Green New Deal
CLIMATE SYSTEM EMERGENCY INSTITUTE
The Health and Human Rights Approach to Climate Change
The Health and Human Rights Approach to Climate Change
Feb 2019 US resolution Green New Deal
A generic version of the US Green New Deal resolution
Whereas, climate change constitutes a direct threat to the national security—
(1) by impacting the economic, environmental, and
social stability of countries and communities around the
world; and (2) by acting as a threat multiplier
(1) by impacting the economic, environmental, and
social stability of countries and communities around the
world; and (2) by acting as a threat multiplier
Global temperatures must be kept below 1.5 degrees Celsius (from preindustrial) which will require—
(A) global reductions in GHG emissions from human sources of 40-60 percent from 2010 levels by 2030; and
(A) global reductions in GHG emissions from human sources of 40-60 percent from 2010 levels by 2030; and
(B) net-zero emissions by 2050;
(1) it is the duty of Government to create a Green New Deal—
(A) to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions through a fair and just transition for all communities and workers;
(B) to create millions of good, high-wage jobs and ensure prosperity and economic security for all people
(A) to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions through a fair and just transition for all communities and workers;
(B) to create millions of good, high-wage jobs and ensure prosperity and economic security for all people
C) to invest in the infrastructure and industry to sustainably meet the challenges of the 21st century;
(D) to secure for all people for generations to come—
(i) clean air and water;
(ii) climate and community resiliency;
(iii) healthy food;
(iv) access to nature; and
(v) a sustainable environment; and
(i) clean air and water;
(ii) climate and community resiliency;
(iii) healthy food;
(iv) access to nature; and
(v) a sustainable environment; and
(E) to promote justice and equity by stopping current, preventing future, and repairing historic oppression of indigenous communities,
communities of color, migrant communities, deindustrialized communities, depopulated communities, the poor, low-income workers,
(E) to promote justice and equity by stopping current, preventing future, and repairing historic oppression of indigenous communities,
communities of color, migrant communities, deindustrialized communities, depopulated communities, the poor, low-income workers,
women, the elderly, the unhoused, people with disabilities, and youth/
The goals described ‘‘Green New Deal goals’’) should be accomplished through a 10-year national mobilization (‘‘Green New Deal mobilization’’) that will require the following goals and projects—
(A) building resiliency against climate change-related disasters, such as extreme wather, including by leveraging funding and
providing investments for community-defined projects and strategies;
(B) repairing and upgrading the infrastructure, including—
(i) by eliminating pollution and greenhouse gas emissions as much as technologically feasible;
(ii) by guaranteeing universal access to clean water;
(iii) by reducing the risks posed by flooding and other climate impacts; and
(C) meeting 100 percent of the power demand in the through clean, renewable, and zero-emission energy sources, including
(i) by dramatically expanding and upgrading existing renewable power sources; and
(ii) by deploying new capacity;
The goals described ‘‘Green New Deal goals’’) should be accomplished through a 10-year national mobilization (‘‘Green New Deal mobilization’’) that will require the following goals and projects—
(A) building resiliency against climate change-related disasters, such as extreme wather, including by leveraging funding and
providing investments for community-defined projects and strategies;
(B) repairing and upgrading the infrastructure, including—
(i) by eliminating pollution and greenhouse gas emissions as much as technologically feasible;
(ii) by guaranteeing universal access to clean water;
(iii) by reducing the risks posed by flooding and other climate impacts; and
(C) meeting 100 percent of the power demand in the through clean, renewable, and zero-emission energy sources, including
(i) by dramatically expanding and upgrading existing renewable power sources; and
(ii) by deploying new capacity;
(D) building or upgrading to energy-efficient, distributed, and ‘‘smart’’ power grids,
and working to ensure affordable access to electricity;
(D) building or upgrading to energy-efficient, distributed, and ‘‘smart’’ power grids,
and working to ensure affordable access to electricity;
(E) upgrading all existing buildings and building new buildings to achieve maximal energy efficiency, water efficiency, safety, affordability, comfort, and durability, including through electrification;
(E) upgrading all existing buildings and building new buildings to achieve maximal energy efficiency, water efficiency, safety, affordability, comfort, and durability, including through electrification;
(F) spurring massive growth in clean manufacturing and removing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing and industry as much as is technologically feasible, including by expanding renewable energy manufacturing and investing in existing manufacturing and industry;
(G) working collaboratively with farmers and ranchers to eliminate pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector as much as is technologically feasible, including—
(i) by supporting family farming;
(ii) by investing in sustainable farming and land use practices that increase soil health; and
(iii) by building a more sustainable food system that ensures universal access to healthy food;
(G) working collaboratively with farmers and ranchers to eliminate pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector as much as is technologically feasible, including—
(i) by supporting family farming;
(ii) by investing in sustainable farming and land use practices that increase soil health; and
(iii) by building a more sustainable food system that ensures universal access to healthy food;
(H) overhauling transportation systems to eliminate pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector as much as is technologically feasible, including through investment i
(H) overhauling transportation systems to eliminate pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector as much as is technologically feasible, including through investment i
