<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=us-ascii"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class="">You can help promote by tweeting! <a href="https://twitter.com/ilana_solomon1/status/614150359158812674" class="">https://twitter.com/ilana_solomon1/status/614150359158812674</a> </div><div class=""><br class=""><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class="WordSection1" style="page: WordSection1;"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ilana-solomon/the-fight-for-fair-trade_b_7665292.html" style="color: purple;" class="">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ilana-solomon/the-fight-for-fair-trade_b_7665292.html</a><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 27pt; background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><b class=""><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: rgb(17, 17, 17);" class="">The Fight for Fair Trade: How Far We've Come, How Much Further We Will Go<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">The Huffington Post<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">By Ilana Solomon, Sierra Club<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">June 25, 2015<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 15pt; background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" class="">After a long, arduous fight, Congress passed legislation that will put harmful trade pacts on the fast track. Now our job is to put aside this momentary loss, build on the incredible momentum we have created in the fight for fair and responsible trade, and shift focus to the even bigger fights ahead. We must now focus on defeating the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.sierraclub.org/trade/trans-pacific-partnership" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and ensuring the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://secure.sierraclub.org/site/SPageNavigator/Transatlantic_Trade_Investment_Partnership.html;jsessionid=7A0218E2936C61A5A564B69FDF254B99.app205a" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>does not become another polluter giveaway. Most importantly, we must continue to build a movement so powerful that it is impossible for governments to allow trade rules to interfere with climate, environmental, and other public interest policies.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 15pt; background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; widows: 1;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" class="">We can achieve this. Just look at how far we've come. It wasn't long ago when it seemed like almost no one had heard about the TPP or "fast track." Yet today, there are<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.thenation.com/blog/209097/2-million-americans-petition-congress-reject-fast-track" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">millions</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none;" class=""> </span></span></a>of people taking action against harmful trade rules. Sierra Club supporters alone sent more than 300,000 messages and made more than 10,000 calls to members of Congress. They organized and attended events across the country educating community members about the impacts of the TPP and opposing fast track and unfair trade. It seems that more people than ever are aware of the dangers posed by free trade deals and are engaging in the long-term process of building a new model of trade.<br class=""><br class="">Climate disruption also played a critical role in the fight against fast track. Across the United States, activists<a href="http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2015/may/28/ticker-no-thanks-nafta-steroids-protest-la-jolla/" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none;" class=""> </span></span><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">demanding climate action</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/article20944929.html" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">fighting for clean air and clean water</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>banded together on trade. At the national level,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://action.sierraclub.org/site/DocServer/Fast_Track_Enviro_Letter_to_114th_Congress.pdf?docID=17141" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">dozens of environmental organizations</span></a>--some that have long engaged in trade work, many new to the fight, and some supporters of past free trade deals--helped lead the broad and diverse coalition fighting fast track because of its threats to our climate and environment. As<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/obamas-environmental-allies-not-buying-his-trade-pitch-on-climate/2015/06/16/b91964a6-1378-11e5-9ddc-e3353542100c_story.html" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><em class=""><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none;" class="">The Washington Post</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none;" class=""> </span></span><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">noted</span></a>, despite the Administration's efforts, "Obama's environmental allies [are] not buying his trade pitch on climate."<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 15pt; background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; widows: 1;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" class="">All of this work changed the national debate on trade. Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi voted against fast track in part because it would hinder the ability to address climate change. When she<a href="http://www.democraticleader.gov/newsroom/pelosi-floor-speech-on-trade-adjustment-assistance-and-trade-promotion-authority/" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none;" class=""> </span></span><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">addressed the House</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>before the first House fast-track vote she said: "The connection between the environment and commerce is inseparable," and that, "we need to slow this fast track down." In her June 15<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/06/15/congress-trade-fast-track-tpa-pelosi-column/71270294/" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">op-ed in</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none;" class=""> </span></span><em class=""><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none;" class="">USA Today</span></em></a>, she said that "it is clear that the debate on the trade authority is probably the last of its kind. The intense debate of the past few weeks has further convinced me that we need a new paradigm."