CCL and the Green New Deal

CCL and the Green New Deal Laser Talk

Question:  Where does CCL stand on the Green New Deal?

Answer: The Green New Deal is a set of policy goals documented in a non-binding resolution that was introduced in House of Representatives in February 2019. [1] CCL is excited that supporters of the Green New Deal have raised the urgency of climate change in the media and in the halls of Congress. We share their objective of transitioning away from fossil fuels while creating jobs and boosting the economy.

The Special Report by the IPCC in 2018 [2] made it clear that we must achieve rapid, deep emission reductions to limit global warming as close as possible to 1.5°C. This requires CO2 in the atmosphere to peak at around 420 parts per million and then start to decline. [3] This is a daunting goal, but America has always found ways to lead the world in meeting big challenges, and this must be no exception.

We believe a carbon pricing plan like the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act , reintroduced in 2021 as H.R.2307, is an essential step to drive fossil fuel emissions down quickly and without delay.

Recent polling has revealed that more Americans than ever now recognize the urgency of tackling climate change. [4] We are grateful for the work that legislators and outside groups supporting the Green New Deal have done to bring climate back to the top of the priority list for Congress, and hope these aspirations will quickly be transformed into effective legislation to protect the health, wealth, and well-being of Americans today and for generations to come. We also continue to believe that without an effective price on fossil carbon that also ensures economic equity, it will be exceedingly difficult to halt the most devastating impacts of climate change.

In a Nutshell: the Green New Deal framework is an important driver of public concern about climate change. CCL fully agrees with the climate goals of this framework and will continue to work hard to ensure that the U.S. does all it can to hold global warming as near to 1.5°C as possible.

Related: CCL responds to Green New Deal resolution , Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act

  1. “H.Res.109 – Recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal.” Congress.gov (07 Feb 2019).
  2. “Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5°C.” Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (5 Oct 2018).
  3. Foster, P., et al. “Chapter 2 – Mitigation pathways compatible with 1.5°C in the context of sustainable development – Supplementary Material.” Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Table 2.A.12 (5 Oct 2018).
  4. Gustafson, A., A. Leiserowitz, and E. Maibach. “Americans are Increasingly ‘Alarmed’ About Global Warming.” Yale Program on Climate Communication (12 Feb 2019).

This page was last updated on 05/06/21 at 14:30 CDT.