1Sky

1Sky was a United States-based climate advocacy campaign created in 2007 to build public and political support for federal action on global warming and renewable energy. Rather than operating as a conventional consumer brand or commercial company, it functioned as a coalition platform that brought together environmental organizations, campaigners, volunteers, and policy advocates around a common national climate agenda. The campaign emerged during a retreat in New York’s Hudson Valley in the spring of 2007, where approximately thirty climate campaigners developed the basis for the initiative. Its early network included Step It Up 2007, whose broader international successor became 350.org, as well as the Clinton Global Initiative, Greenpeace, Oxfam, and the Energy Action Coalition. The 1Sky Platform was publicly associated with the Clinton Global Initiative after former President Bill Clinton presented it in 2007. 1Sky organized its policy program around three broad objectives. First, it called for the creation of five million green jobs and for pathways out of poverty through large-scale investment in energy efficiency and clean-energy infrastructure. Second, it supported reducing United States global-warming pollution by at least 25 percent below contemporary levels by 2020 and by at least 80 percent by 2050, targets that the campaign presented as consistent with climate science. Third, it advocated a transition away from high-emission fuels, including a moratorium on new coal plants that emit global-warming pollution, with the long-term goal of powering the country with renewable energy. The organization combined national policy messaging with grassroots political activity. It reported more than 200,000 supporters, over 4,200 volunteer Climate Precinct Captains working across congressional districts in every state, and political organizers active in multiple states. Its work included contacting members of Congress, organizing district-level meetings, supporting the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse-gas pollution under the Clean Air Act, and holding public demonstrations and creative events designed to raise the political visibility of climate change. During the 2009 and 2010 legislative debates over federal climate policy, 1Sky adopted a position it described as “strengthen to support.” It supported moving climate legislation forward while arguing that bills required stronger pollution limits and environmental protections. The campaign conducted a Senate call-in effort in January 2010 and later criticized provisions of the proposed America’s Power Act, particularly its treatment of offshore drilling and possible effects on stronger state carbon regulations. It also responded publicly to the BP Gulf oil spill and opposed the Obama administration’s decision to expand offshore oil-drilling plans shortly before the disaster. 1Sky ceased operating as an independent campaign after merging into 350.org in 2011. Its legacy lies in coalition-based climate organizing, the use of local political networks to influence federal legislation, and the effort to connect emissions reduction with employment, economic development, and renewable-energy investment.

1Sky was established in the spring of 2007 by a group of climate campaigners meeting in New York’s Hudson Valley. The initiative was conceived as a United States campaign capable of translating scientific warnings about global warming into a coordinated federal policy program. Its formation followed a period of growing public attention to climate change and built on organizing networks associated with Step It Up 2007. The campaign was developed as a coalition rather than as a conventional membership organization. Its partners and supporters included Step It Up 2007, Greenpeace, Oxfam, the Energy Action Coalition, the Clinton Global Initiative, and climate activists who later became associated with 350.org. In 2007, the 1Sky Platform received public visibility through the Clinton Global Initiative, where former President Bill Clinton announced the platform. The initiative framed climate policy as both an environmental necessity and an economic opportunity. The 1Sky Platform contained three central policy aims. It called for a major energy-efficiency and clean-infrastructure program capable of creating five million green jobs and expanding economic opportunity. It proposed reducing global-warming pollution by at least 25 percent below then-current levels by 2020 and by at least 80 percent by 2050. It also urged the United States to halt construction of new coal plants emitting global-warming pollution and to move toward a fully renewable energy system. To advance these objectives, 1Sky developed a nationwide grassroots structure. The campaign reported more than 200,000 supporters, thousands of volunteer Climate Precinct Captains, and organizers working across numerous states and congressional districts. Its tactics included constituent contact campaigns, meetings with legislators, district events, public rallies, creative climate-awareness gatherings, and advocacy aimed at preserving the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority under the Clean Air Act. The campaign was active during the congressional debates of 2009 and 2010. It supported efforts to move the American Clean Energy and Security Act forward but argued that the legislation needed strengthening. It took a similar position toward the proposed Senate Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. In January 2010, 1Sky coordinated a call-in effort directed at Senate offices. Later that year, it criticized the America’s Power Act for what it viewed as inadequate coastal protections and provisions that could limit stronger state-level carbon laws. 1Sky also connected climate advocacy with major public events. It organized Climate Art Parties before President Barack Obama’s participation in the 2009 United Nations climate conference, held congressional district meetings about federal environmental regulation, and organized or supported demonstrations following the BP Gulf oil spill. The campaign had already criticized the administration’s decision to lift a long-standing restriction on offshore oil drilling before the spill occurred. In 2011, 1Sky merged into 350.org. This merger ended 1Sky as a separate campaign but transferred elements of its organizing model into a broader international climate network. The organization’s historical significance rests on its attempt to combine national climate-policy goals with local political organization and a positive economic narrative centered on green employment and renewable infrastructure.

