its people, not the interests of the polluters.
• Anticipating Climate-Induced Displacement. In the face of projections that climate change could displace up to 1.2 billion people by 2050, the Cornel West for President campaign pledges to spearhead the development of global frameworks to support those forced from their homes by environmental upheavals. This initiative affirms human migration as an inherent right and prepares for the inevitable mass movements with empathy, strategic foresight, and unwavering solidarity. Our approach commits to a coordinated effort among all levels of government and international organizations to safeguard the rights of the displaced, ensuring they receive the necessary protection, support, and opportunities to rebuild. This policy emphasizes the integration of environmental justice and global cooperation, underpinning our dedication to the well-being of communities vulnerable to climate impacts and honoring our collective responsibility to future generations.

In embracing these policy pillars, the Cornel West for President campaign seeks to mitigate climate change’s ravages and forge a new covenant with the earth—a covenant grounded in respect, reciprocity, and radical love. This is our shared journey towards a world that cherishes life in all its diversity, ensuring a sustainable and just future for generations to come. Join us in this sacred quest for environmental justice.

Final Comment

West/Abdullah present a radical agenda that rivals, and perhaps goes beyond, the Jill Stein/Butch Ware (Green Party) platform. Both offer an alternative to Harris/Walz on the Left.