Ecosocialism in a Petrostate

PHOTO CREDIT: Brooke Anderson

California is a “Climate Leader,” right? “Wrong!” say California DSA ecosocialists, harmonizing with voices of activists in frontline communities of color working to protect our livelihoods, our neighborhoods and our planet. Join us to amplify the rejection of fossil-fueled climate scams coming from Sacramento, and to build multi-racial working class power for real climate solutions. All DSA members in California are invited to join our CA Ecosocialist Working Group here.

At our September 10th meeting, we heard how DSA comrades around the state are coordinating with our national Green New Deal Building for Power Campaign. We also began a political discussion: “Ecosocialism in a Petrostate,” investigating the political power of California's fossil fuel behemoth and how we can fight it. 

We aim to set up political education opportunities to consider how the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) changes our previous Green New Deal landscape and how this change should inform our campaigns. We plan to examine arguments like those of Rhiana Gunn-Wright, who explains in her recent Hammer & Hope article why investment in green technology is not enough. We’ll grapple with synthesizing our Building for Power priority with insights like those of Thea Riofrancos on The Dig podcast (1:29:30): “We cannot have a climate politics worth its name that only focuses on the sort of positive end of investing in renewables and gives up on—with a lot of militancy!—contesting pipelines and power plants and all those things that continue to be built.” 

Always eager to wed theory and practice, Working Group participants on September 10th heard from union members about the Climate and Environmental Justice Committee in SEIU 1021 and  their work to endorse and organize labor support for the Campaign for Safe and Healthy California. We’ll continue to explore how CA DSA could build muscle for this campaign by fighting for the protection of working class communities of color, contesting new fossil fuel infrastructure, and demanding that IRA funds—hard-won through environmental organizing—be dedicated to real climate solutions that facilitate a managed, just transition off fossil fuels and the creation of good, union jobs to build out renewable energy infrastructure. 

We look forward to working with all DSA members in California—you don’t need to be a CA DSA delegate to join us. Get in touch and together we’ll prove that multi-racial, working class organizing can dispel the dread and denial of climate catastrophe, and power the just transition that our future demands.