Climate Justice Alliance (CJA) is a left-of-center environmental activist group made up of associated organizations from around the world. The organization was launched as a project of Movement Strategy Center, a left-wing nonprofit organization based in Oakland, California with a history of working with organizations that identify themselves as advocates for socialist policies. According to IRS public records, the organization obtained its own 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in September 2020, and became a separate entity from the Movement Strategy Center. 1
Climate Justice Alliance has opposed the use of zero carbon nuclear energy and supported the Green New Deal, a radical environmentalist proposal to reorder the U.S. economy estimated to cost $90 trillion over a ten-year federal budget period. 2 The group is made up of state-level organizations, national advocacy organizations, and international environmentalist organizations. 3 4
Activities
Green New Deal
For more information, see Green New Deal (Movement)
Climate Justice Alliance aims to translate the national Green New Deal platform into local legislation through the organization’s state- and local-level affiliates. CJA claims to have “made local versions of the Green New Deal a reality from New York City to Oregon.” The Green New Deal Coalition boasts a long list of left-leaning and liberal organizations in support such as Sierra Club, one of the largest environmentalist organizations in the US; the Center for Popular Democracy, a left-wing agitation and policy advocacy organization; and multiple labor unions including the SEIU and Association of flight Attendants-CWA. CJA, however, is not listed as an official member of the Coalition. 5 6
Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act (HR 4447)
In September 2020, Climate Justice Alliance was one of 100 environmentalist organizations that opposed the Democratic-led Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act (HR 4447) because while it pushed environmental regulations, it did not directly restrict fossil fuel production. 7 The organizations sent a letter to Congress that accused legislators of sacrificing communities to climate change, and said that the bill offered false solutions to the “climate crises across [the] country and world.” 7
Opposition to Nuclear Energy
In May of 2021, Climate Justice Alliance was one of 715 groups and businesses listed as a co-signer on a letter to the leadership of the U.S. House and Senate that referred to nuclear energy as a “dirty” form of energy production and a “significant” source of pollution. The letter asked federal lawmakers to reduce carbon emissions by creating a “renewable electricity standard” that promoted production of weather dependent power sources such as wind turbines and solar panels, but did not promote low carbon natural gas and zero carbon nuclear energy. 8
Nuclear power plants produce no carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas emissions, and as of 2021 accounted for 19 percent of American electricity production—the largest source of zero carbon electricity in the United States. 9 An October 2018 proposal from The Nature Conservancy noted that zero-carbon nuclear plants produced 7.8 percent of total world energy output and recommended reducing carbon emissions by increasing nuclear capacity to 33 percent of total world energy output. 10
Anti-Israel Activism
On October 20, 2023, CJA released a statement in response to the attacks against Israel by the terrorist organization Hamas, claiming that, “Palestinians have been living under a system of apartheid, breathing in toxic air and consuming food grown on soil contaminated by bombs and other tools of destruction,” while calling for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict as well stating they, “stand firmly on the side of peace and support the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, decolonization and life.” 11
In addition, on October 31, 2023, the CJA’s sister organization It Takes Root released a statement claiming Hamas’ actions were, “the most recent escalation in the 75-year history of settler-colonialism and violence across historic Palestine,” while the organization claimed it had, “unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian freedom struggle for self-determination and to live freely with their human rights fully intact on their lands.” 12 13 The statement was also posted on the CJA website under a section titled, “Free Palestine.” 12
One of the CJA’s member organizations, the Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, helped organize several illegal anti-Israel protests that took place within the United States Capitol Rotunda as well within several Congressional office buildings. 12
In December 2023, CJA released a video onto their website claiming that, “The path to climate justice travels through a free Palestine,” which the organization also claimed could utilize, “an anti-colonial framework to show how Climate Justice and the liberation of Palestine are connected.” 12
