Climate change driven by global warming induced by accumulating greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere is the greatest threat facing our civilization today. Increasingly catastrophic weather, shortages of food, fuel and water, rising sea levels, and massive plant, animal and insect species extinctions are only five of a host of consequences of this worldwide calamity. Extreme weather with droughts and stronger, more frequent storms, and rising sea levels will dramatically affect the already scarce resources hundreds of millions rely on for the basics of life.

While global warming is a most pressing challenge, it also is our most inspiring opportunity to reinvent human society and redesign our communities with sustainable principles and renewable technologies. The scale of this challenge surpasses World War Two, the Cold War and the race to the moon.

As a global crisis, worldwide warming will impact everyone. However, impacts hit hardest on the world’s most vulnerable populations. We are responsible to ensure our solutions to this crisis take these populations into account.

Taken together, the nine Northeast states are the ninth largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world. Thus, we expect New York to lead a Northeast Climate Coalition to cut these emissions, and we expect our elected officials and business leaders to take action toward this urgent goal.

Step it Up is the largest citizen action in our nation’s history to focus on global warming. This truly viral grassroots movement is organized by word of mouth, email and the online community. This nationwide campaign will see over 1000 actions held on April 14, 2007 as a National Day of Action on Climate Change. Actions range from a rally of thousands in New York City, to a few scuba divers off the Key West coast, to an Ohio senior citizen community holding a Global Warming Awareness Day.

Rallies in 50 states by people from all walks of life will demonstrate widespread demand for quick, dramatic change on the issue of global warming. Everyone involved in April 14 actions is hungry to do something big, and we agree on one thing: we need substantial, rapid action.

Despite participants’ varied backgrounds, they unite to deliver one critical message:

Congress must put America on a course to cut carbon emissions 80% by 2050 This is less than a 2% reduction per year.

April 14 is a wake-up call to public officials at every level—federal, state, county, and community—that their constituents expect them to step up and take action. While many Americans are switching to new conservation technologies to cut emissions, only bold Washington leadership can assure large scale changes needed to reduce catastrophic effects of global warming. Until our federal representatives decide to lead America onto a sustainable, renewable, ecological path into the 21st Century, serious leadership must arise from state and community government initiatives.

Stopping global warming will catalyze a new clean energy revolution which will benefit businesses and workers across the globe. We must—and we can—protect both their ability to provide for our families and communities, and also the long-term health of our environment.