A Green New Deal

Finally.  An actual plan to do something about climate change.  No, not the frightening, just released National Climate Assessment report. A Green New Deal is not just a phrase, it is a way forward. (See below). Support it.

When young activists stormed the Congressional office of Nancy Pelosi after the midterm elections, demanding an environmental plan in the wake of the Democrats taking control of the House of Representatives, I wondered why go after one of the most liberal members of Congress, in the most liberal city in America, in the heart of the environmental movement.

Is there a plan ? Is this just an attention seeking stunt by naive, idealistic newbies to politics ?  Actually no. There is an extraordinarily detailed bold plan: A Green New Deal.   Modeled after the New Deal that pulled us out of the Depression, this new New Deal is massive investment in resources is a real template that reorganizes our jobs economy around a resilient future.

This a key feature – a resilient future.  The climate has already changed so much that severe impacts on humanity are unavoidable and upon us.  We are not going to “save the planet” but we must have a plan for a sustainable, regenerative future.

We have cooked the planet already, there is no turning back; but that is not an excuse for giving up.  Somehow or another humans will survive and there must be a new methodology to coexist.  Here, in the Green New Deal is a plan where we can all see our own role, some facet of the plan applies to each of us; and collectively this is a plan we can pressure elected officials to prioritize.

Politicians wake up !  Why delay ANY longer ?  What is it about climate change you do not get ? Urgent action is an understatement.  Contact Congress

First publish by the policy wonks at Data for Progress here at the key points, each one a definable goal.  Download A Green New Deal

TRANSFORM TO A LOW-CARBON ECONOMY

⊲⊲ 100% Clean and Renewable Electricity by 2035

⊲⊲ Zero Net Emissions from Energy by 2050

⊲⊲ 100% Net-Zero Building Energy Standards by 2030

⊲⊲ 100% Zero Emission Passenger Vehicles by 2030

⊲⊲ 100% Fossil-Free Transportation by 2050

FULFILL THE RIGHT TO CLEAN AIR AND CLEAN WATER

⊲⊲ National Clean Air Attainment

⊲⊲ Cut Methane Leakage 50% by 2025

⊲⊲ National Lead Pipe Replacement & Infrastructure Upgrades

⊲⊲ Guarantee Access to Affordable Drinking Water

⊲⊲ Protect Two Million New Miles of Waterways

RESTORE THE AMERICAN LANDSCAPE

⊲⊲ Reforest 40 Million Acres of Public and Private Land by 2035

⊲⊲ Restore 5 Million Acres of Wetlands by 2040

⊲⊲ Expand Sustainable Farming and Soil Practices to 70% of Agricultural Land by 2050

⊲⊲ Cleanup Brownfields and All Hazardous Sites

STRENGTHEN URBAN SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE

⊲⊲ Establish a National Fund for Urban and Rural Resilience

⊲⊲ Expand Public Green Space and Recreational Land and Waters

⊲⊲ Modernize Urban Mobility and Mass Transit

⊲⊲ Zero Waste by 2040

⊲⊲ Capture 50% of Wasted Methane by 2040

The policy paper goes on to promote the benefits of jobs and details many specific policy issues.  It has been adopted by a number of advocacy groups, especially among young progressives.

Yes, this is hugely ambitious but it is specific and provides a road map. Lets’ get started.  Get informed and ask your congressional representative to get informed. Contact Congress.  We can not wait.

An article in The Nation details the recent history of this movement.

The Sunshine Movement is activating young progressives on climate change with planned demonstrations and events.

350 Action is actively supporting political candidates for environment change in support of the Green New Deal.

The climate has changed.  Let’s stop wringing our hands.

Stand up for working with the earth, not destroying it.