(i) zero-emission vehicle infrastructure and manufacturing;
(ii) clean, affordable, and accessible public transportation; and
(iii) high-speed rail;
(ii) clean, affordable, and accessible public transportation; and
(iii) high-speed rail;
(I) mitigating and managing the long-term adverse health, economic, and other effects of pollution and climate change, including by providing funding for community-defined projects
and strategies;
and strategies;
(J) removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and reducing pollution, including by restoring natural ecosystems through proven low-tech solutions that increase soil carbon storage, such as preservation and afforestation;
(J) removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and reducing pollution, including by restoring natural ecosystems through proven low-tech solutions that increase soil carbon storage, such as preservation and afforestation;
(K) restoring and protecting threatened, endangered, and fragile ecosystems through locally appropriate and science-based projects that enhance biodiversity and support climate resiliency;
(K) restoring and protecting threatened, endangered, and fragile ecosystems through locally appropriate and science-based projects that enhance biodiversity and support climate resiliency;
L) cleaning up hazardous waste and abandoned sites to promote economic development and sustainability;
L) cleaning up hazardous waste and abandoned sites to promote economic development and sustainability;
(M) identifying other emission and pollution sources and creating solutions to eliminate them; and
(N) promoting the international exchange of technology, expertise, products, funding, and services,
(N) promoting the international exchange of technology, expertise, products, funding, and services,
(3) a Green New Deal must be developed through transparent and inclusive consultation, collaboration, and partnership with frontline and vulnerable communities, labor unions, worker cooperatives, civil society groups, academia, and businesses; and
(3) a Green New Deal must be developed through transparent and inclusive consultation, collaboration, and partnership with frontline and vulnerable communities, labor unions, worker cooperatives, civil society groups, academia, and businesses; and
(4) to achieve the Green New Deal goals and mobilization, a Green New Deal will require the fol1owing goals and projects—
(A) providing and leveraging, in a way that ensures that the public receives appropriate ownership stakes and returns on investment, adequate capital (including through community grants, public banks, and other public financing), technical expertise, supporting policies,and other forms of assistance to communities, organizations, Federal, State, and local government agencies, and businesses working on the Green New Deal mobilization;
(A) providing and leveraging, in a way that ensures that the public receives appropriate ownership stakes and returns on investment, adequate capital (including through community grants, public banks, and other public financing), technical expertise, supporting policies,and other forms of assistance to communities, organizations, Federal, State, and local government agencies, and businesses working on the Green New Deal mobilization;
(B) ensuring that Government takes into account the complete environmental and social costs and impacts of emissions through—
(i) existing laws;
(ii) new policies and programs; and (iii) ensuring that frontline and vulnerable communities shall not be adversely affected;
(i) existing laws;
(ii) new policies and programs; and (iii) ensuring that frontline and vulnerable communities shall not be adversely affected;
(C) providing resources, training, and high-quality education, including higher education, to all people with a focus on frontline and vulnerable communities, so those communities may be full and equal participants in the Green New Deal mobilization;
(D) making public investments in the re16 search and development of new clean and renewable energy technologies and industries;
(D) making public investments in the re16 search and development of new clean and renewable energy technologies and industries;
(E) directing investments to spur economic development, deepen and diversify industry in local and regional economies, and build wealth and community ownership, while prioritizing high-quality job creation and economic, social, and environmental benefits in frontline and vulnerable communities that may otherwise struggle with the transition away from greenhouse gas intensive industries;
(E) directing investments to spur economic development, deepen and diversify industry in local and regional economies, and build wealth and community ownership, while prioritizing high-quality job creation and economic, social, and environmental benefits in frontline and vulnerable communities that may otherwise struggle with the transition away from greenhouse gas intensive industries;
(F) ensuring the use of democratic and participatory processes that are inclusive of and led by frontline and vulnerable communities and workers to plan, implement, and administer the Green New Deal mobilization at the local level;
(F) ensuring the use of democratic and participatory processes that are inclusive of and led by frontline and vulnerable communities and workers to plan, implement, and administer the Green New Deal mobilization at the local level;
(G) ensuring that the Green New Deal mobilization creates high-quality union jobs that pay prevailing wages, hires local workers, offers training and advancement opportunities, and guarantees wage and benefit parity for workers affected by the transition;
(G) ensuring that the Green New Deal mobilization creates high-quality union jobs that pay prevailing wages, hires local workers, offers training and advancement opportunities, and guarantees wage and benefit parity for workers affected by the transition;
(H) guaranteeing a job with a family-sustaining wage, adequate family and medical leave, paid vacations, and retirement security to all people
(H) guaranteeing a job with a family-sustaining wage, adequate family and medical leave, paid vacations, and retirement security to all people
(I) strengthening and protecting the right of all workers to organize, unionize, and collectively bargain free of coercion, intimidation, and harassment;
(I) strengthening and protecting the right of all workers to organize, unionize, and collectively bargain free of coercion, intimidation, and harassment;