As of November 2024, Politico reported the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had not committed to sending the CJA a $50 million grant for the “Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program” initially announced in 2023 through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). According to the article, the lack of moving forward is allegedly due to the CJA’s previous anti-Israeli and Pro-Palestinian activism, further claiming the CJA “…may lose $50 million in EPA grant funding because of its pro-Palestinian advocacy.” 14 15
Climate Justice
In May 2024, it was reported by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va) that in December 2023 the CJA received a $50 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the purpose of “environmental justice.” Another recipient of such a grant was the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, while the EPA claims that such grants are meant to, “alleviate much of the burden that the federal grants process places on small, resource-constrained community-based organizations supporting underserved communities and marginalized populations.” 16
Affiliated Organizations
CJA lists a number of national organizations as “members” of the alliance. These organizations include large, left-of-center and liberal organizations such as the NAACP Environmental and
Climate Justice Program, the environmentalist branch of the nation’s oldest civil rights organization; Movement Strategy Center, an Oakland based organization that associates with socialist and liberal organizations as a fiscal sponsor; Jobs With Justice, a national coalition of worker centers and left-wing advocacy groups; and the Ruckus Society, a far-left “direct action” organization that supports protests in the areas of environmentalism and liberal social issues. 17
Leadership
Executive Director
Angela Adrar is the executive director of CJA. She previously worked in leadership positions for multiple environmental advocacy organizations such as La Via Campesina North America (LVC-NA), US Food Sovereignty Alliance (USFSA), and the Building Equity and Alignment for Impact (BEA). 18
Key Staff
Karina Gonzalez is a “radical operations associate” for CJA. Gonzalez has worked for multiple left-leaning and environmental organizations such as Greenpeace, Black Mesa Water Coalition, SustainUS, and Friends of the Earth. 18
Heather Thiry is a special projects and logistics coordinator for CJA. She previously worked as an administrator at Building Equity and Alignment for Impact. 18
Guadlaupe “Lupe” Romero is a “just transition project steward” for CJA. Romero became involved in what CJA describes as “international solidarity movements, LGBTQ activism, immigrant rights struggles, and union organizing” during community college. Romero founded Printers United, a clothing brand dedicated to “revolutionary propaganda” and “social movement support.” 18
Denise Abdul-Rahman is a member of the steering committee for CJA. She also works as the environmental justice chair for the Indiana NAACP. Abdul-Rahman is an executive committee member for the Hoosier Chapter of Sierra Club, one of the largest environmentalist organizations in the country. She also served as a “Clean Air Ambassador” for Earthjustice, a large nonprofit public interest litigation group which focuses on environmental issues. 18 19
Funding
Climate Justice Alliance is a funded project of Movement Strategy Center; as such, it does not file annual reports with the IRS and does not disclose individual grantors. Its parent nonprofit, Movement Strategy Center, operated on a budget of $16,597,263 in 2017, an unknown portion of which went to operating Climate Justice Alliance. 4 Donations to the Climate Justice Alliance are made to the Movement Strategy Center.
Libra Foundation, a left-leaning philanthropic organization, has given $400,000 to Climate Justice Alliance since 2014. 20
Overbrook Foundation, a liberal private funding organization, gave $80,000 to Climate Justice Alliance in 2017 for the organization’s “Our Power Campaign.” Overbrook also gave Climate Justice Alliance $50,000 in 2016. 21 22
References
- “IRS.gov Applications.” Details about Climate justice alliance. Accessed July 15, 2021. https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/detailsPage?ein=853440899&name=Climate+Justice+Alliance&city=Berkeley&state=CA&countryAbbr=US&dba=&type=CHARITIES%2C+DETERMINATIONLETTERS&orgTags=DETERMINATIONLETTERS.
- Holtz-Eakin, Douglas, Dan Bosch, Ben Gitis, Dan Goldbeck, and Philip Rossetti. “The Green New Deal: Scope, Scale, and Implications.” American Action Forum. February 25, 2019. Accessed April 24, 2019. https://www.americanactionforum.org/research/the-green-new-deal-scope-scale-and-implications/.
- “Our Members.” Climate Justice Alliance. Accessed June 22, 2019. https://climatejusticealliance.org/members-of-the-alliance/.
- “Funders and Donors.” Climate Justice Alliance. Accessed June 24, 2019. https://climatejusticealliance.org/funders/
- ”CJA and the Green New Deal.” Climate Justice Alliance. Accessed June 22, 2019. https://climatejusticealliance.org/gnd/.
- “Sponsor Organizations.” Green New Deal Coalition. Accessed June 22, 2019. https://www.greennewdealforall.org/supporting-groups.
