For Immediate Release
Tuesday, September 17
CVNM and Community Advocates Release Report on New Mexico’s Climate Action
Report chronicles policy starts and stalls, the impacts of climate change on New Mexico communities, and highlights multifaceted policy solutions
SANTA FE – On Tuesday, September 17th, Conservation Voters New Mexico (CVNM) and several partners announced the release of the report “The State of Climate Action in New Mexico: A Call to Action”. It features a snapshot of how climate change is affecting the people, air, land, water and wildlife of New Mexico, including the disproportionate impacts on frontline and marginalized communities around the state. The report chronicles the major developments in climate policy under the last three gubernatorial administrations and outlines outstanding efforts that have not yet been codified in statute or must still be enacted in order to mitigate the ongoing climate emergency. Heading into the 2025 legislative session and beyond, the report offers numerous policy recommendations to effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance climate resilience, and protect the health and wellbeing of New Mexico’s diverse communities.
“There’s no way around it: the climate emergency is here. Everyday, it affects New Mexicans in every corner of the state, whether that’s a child struggling to pay attention in a hot classroom or a family living amidst oil and gas infrastructure that pollutes their water and poisons their air,” said Demis Foster, CVNM President and Chief Executive Officer. “It’s also clear that the climate crisis is acutely harming the very communities that have been burdened by environmental racism and injustices for generations. This report offers a road map of where we have been on these urgent and complex issues so that we have a better idea of where we still need to go. One thing is certain: In 2025 and every legislative session after that, we must work together to ensure that climate action and community resilience is a priority for state leaders, and that racial and social justice is at the center of those efforts.”
The report is accompanied by the relaunch of ClimateActionNowNM.org, a website offering information and resources on the state of climate action in New Mexico. The website features an interactive map of projects funded by the Biden-Harris Investing in America agenda, including numerous projects advancing clean energy deployment and helping New Mexico communities become more resilient in the face of climate change. It also features state and federal funding opportunities to advance climate action for New Mexico families, businesses, local governments, nonprofit organizations and more.
“It is our hope that this report can help keep the conversation going about the need to pass effective policy solutions and mitigate the worst impacts of climate change in New Mexico,” said Molly Taylor, CVNM Chief Operating Officer and co-author of the report. “Study after study shows that New Mexicans want state leaders to hold Big Oil accountable and advance responsible policies that prevent natural disasters, center social justice and equity, and protect the health of our communities. Together, we can ensure that elected officials are listening to the concerns of their constituents and working in earnest to address the defining crises of our time.”
The report highlights the toll that climate change has on already marginalized communities, including students, educators, Native nations, fenceline communities, communities of color, LGBTQ communities, people experiencing homelessness, and wildlife. It also highlights the heavy toll climate change has had on public health and well-being, from extreme heat to increased discrimination, and more. In response to the report release, partner organizations also issued the following statements:
“With NM being the second largest oil extractor in the country, even with our methane and ozone rules that set a high bar for the federal rules, the boom means that our goal posts are further and further away from us. We have to do more. We have to figure out how to center the protection of our air, land and water. In and around the Navajo Nation specifically, we have to clean up thousands of orphaned and abandoned well sites. We see them in and around our community. We have to improve financial assurance for the industry. And most importantly, we have to establish setbacks to protect our communities and youth from impacts from oil and gas.” – Ahtza Dawn Chavez, NM Native Vote Executive Director
“After generations of activists have labored fiercely to remind us all – this is a critical moment for realizing and acting on the fact that the climate crisis has outsized impacts on our LGBTQ community. Queer and Trans people of color and in rural communities in New Mexico and around the world are feeling the oppressive impacts of this crisis in life-threatening ways. It is beyond time for our leaders to address these dangers with specific and direct action to protect those most harmed among us. “ – Marshall Martinez, Equality New Mexico Executive Director
“Over the last five years, together with the Governor, the legislature and diversity of partners we’ve made important progress on doing our part to curb the climate crisis. We passed the ETA to reduce pollution from our electric sector and help workers and the community make the transition from coal to renewables; we passed Clean Cars and Trucks rules to ensure more EVs and healthier transportation available in the state; we updated energy efficiency codes for buildings; New Mexico finalized nation leading methane and smog rules, and even with all of that amazing work, because of the Permian oil boom, our goal posts are running away from us. But that’s not a reason to give up or lose hope. There’s so much more we can do. At the legislative session we must pass comprehensive legislation to further our emissions reductions and ensure a sustainable, fair economy. And at home we can take advantage of the huge array of utility, state and federal energy saving benefits that reduce emissions, make our homes more comfortable and save us money on our utility bills. After a summer of fires followed by flood, heat that persists into the Fall, we owe it to our families and our future, to do more.” – Camilla Feibelman, Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter Director
“Climate change is considered the greatest threat to public health that we face. As health care and public health professionals, we have first-hand knowledge of the health impacts of climate change. We see young children with asthma struggling to breath air polluted by smoke, heat, and vehicle exhaust; workers at risk of dying from heat stroke; older people who have heat-induced heart attacks; youth suffering from climate-related despair, and more.
As health advocates, we call on our legislators to take the steps needed to protect the health and well-being of New Mexicans. Just like we tackled Big Tobacco, we must adopt evidence-based policies that will reduce emissions and support a just transition. At the same time, we need to provide our communities with resources and funding so that they can adapt and strengthen their resilience to the consequences of climate change and related weather disasters.” – Shelley Mann-Lev, Healthy Climate New Mexico Director
“We all know that the climate crisis is also a biodiversity crisis. New Mexico’s wildlife and ecosystems are integral to our livelihoods, heritage, and collective well-being. That’s why policy reform is needed at the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish to ensure our cherished wildlife and iconic landscapes have the enduring protections they deserve. We all have a stake in the legacy we create, which is why we are committed to laying the foundation today for a future where vibrant, thriving ecosystems are permanently protected and public lands remain accessible to everyone.” – Brittany Fallon, Western Lands, Western Resource Advocates
To read the full report, click here. For more information, visit ClimateActionNowNM.org.
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CVNM is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization connecting the people of New Mexico to their political power to protect our air, land, and water for a healthy Land of Enchantment. CVNM does this by mobilizing voters, winning elections, holding elected officials accountable, and advancing responsible public policies.
