What’s the Deal with the Green New Deal?

By Eleanor Rosellini

May 19, 2019

Oct. 2018 Report of International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Ninety-one authors and review editors from 40 countries said:

Limit global warming to 1.5°C to avoid worst consequences of climate change.

This will require “rapid and far-reaching” transitions in land, energy, industry, buildings, transport, and cities.

Global net human-caused emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) would need to fall by about 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030, reaching ‘net zero’ around 2050.

“Limiting warming to 1.5°C is possible within the laws of chemistry and physics but doing so would require unprecedented changes,” said Jim Skea, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group III.

What are we doing in the US?

•Since 2017 Trump has ceased all participation in the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate mitigation

•Trump is in the process of rolling back the Clean Power Plan, which set the first-ever national limits on carbon pollution from power plants — the nation's largest source of these emissions.

•In the United States, the emission reductions seen in 2017 were reversed, with an increase of 3.1% in CO2 emissions in 2018.

•In 2016-2018 the annual average number of billion-dollar disasters in US was more than double the long-term average.

Immediately after the 2018 midterm election Democrats seemed to have no plan for bold climate action.

And now for something completely different!

“Into this milieu comes a youth movement that takes a Democratic Party disengaged and unambitious on climate change and smacks it upside the head. It puts the ultimate goal — to completely decarbonize the US economy in a just and equitable way — on the mainstream Democratic agenda for the first time ever.” From This is an emergency, damn it By David Roberts Vox.com Feb 23, 2019

Nov. 13, 2018, 150 young people sit-in in Nancy Pelosi’s office; 51 arrests

Dec. 10, 2018, over 1,000 young people stage sit-ins; 143 arrested

What is the Green New Deal?

A 10-year plan to • drastically cut carbon emissions• create millions of good jobs• make federal investments in green infrastructure on a massive scale.• fix societal problems like economic inequality and racial injustice • Original GND letter rejected market-based mechanisms such as

carbon cap and trade systems, as well as carbon capture and storage, nuclear power, waste-to-energy and biomass energy.

Who introduced the Green New Deal?

Sunrise Movement: Founded 1 1/2 years ago -- young, progressives. Future is being held hostage by a handful of wealthy oil and gas executives who will stop at nothing to squeeze the last bit of money out of the earth. They’ve gotten away with it by lying to the public and buying off politicians of both parties to stall progress and secure massive giveaways for themselves.

Justice Democrats: progressive campaign incubator started by former staffers of Bernie Sanders.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: newly elected U.S. Rep for New York’s 14th congressional district in NYC. She defeated ten-term incumbent Congressman, Democratic Caucus Chair Joe Crowley, in huge upset victory.

Green New Deal Resolution filed Feb. 7, 2019

House Resolution 109 Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sponsor;93 co-sponsors (67 original)

Senate Resolution 59 Sen. Edward Markey Sponsor; 12 co-sponsors (11 original)

This is a non-binding resolution, not a law. It is a set of goals, aspirations, and principles. It purposely puts the vision up front and leaves the policymaking and legislation for later.

It does not exclude some of the measures that the earlier GND letter opposed, such as nuclear energy and carbon capture.

H. RES. 109116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION

Recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal.

FEBRUARY 7, 2019 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESMs. Ocasio-Cortez (for herself, Mr. Hastings, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Serrano, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New

York, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Lynch, Ms. Velázquez, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. Castro of Texas, Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Ted Lieu of California, Ms. Pressley, Mr. Welch, Mr. Engel, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Nadler, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Takano, Ms. Norton, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Lowenthal, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Thompson of California, Mr. Levin of California, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Huffman, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. García of Illinois, Mr. Higgins of New York, Ms. Haaland, Ms. Meng, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Cohen, Ms. Clark of Massachusetts, Ms. Judy Chu of California, Ms. Mucarsel-Powell, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Sablan, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Levin of Michigan, Ms. McCollum, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. Courtney, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Ms. Escobar, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Keating, Mr. DeFazio, Ms. Eshoo, Mrs. Trahan, Mr. Gomez, Mr. Kennedy, and Ms. Waters) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology, Education and Labor, Transportation and Infrastructure, Agriculture, Natural Resources, Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, the Judiciary, Ways and Means, and Oversight and Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

Long preamble describes climate crisis, wage stagnation & growing inequality

Whereas the House of Representatives recognizes that a new national, social, industrial, and economic mobilization on a scale not seen since World War II and the New Deal era is a historic opportunity—

(1) to create millions of good, high-wage jobs in the United States; (2) to provide unprecedented levels of prosperity and economic security for all

people of the United States; and (3) to counteract systemic injustices:

Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that—it is the duty of the

Federal Government to create a Green New Deal—

GND Resolution Goals

Goals of the Green New Deal— • achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions; • establish millions of high-wage jobs and ensuring

economic security for all; • invest in infrastructure and industry; • secure clean air and water, climate and

community resiliency, healthy food, access to nature, and a sustainable environment for all; and

• promote justice and equality.

