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Governing: The Green New Deal? It's Already Happening in Our Communities

Posted by By Steven Pedigo and Abigail Sindzinski on Mar 11, 2019
Governing Magazine covers how cities large and small (and several states) are stepping up their efforts to combat climate change and cope with its impact. The authors cite the economic benefits of the advanced energy economy, specifically referencing AEE's half million jobs figure for California as a tangible example. See the entire Governing article here.

Many critics have portrayed the Green New Deal, with all its hope for our climate policy, as radical. To be sure, the proposal by congressional progressives to meet all energy demand from zero-emissions sources in 10 years is highly ambitious. But for cities -- places where the effects of climate change are especially pronounced and a growing share of the population lives -- the radical way forward is inaction. Cities need to be formulating their own plans to combat climate change and to blunt its impact through resilience planning...

With the current political climate, local governments can be effective and nimble at getting more done. Cities are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions (responsible for 70 percent of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide, according to the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group). Many local governments are already stepping up, implementing climate strategies and benchmarks that reflect the goals of the Green New Deal. And in some cases, local governments' efforts are being bolstered or led by those of forward-looking state policymakers...

California and its cities are on the clean-energy forefront [and...] The economic benefits of the advanced energy economy in California have been tangible, with more than half a million jobs in the clean energy sector as of April 2017... [the article shares examples of several other states from N.J. to Minn.]

As these efforts illustrate, there is much that cities and states can do -- and in many cases are already doing -- to combat climate change. Key areas for action include not only energy generation and consumption but also transportation, waste management and the built environment...

Read the entire 
Governing article here.