In News
The Green New Deal is a congressional resolution that lays out a grand plan for tackling climate change. Introduced by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Senator Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts, both Democrats, the proposal calls on the federal government to wean the United States from fossil fuels and curb planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions across the economy. It also aims to guarantee new high-paying jobs in clean energy industries.
Provisions of Green New Deal
- The goal of the Green New Deal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to avoid the worst consequences of climate change while also trying to fix societal problems like economic inequality and racial injustice.
- The resolution uses as its guide two major reports issued last year by the United Nations and by federal scientists who warned that if global temperatures continue to rise, the world is headed for more intense heat waves, wildfires and droughts.
- The research shows that the US economy could lose billions of dollars by the end of the century because of climate change. Currently, carbon emissions are rising, by 3.4% last year in the US and by 2.7% globally, according to early estimates.
- Supporters of the Green New Deal also believe that change can’t just be a technological feat, and say it must also tackle poverty, income inequality and racial discrimination.
- It claims that the entire world needs to get to net-zero emissions by 2050 — meaning as much carbon would have to be absorbed as released into the atmosphere.
- The plan calls for the launch of a 10-year mobilization to reduce carbon emissions. It envisions:
. sourcing 100% of the country’s electricity from renewables
. digitizing the nation’s power grid
. upgrading every building in the country to be more energy-efficient
. overhauling the nation’s transportation system by investing in electric vehicles and high-speed rail