A 10-year mobilization effort, including:

• Meet 100% of power demand with clean, renewable, and zero-emissions energy sources

• Build smart power grids (i.e., power grids that enable customers to reduce their power use during peak demand periods);

• Upgrade all existing buildings and construct new buildings to achieve maximum energy and water efficiency;

• Remove pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation and agricultural sectors as much as is technologically feasible;

• Public investments in clean energy R&D• Ensure businesspersons are free from unfair competition; and• Stop transfer of jobs and pollution overseas & grow domestic

manufacturing.

According to Resolution, Green New Deal will provide to all

High-quality health careAffordable safe and adequate housingEconomic securityHigh-quality education, including higher educationClean water, clean air, healthy food, access to natureGuarantee a job with a family-sustaining wage, medical leave, paid vacations, retirement security

Promote justice and equity by stopping current, preventing future, and repairing historic oppression of indigenous peoples, communities of color, migrant communities, deindustrialized communities, depopulated rural communities, the poor, low-income workers, women, the elderly, the unhoused, people with disabilities, and youth.

Still to work out: What options should be included in legislation?

• Nuclear Energy?• Waste-to-Energy (trash incineration)?• Biomass: Plant & animal matter that can be burned directly or converted to

liquid biofuels or biogas that can be burned as fuels.?• Hydropower?• Carbon capture & storage (capture carbon dioxide directly from power

plants and factories and store it underground)?Market based mechanisms? o carbon tax or carbon fee/dividendo cap and trade (cap on pollutants gets stricter over time. Each company gets

allowances that can be bought or sold.) In contrast to early GND proposals, and to avoid conflicts at this stage, GND

Resolution is by design “silent on any individual technology which can move us toward a solution [for] this problem,” according to Sen. Markey.

Confusion!

Fact Sheet given to reporters by AOC staff was an unfinished draft that was not consistent with the GND Resolution and was quickly removed from her website.

“We set a goal to get to net-zero, rather than zero emissions, in 10 years because we aren’t sure that we’ll be able to fully get rid of farting cows and airplanes that fast.”

”Economic security to all who are unable or unwilling to work.”

Reception

• Green New Deal Coalition: includes 350.org, Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, Mothers Out Front, UUA, UU Mass Action and many others.

• Resolution has 93 co-sponsors in the House; 12 in Senate. • Big Greens such as EDF, NRDC, Audubon, Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project,

don’t sign on, but they released supportive statements. “It is a breath of fresh air to see leaders in Congress discussing climate solutions that rise to the scale of the challenge.” NRDC

• Nancy Pelosi: “The green dream or whatever they call it, nobody knows what it is, but they’re for it right?” “Frankly, I haven’t seen it, but I do know it’s enthusiastic, and I welcome all the enthusiasm.”

• Sen. Biden, after being criticized by AOC: “We do need to face this green revolution in a way that’s rational, we can do it, afford it, and get it done now.”

Reactions from conservatives

• Impractical, unrealizable, over-the-top, pie-in-the-sky, unaffordable• “It’s a socialist manifesto that lays out a laundry list of government giveaways,

including guaranteed food, housing, college, and economic security even for those who refuse to work.” Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, chairman of the Senate’s environment committee.

• “overreaches in its desire to deliver a raft of expensive new entitlements -- guaranteed jobs, benefits, health care, housing, education, income and more.” Bloomberg Opinion columnist Noah Smith,

• Mitch McConnell: believes climate change is “certainly happening.” “I think it ought to be addressed by technology and not by having the government shut down our economy and cause us to lose an incredible number of jobs,” he said.

• Trump: “I think it is very important for the Democrats to press forward with their Green New Deal. It would be great for the so-called ‘Carbon Footprint’ to permanently eliminate all Planes, Cars, Cows, Oil, Gas & the Military - even if no other country would do the same. Brilliant!”

Concerns

•Too broad a reach? Focusing on cutting emissions that threaten the planet will be heavy lift as it is. Danger that conflict over controversial social measures will prevent movement on climate action.

