Statement by campaign manager Per Östborn of the Green Mobilists Sweden about Chairperson James Brooks

I have collaborated with James Brooks since fall 2018. Gröna Mobilister and Think Beyond the Pump have supported each other’s campaigns for sustainability labels on fuel dispensers ever since, trying to bring attention to US initiatives in Sweden, and vice versa. We have exchanged hundreds or thousands of e-mails and co-authored several articles and proposals. James has been honest and open in all our joint efforts.

Since I have followed James’ persistent work for more than five years, and I have some inside knowledge, I know for a fact that James, on his own, has contacted and started fruitful collaborations with many academicians and politicians.

For instance, James’ collaboration with Professor Kirk R. Smith (deceased) led to a joint op-ed in San Francisco Chronicle, and his collaboration with Professor Kristie L. Ebi led to a joint peer-reviewed paper. His discussions with Vice Mayor Jan Devereux led to the world’s first climate and health warning labels on gas pumps in Cambridge, MA. This was acknowledged by her in an interview by me, where I asked “How did you get the idea to promote warning labels on gas pumps in Cambridge?”, and she answered: “I learned of the idea through the advocacy of James Brooks.” Since James moved to Hawaii, he has developed several political contacts in the Hawaii State Legislature. As a result, bills that require climate and health warning labels on all gas pumps in the state of Hawaii have been introduced. In 2023, such a bill was passed by the State Senate.