- “Over 100 Groups Oppose Democrats’ Energy Bill as Insufficient.” Friends of the Earth, September 23, 2020. https://foe.org/news/over-100-groups-oppose-democrats-energy-bill-as-insufficient/.
- Letter from Center for Biological Diversity et. al. to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Joe Manchin, and Rep. Frank Pallone. “RE: CONGRESS SHOULD ENACT A FEDERAL RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY STANDARD AND REJECT GAS AND FALSE SOLUTIONS.” May 12, 2021. Accessed July 25, 2023. https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/energy-justice/pdfs/2021-5-12_600-Group-Letter-for-RES.pdf?_gl=1*1c9h3t8*_gcl_au*MTc3NjM3MTM1Mi4xNjg5OTU1MzAz
- “Nuclear explained.” U.S. Energy Information Administration. Accessed July 25, 2023. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/nuclear/us-nuclear-industry.php
- “The Science of Sustainability.” The Nature Conservancy. October 13, 2018. Accessed July 25, 2023. https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-insights/perspectives/the-science-of-sustainability/
- Press Release. “CLIMATE JUSTICE ALLIANCE CALLS ON BIDEN, CONGRESS TO DEMAND A CEASEFIRE BY ISRAEL AND HAMAS; NOT GENOCIDE WITH US TAXPAYER DOLLARS.” Climate Justice Alliance, October 20, 2023. https://climatejusticealliance.org/cja-calls-on-biden-to-support-ceasefire/
- Anderson, Collin. “They Justified Hamas Terrorism. Now Biden Is Letting Them Dole Out Taxpayer Dollars.” The Washington Free Beacon, December 22, 2023. https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/they-justified-hamas-terrorism-now-biden-is-letting-them-dole-out-taxpayer-dollars/
- “Frontlines to Big Greens – Stand with us in calling for #Ceasefire now and Justice for Palestine.” It Takes Root, October 31, 2023. https://ittakesroots.org/ceasefire/
- Chemnick, Jean. “EPA may withhold grant due to climate group’s pro-Palestinian views.” PoliticoPro, November 21, 2024. https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews/2024/11/21/epa-may-withhold-environmental-justice-grant-from-pro-palestinian-nonprofit-00190787
- Guest, Steve (@SteveGuest). “BREAKING: Politico is doing public relations work for a pro-Hamas climate group as the Biden-Harris EPA weighs whether or not to withhold a grant.” X, November 21, 2024. https://x.com/steveguest/status/1859572670418829416?s=46&t=jI5pta-LqWTQoagVEw7hsA
- McCaughey, Betsy. “McCaughey: Taxpayer money goes to boost left-wing voter engagement.” Detroit News, Accessed June 20, 2024. https://subscribe.detroitnews.com/restricted?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.detroitnews.com%2Fstory%2Fopinion%2F2024%2F06%2F05%2Fmccaughey-taxpayer-money-goes-to-boost-left-wing-voter-engagement%2F73956810007%2F&gps-source=CPROADBLOCKDH&gca-cat=p&gnt-eid=control
- “Members of the Alliance.” Climate Justice Alliance. Accessed June 22, 2019. https://climatejusticealliance.org/members-of-the-alliance/.
- “Our People.” Climate Justice Alliance. Accessed June 24, 2019. https://climatejusticealliance.org/our-team/.
- “User Profile: Denise Abdul-Rahman.” LinkedIn.com. Accessed June 24, 2019. https://www.linkedin.com/in/deniseabdulrahman/.
- “Grants Database: Climate Justice Alliance.” Libra Foundation. Accessed June 24, 2019. https://www.thelibrafoundation.org/grantees/EJ/all-years/all-amounts/Climate+Justice+Alliance.
- 2017 IRS 990-PF Return of Private Foundation: The Overbrook Foundation. Part XV, Line 3: Grants and Contributions Paid During the Year or Approved for Future Payment. Accessed June 24, 2019.
- 2016 IRS 990-PF Return of Private Foundation: The Overbrook Foundation. Part XV, Line 3: Grants and Contributions Paid During the Year or Approved for Future Payment. Accessed June 24, 2019.