The Climate Action Campaign is a coalition founded in 2012 advocating for left-of-center environmentalist policies. Member organizations include the Center for American Progress, the Environmental Defense Fund, the League of Conservation Voters, and the Sierra Club. 1 2
Programs and Campaigns
The Climate Action Campaign’s primary goal is to achieve “durable and ambitious federal climate action,” and the organization encouraged the Biden administration to “meet his commitment to cut climate pollution in half by 2030” using agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy to set strong environmentalist standards. 3
The Climate Action Campaign also engaged in a “Solutions for Pollution” campaign calling on the Biden administration “to carry out its responsibilities under our nation’s bedrock environmental laws… by advancing approximately 20 protections across federal agencies that could cut climate pollution in half by 2030, advance vital public health and environmental justice goals, accelerate the transition to clean energy, and create new economic opportunity.” 4
In 2021, the Climate Action Campaign joined about 30 other organizations and sent an open letter to over 20 business CEOs who had previously announced a commitment to climate action. Corporate recipients included 3M, Adobe, Alphabet Inc., the Coca-Cola Company, Johnson Controls, Kohler Co., Nike, Ralph Lauren Corporation, and Walmart. The letter called on the corporations as members of the Business Roundtable and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to support the passage of climate-related federal spending through the proposed Build Back Better Act. Other signatories included left-of-center organizations such as the American Federation of Teachers, the League of Conservation Voters, the National Parks Conservation Association, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Sierra Club, and the Working Families Party. 5
Also in 2021, the Climate Action Campaign attended a discussion at the White House with Biden administration climate advisor Gina McCarthy about climate change policies and “to exchange ideas about how best to address the climate crisis.” 6 The Climate Action Campaign joined representatives from other left-of-center organizations such as the Center for American Progress, Earthjustice, Sierra Club, and the Union of Concerned Scientists. 6
Member Organizations and Partners
The Climate Action Campaign member organizations include the Center for American Progress, Earthjustice, Environment America, the Environmental Defense Fund, the League of Conservation Voters, the National Wildlife Federation, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Sierra Club, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the U.S. Climate Action Network, and WE ACT for Environmental Justice. Other partner organizations include the Center for Popular Democracy, the Climate Reality Project, Evergreen Action, Georgia Conservation Voters, the Green New Deal Network, Moms Clean Air Force, the National Wildlife Federation, the NextGen Education Fund, the Partnership for Southern Equity, the Poor People’s Campaign, the Power Shift Network, and the Sunrise Movement. 7
Leadership
Margie Alt is a founder and campaign director of the Climate Action Campaign. 8 Previously, during the 2020 and 2018 elections, Alt worked as the program director for Green Wave. Earlier in her career, from 2007 to 2017, Alt was the founding executive director of Environment America. 1
Myles Duffy is the senior director of field and campaigns. Previously, Duffy was the deputy director of the left-of-center Lower Drug Prices Now and vice president of Faith in Public Life. 9
Courtney Foley works as the Climate Action Campaign’s senior director of strategic partnerships. Earlier in her career, she was the director of American Bridge 21st Century, deputy field director for the AFL CIO, and deputy national political director at the Sierra Club. 10
References
- “Margie Alt.” Oxfam. Accessed January 5, 2025. https://www.oxfamamerica.org/explore/people/margie-alt/.
- “About the Climate Action Campaign.” Climate Action Campaign, September 28, 2023. https://www.actonclimate.com/about/
- “Our Priorities.” Climate Action Campaign, February 15, 2024. https://www.actonclimate.com/priorities/.
- “Solutions for Pollution.” Climate Action Campaign, December 12, 2024. https://www.actonclimate.com/solutions/.
- “Climate and Progressive Leaders to CEOS: ‘Are You Still In?’” Climate Power, February 22, 2024. https://climatepower.us/news/climate-and-progressive-leaders-to-ceos-are-you-still-in/.
- Robin Bravender, Timothy Cama. “White House Records Pull Back the Curtain on Climate Meetings.” E&E News by POLITICO, May 26, 2022. https://www.eenews.net/articles/white-house-records-pull-back-the-curtain-on-climate-meetings/.
- “The Coalition.” Climate Action Campaign, June 10, 2024. https://www.actonclimate.com/the-coalition/
- “Leadership & Staff.” Climate Action Campaign, August 1, 2024. https://www.actonclimate.com/leadership-staff/.
- “Myles Duffy.” LinkedIn. Accessed January 5, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mylesduffy1000.
- “Courtney Foley.” LinkedIn. Accessed January 5, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-foley-42a80b70/.