• 2011

  Merger with 350.org

  [1]1Skyen.wikipedia.org

  1Sky merges into 350.org and ceases to operate as an independent campaign.

• 2010

  Senate climate-legislation call-in campaign

  [1]1Skyen.wikipedia.org

  The organization reports mobilizing more than 3,600 calls to Senate offices in support of comprehensive climate and clean-energy legislation.

• 2009

  Climate mobilization around federal policy and international negotiations

  [1]1Skyen.wikipedia.org

  1Sky holds district meetings, climate-awareness events, and activities connected with the 2009 United Nations climate conference.

• 2008

  Rockefeller Brothers Fund award

  [2]Rockefeller Brothers Fund Awards $1 Million to 1Skyrbf.org

  The Rockefeller Brothers Fund announces a one-million-dollar award to 1Sky.

• 2007

  1Sky is founded

  [1]1Skyen.wikipedia.org

  Climate campaigners meeting in New York’s Hudson Valley establish 1Sky as a United States climate-policy campaign.

• 2007

  The 1Sky Platform gains national visibility

  [1]1Skyen.wikipedia.org

  The Clinton Global Initiative presents the 1Sky Platform, which links emissions reductions, renewable energy, and green jobs.

A coalition-driven climate campaign focused on federal climate legislation, renewable energy, green jobs, and grassroots political mobilization.

• Climate policy platform · 2007

  1Sky Platform

  1Sky’s principal offering was a policy framework for United States climate action. It combined large-scale investment in energy efficiency and clean infrastructure with targets for reducing global-warming pollution and a proposed transition away from new coal capacity and other high-emission energy sources. The platform presented renewable energy and green employment as complementary environmental and economic priorities.

• Grassroots organizing program

  Climate Precinct Captains

  The Climate Precinct Captains network was a volunteer organizing structure designed to connect national climate objectives with local electoral and congressional districts. Captains helped communicate with elected officials, organize constituents, and maintain pressure for federal climate legislation. 1Sky reported thousands of volunteers participating across congressional districts in every state.

• 2010Senate climate legislation call-in campaign

  United States

  1Sky encouraged supporters to call Senate offices in January 2010 to press for comprehensive climate and clean-energy legislation.

  Outcome. The campaign generated more than 3,600 reported calls, but comprehensive Senate climate legislation did not pass.

  Source
• 2010BP Gulf oil spill response

  United States

  1Sky joined public criticism and awareness activity following the BP Gulf oil spill and connected the disaster to debates over offshore drilling and energy policy.

  Outcome. The campaign continued to advocate for renewable energy and against expanded offshore drilling.

  Source
• 2009Climate Art Parties

  United States

  1Sky organized creative public events before President Obama’s participation in the 2009 United Nations climate conference, using art and public participation to increase attention to climate policy.

  Outcome. The events contributed to the campaign’s public-awareness and mobilization activities.

  Source

• 2011

  Merge into 350.orgM&A

  Background

  1Sky sought to consolidate its climate-organizing capacity within a broader international movement.

  Action taken

  The campaign merged into 350.org.

  Aftermath

  1Sky became defunct as an independent organization, while its organizing work continued within 350.org.

  Source

• 2010

  Oppose provisions of the America’s Power ActStrategy

  Background

  The proposed Senate legislation included provisions concerning offshore drilling and the relationship between federal and state carbon regulations.

  Action taken

  1Sky criticized the bill as insufficiently protective of coastal areas and objected to provisions it believed could preempt stronger state laws.

  Aftermath

  The organization continued mobilizing activists during the congressional recess and argued that federal climate solutions required stronger safeguards.

  Source

• 2009

  Adopt a strengthen-to-support position on federal climate billsStrategy

  Background

  Congress considered major federal climate and clean-energy legislation, including the American Clean Energy and Security Act and the Senate Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act.

  Action taken

  1Sky supported advancing the bills while calling for stronger climate protections and more ambitious provisions.

  Aftermath

  The Senate climate bill failed to advance, and 1Sky continued grassroots pressure during 2010.

  Source

1. 11Skyen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Rockefeller Brothers Fund Awards $1 Million to 1Skyrbf.org