For more than a century, we have depended on fossil fuels to run our factories, power our cars and trucks, and heat and cool our homes. Now we are facing the consequences. Six of the last eight years were the hottest on record. Polar ice and glaciers are disappearing, sea levels are rising, coral reefs are suffering, plant and animal species are disappearing. And the wilderness areas and wildlife that the Sierra Club has worked so effectively to protect for more than a century are being threatened and lost.

But we have the means to reverse global warming and create a clean, renewable energy future. Working with some of the world's top climate scientists, engineers, and energy experts, the Sierra Club has developed a Climate Recovery Agenda -- a set of initiatives that will help cut carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, create a clean-energy economy, and protect our natural heritage, communities, and country from the consequences of global warming.

It’s time to move America beyond dirty coal. Coal provides about half of our electricity and more than 30% of our global warming pollution. From the mine to the plant, to the ash pond, coal is our dirtiest energy source. It causes asthma and other health problems, destroys our mountains, and releases toxic mercury into our communities. Continuing our dependence on coal chains us to dirty energy and prevents us from making the changes we need to bring about a clean, secure energy future.

Green Cars, Fuels, and Transportation for the 21st Century
Transportation contributes approximately one-third of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, and must be a prime target for major greenhouse gas reductions.

Resilient Habitats
Climate change is the largest threat that our natural heritage has ever faced. We must now actively work to create resilient habitats where plants, animals, and people are able to survive and thrive on a warmer planet. Help protect wildlife habitat from climate change.

To avoid climate catastrophe, greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. must peak in the coming decade, decline steadily, and reach a level close to zero by mid-century. In addition to reducing our own emissions, the U.S. should help developing countries cut carbon and protect themselves from the effects of global warming.

Safeguarding Communities
Protecting nature protects people. Strengthening and restoring natural defense systems such as wetlands, forests, and barrier islands will reduce the effects of climate change.