<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 15pt; background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; widows: 1;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" class="">We've certainly built momentum toward a new paradigm. So what comes next?<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 15pt; background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; widows: 1;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" class="">For one, we defeat the TPP. Proponents of the pact will use the environment chapter to argue that the TPP has the strongest protections of any trade deal for the environment. There are a number of problems with this argument. For one, it sets an exceedingly low bar given that trade pacts like<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://action.sierraclub.org/site/DocServer/0642_NAFTA_Report_05_web_high.pdf?docID=15301" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">NAFTA have been devastating for the environment</span></a>. And second, focusing on the environment chapter (which, incidentally,<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ilana-solomon/the-trans-pacific-partnership-would-harm-our-environment_b_7292884.html" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">we don't think will be strong enough to have a meaningful impact on the ground</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>or<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ilana-solomon/new-eia-report-details-tr_b_7546686.html" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">will be enforced</span></a>) is missing the forest for the trees.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 15pt; background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; widows: 1;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" class="">The TPP and trade pacts like it<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ilana-solomon/why-the-climate-movement_b_5876964.html" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">threaten our very ability to make the changes in our global economy that we need to solve the climate crisis</span></a>. As just two examples, they give broad<a href="http://www.sierraclub.org/trade/trans-pacific-partnership" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none;" class=""> </span></span><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">new rights to the fossil-fuel industry</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>at a time when we must be reining in pollution from coal, oil and gas and fully transitioning to clean energy. And they<a href="http://www.sierraclub.org/trade/trans-pacific-partnership" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">encourage and expedite more exports of fossil fuels</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>despite the fact that scientists and experts warn that the majority of coal, oil, and gas must stay in the ground.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 15pt; background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; widows: 1;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" class="">We also have a chance to expose and stop the threats that TTIP--the trade deal with the European Union which is still at an early stage of negotiation--poses to our air, water, and climate. We must focus again on the harmful "investor-state" rules that<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/kill-the-dispute-settlement-language-in-the-trans-pacific-partnership/2015/02/25/ec7705a2-bd1e-11e4-b274-e5209a3bc9a9_story.html" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">Senator Elizabeth Warren helped bring to the forefront</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>of the debate on trade. These dangerous rules empower multinational corporations to challenge climate and clean energy policies in private trade courts. Similarly, we must challenge rules in TTIP that would create a system<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://sensiblesafeguards.org/assets/documents/regco-sign-on-letter_questions_final.pdf" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">"harmonizing" policies</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>by offering new opportunities for foreign governments and corporations to intervene early on in our rule-making process. And we must fight<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ilana-solomon/leaked-european-union-tra_b_5566913.html" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class="">rules in the pact that would require the U.S. Department of Energy to automatically approve exports of natural gas and require automatic approval of U.S. crude oil exports</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>to the EU, therefore encouraging more oil and gas production, consumption, and dependence.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 15pt; background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; widows: 1;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" class="">And even beyond the TPP and TTIP, there is a bigger fight at stake. We'll expose the fact that trade deals are political documents as much as they are legal ones and that trade rules only have power if governments give them power. Our long-term work is to continue to build our movement so strong and fierce that it becomes unthinkable for governments to cede control over domestic policies as a result of free trade rules because the backlash would be too severe. That's the movement we're working toward, and we are well on our way. Join us in the fight for fair trade and a safe climate.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="color: rgb(57, 152, 0); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;" class=""><a href="https://secure.sierraclub.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=15528" target="_hplink" style="color: purple;" class="">Add your name to our petition to demand fair trade, not toxic trade, and let us know you're still with us in this fight.</a></span></span><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><div class=""><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" class=""><br class=""></span></div></div></div></div></body></html>