Climate Deadline Alliance Sets Jan. 15 Deadline, Warns of Lawsuits Against Governors Over Carbon Removal

Climate Deadline Alliance says continued reliance on emissions cuts alone may violate governors’ duty to protect public health

GRAND JUNCTION, CO, UNITED STATES, December 12, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Climate Deadline Alliance (CDA) announced today that it is preparing coordinated lawsuits against U.S. governors who fail to take meaningful action by January 15 to adopt Direct Atmospheric Carbon Removal (DACR) as part of their climate response.

CDA confirmed that formal notice letters have already been sent to 19 states, warning governors that continued refusal to address legacy carbon already heating the planet may trigger litigation for climate negligence.

The states that have received formal notice are: California, New York, Illinois, Washington, Massachusetts, Colorado, New Mexico, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, New Jersey, Maryland, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Delaware, Maine, Hawaii, and Rhode Island.

The letters put governors on notice that emissions reduction alone cannot stop climate change and that ignoring viable carbon removal solutions may violate their duty to protect public health, safety, and welfare.

“This is not symbolic,” said Eric Sutton, Campaign Director of the Climate Deadline Alliance. “We have warned governors in 19 states. They have until January 15 to engage seriously with carbon removal. If they choose delay, litigation is the next step.”

Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have surpassed 422 parts per million and continue to rise by roughly 3.5 to 4 ppm each year. Scientists warn that crossing 450 ppm risks triggering irreversible climate feedbacks, including ecosystem collapse, food system failure, and mass displacement. At current rates, that threshold is expected within the next decade.

CDA argues that governors have long been aware of these risks and of the scientific consensus that emissions cuts, while necessary, do not remove the carbon already in the atmosphere, driving climate damage today.

Direct Atmospheric Carbon Removal physically removes CO₂ from the air and permanently stores or reuses it, directly addressing the root cause of climate change rather than merely slowing its future growth. The Alliance says DACR technology is real, proven, and ready to scale, yet continues to be sidelined in favor of politically safer but inadequate approaches.

At the center of CDA’s demand is the Interstate SkyCarbon Blueprint, developed by CDA's Director, Dr. Christian Komor. The Blueprint outlines how coordinated, state-led action could remove hundreds of gigatons of legacy CO₂ over the next two decades while creating jobs, revitalizing industrial regions, and building new domestic manufacturing capacity.

“We are already in a climate emergency,” said Dr. Komor. “The destruction we’re seeing now is driven by carbon that has been accumulating in the atmosphere for decades. Promising future emissions cuts while refusing to remove existing carbon is a failure of leadership.”

According to CDA, governors and senior staff were formally invited months ago into substantive dialogue to adopt or adapt the SkyCarbon Blueprint. Some offices did not respond. Others offered vague timelines while continuing to emphasize emissions reduction strategies alone.

If no credible commitment to DACR adoption is made by January 15, CDA says it will move forward with lawsuits seeking to compel governors to meet their legal obligations to protect residents from foreseeable and preventable harm.

“This is about accountability,” Sutton said. “When leaders know the harm, know the solution, and still refuse to act, courts exist for a reason. Governors still have a clear off-ramp. Act now, or answer later.”

CDA emphasized that litigation is a last resort. The Alliance says it would immediately pause legal action if governors commit to enforceable timelines and policies that put large-scale carbon removal on a serious track.

“The next few years will determine whether we stabilize the climate or lock in permanent damage,” Sutton said. “January 15 is the deadline. What happens after that is a choice governors are making in full view of history.”

About the Climate Deadline Alliance

The Climate Deadline Alliance is a science-driven advocacy organization focused on ending climate change by addressing its root cause: excess atmospheric carbon dioxide. CDA advances large-scale Direct Atmospheric Carbon Removal, state-level leadership, and public accountability to protect current and future generations.

Eric R Sutton
Climate Deadline Alliance
+1 702-338-5769
eric@bluescriptshq.com
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