In light of the series of wildfires that continue to burn across Los Angeles County, destroying thousands of structures, prompting evacuations and resulting in several deaths, Rise Economy Chief Executive Officer Paulina Gonzalez-Brito issued the following statement:
Our hearts go out to the families and communities affected by the devastating wildfires currently raging across Los Angeles. These fires – which are becoming all too common – are a stark reminder of how climate change continues to impact California communities. This was not inevitable, and likely not the last wildfire of this magnitude we will experience.
So long as the fossil fuel industry remains largely unregulated, and so long as big banks and insurance companies continue to finance and underwrite oil and gas companies, we will be vulnerable to these climate change-related disasters. These wildfires underscore the deeply urgent need to take bold action against the root causes of climate change. It’s not enough to address the destruction in front of us – it’s crucial that we protect Californians from insurance premium increases and threats from insurers to leave the state. We need an insurance system that protects families, homeowners, small businesses and housing developers, not one that enriches private insurance companies and profits from the displacement of families in the wake of devastating destruction.
We stand with our more than 300 members and our partners to ensure equitable recovery efforts and long-term solutions to address the root causes of these disasters. Our communities deserve no less.