•Divisive even among Democrats?

•Too left-wing/progressive to appeal to the whole country?

•Unrealistic time line/promises that can’t be kept: 10 years to net zero emissions?

•How will we pay for it?

Accomplishments

•In a few short months, puts climate change on the national agenda

•Reflects the scale of effort needed•Educates people all over the country about climate change

•Pushes presidential candidates to have a plan•Has become the measure of climate boldness•A CNN poll in late April: climate change was the very top issue of concern among registered Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents

Strategy

“From now through 2020 – we’ll make our voices impossible to ignore. We’ll put the urgency of the climate crisis at the center of American politics and relentlessly demand the solutions we need. Every candidate and elected official will be forced to take a stand on the Green New Deal, and those who don’t back it choose to do so at their own political peril.” Sunrise Movement Guide

“Nonetheless, it’s clear that the US political status quo leads to morally unforgivable inaction. That is the baseline condition. Only something that jolts politics in a new direction, marshals some new force, tries some new strategy, has any chance of success.

Political change of that scale and speed is unlikely. It’s a long shot. But it’s either long shots or climate disaster at this point.” From: This is an emergency, damn it By David Roberts Vox.com Feb 23, 2019

Where are we now?House Climate Change committee reinstated, but the new “Select House Committee on the Climate Crisis” does not include a GND mandate or require members to reject fossil fuel funding. First meeting was April, 2019

Mitch McConnell scheduled a quick floor vote on GND, hoping to draw differences among Democrats to the surface. March 26, 2019 Senate voted 0-57 to not take up the resolution; 43 Democrats voted present (a move that allowed them to avoid taking a formal position), 4 voted against.

On May 13, the Sunrise Movement wrapped up an 8-city speaking tourAsking supporters to ask their members of Congress to take GND pledge and co-sponsor HR109 and SR 59. 200 Town Hall meetings were held in a month.

Talk must now turn to action.

The GND remains a statement of aspirations. All the concrete work of policymaking lies ahead. . . . None of those policy debates have been preempted or silenced.

And yes, there are any number of ways it could go off the rails, politically or substantively. Everyone is free, nay, encouraged to use their critical judgment.

But the circumstances we find ourselves in are extraordinary and desperate. Above all, they call upon all of us to put aside our egos and our personal brands and strive for solidarity, to build the biggest and most powerful social force possible behind the only kind of rapid transition that can hope to inspire other countries and forestall the worst of climate change.

Given all that, . . . maybe nitpicking and scolding isn’t the way to go. Maybe the moment calls for a constructive and additive spirit.

The kids are out there, organized, demanding a solution. Let’s try to give them one.

From: This is an emergency, damn it By David Roberts Vox.com Feb 23, 2019

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, June 5 7:30 p.m. Temple Beth Shalom, Dr. Rachel Cleetus, from the Union of Concerned Scientists, will speak on Urgency and Opportunity: What the Latest Climate Science Tells Us. Dr. Cleetus will discuss what's new in the recent climate reports, what options may prevent the worst effects of climate change, and how we can summon the political and social will to take the actions necessary.

Sunday, June 9 7:00 p.m. Paris to Pittsburgh, Film showing at First Parish in Needham. "From coastal cities to America’s heartland, Americans are demanding and developing real solutions in the face of climate change. Learn about their incredible stories in Paris to Pittsburgh, and be inspired to create change in your own community!“

Wednesday, June 12 7:00 p.m. UU Church in Dedham. Green New Deal Town HallHistory and purpose of Sunrise movement will be reviewed. Panel discussion with members of Sunrise movement, Boston Chapter of Extinction Rebellion, & Clean Water Action. Also Tufts Med. Center Pulmonologist.

An Evergreen Economy for America Investing in Good Jobs, Clean Energy & Modern Infrastructure

On May 16, 2019 Democratic presidential candidate Gov. Jay Inslee unveiled his "Evergreen Economy Plan" at a press conference in Washington, DC, calling for a $9 trillion investment in green jobs over 10 years, which he said would create eight million well-paying jobs for Americans as the country mobilizes to create a carbon-neutral economy.

The green economy plan would create "high-paying, high-skilled jobs building a stronger, healthier, more just, inclusive and sustainable future," Inslee's 38-page proposal reads. It would also protect collective bargaining power for unions; ensure a "just transition" and jobs for fossil fuel workers; and mandate employers follow guidelines for gender pay parity.