(J) strengthening and enforcing labor, workplace health and safety, antidiscrimination,
and wage and hour standards across all employers, industries, and sectors;
(J) strengthening and enforcing labor, workplace health and safety, antidiscrimination,
and wage and hour standards across all employers, industries, and sectors;
(K) enacting and enforcing trade rules, procurement standards, with strong labor and environmental protections—
(i) to stop the transfer of jobs and pollution overseas; and
(ii) to grow domestic manufacturing
(K) enacting and enforcing trade rules, procurement standards, with strong labor and environmental protections—
(i) to stop the transfer of jobs and pollution overseas; and
(ii) to grow domestic manufacturing
(L) ensuring that public lands, waters, and oceans are protected and that eminent domain is not abused;
(L) ensuring that public lands, waters, and oceans are protected and that eminent domain is not abused;
(M) obtaining the free, prior, and informed consent of indigenous people for all decisions
that affect indigenous people and their traditional territories, honoring all treaties and agreements with indigenous people, and protecting and enforcing the sovereignty and land rights of indigenous people;
(M) obtaining the free, prior, and informed consent of indigenous people for all decisions
that affect indigenous people and their traditional territories, honoring all treaties and agreements with indigenous people, and protecting and enforcing the sovereignty and land rights of indigenous people;
(N) ensuring a commercial environment where every business person is free from unfair competition and domination by domestic or international monopolies; and
(N) ensuring a commercial environment where every business person is free from unfair competition and domination by domestic or international monopolies; and
(O) providing all people
(i) high-quality health care;
(ii) affordable, safe, and adequate housing;
(iii) economic security; and
(iv) access to clean water, clean air, healthy and affordable food, and nature.
(O) providing all people
(i) high-quality health care;
(ii) affordable, safe, and adequate housing;
(iii) economic security; and
(iv) access to clean water, clean air, healthy and affordable food, and nature.
The Green New Deal (US Resolution Ms. Ocasio-Cortez Feb 2019) aims to keep global temperatures below 1.5 degrees Celsius (from pre-industrial) by the global reductions in GHG emissions from human sources of 40-60 percent from 2010 levels by 2030; and net-zero emissions by 2050, through massive public investment (in the future) through a rapid just transition. It is a non regulatory approach and does not fully correct climate change market failures (see 2006 UK Stern Commission The Economics of Climate Change).
What other measures are needed to strengthen the US Green New Deal?
Declare the climate emergency
Declare the climate emergency
Global Climate homicide and ecocide must surely declared illegal by government and the UN bodies.
At the same time all countries have to target 2020 which is the science determined imperative for the rapid decline in global emissions.
Launch an immediate massive climate change public education and persuasion campaign (public support is inadequate for rapid measures in many countries)
It is unclear where the large amount of public funding for the plan will come from. Switching funding from military, space and energy subsidies would provide enough in most countries - large and small. The banking investment sector could be a big help.
As the Washington Post has noted great though it is the Green New Deal is not big enough because it misses out the global reality. The US is responsible for 15% of global emissions (which has to be near zero well before 2050), while the emissions of industrialising nations are increasing fast. So (as in the 1002 UN climate convention) global emissions dropping depends on industrialised countries (especially the USA) sharing and assisting with technology development, and financing.
As the Washington Post has noted great though it is the Green New Deal is not big enough because it misses out the global reality. The US is responsible for 15% of global emissions (which has to be near zero well before 2050), while the emissions of industrialising nations are increasing fast. So (as in the 1002 UN climate convention) global emissions dropping depends on industrialised countries (especially the USA) sharing and assisting with technology development, and financing.
The requires a new world order of mutual benefit cooperation. International disarmament and peace is essential, with conversion of defence resources to Green New Deal investments.
Immediate termination of all fossil fuel subsidies and incentives with transferal to the clean renewable energy industry is the big green no-brainer that incredibly is missing from many mitigation plans
Immediate emergency measures for the rapid decline of global emissions from 2020 (IPCC 2018 1.5C Report)
Obviously government has to charge GHG polluting corporations the full cost of their air, water and GHG pollution (polluter pays principle) starting immediately.
Prohibit new coal fired power plants
Prohibit new fracking operations for oil and gas
Prohibit the production and use of F gases (the longest lasting and most potent (GHGs)
Empower government agencies in regulatory GHG emissions avoidance, environmental protection, and ecosystem conservation/restoration. This includes listing greenhouse gases as hazardous pollutants.
Prohibit the promotion of fossil fuel combustion for energy
Prohibit investment in tropical and boreal deforestation, (directly and indirectly)
Emissions regulation and reward. for the rapid progressive reduction of GHG and black carbon emissions,-
Make investment in virtual zero energy development 100% tax deductible
Prohibit future discounting of such pollution costs (zero future discounting)
Regulate the banking and investment industry not to finance GHG polluting projects so as to priorize investment in virtual zero carbon development.
Give priority to the avoidance of pollution over profit in trade (so-called free trade rules).
Charge food corporations the full cost of air, water and GHG pollution from the livestock-meat industry (re. methane emissions).
Affirmatively involve indigenous peoples and youth in all Green New Deal discussions and developments, including at government level.