No matter whether we’re black, white, brown, or what community we call home, everyone deserves to live in an equitable, healthy neighborhood and a safe climate. Right now, Minneapolis is not on track to meet its climate goals, and the city has some of the worst racial disparities in the country. We need an ambitious plan to cut carbon and build new systems that work for all of us. We need the People’s Climate & Equity Plan.
What is the People’s Climate and Equity Plan?
Xcel customers call for clean energy and
environmental justice at their Minneapolis
headquarters
You could think of it as a Minneapolis Green New Deal.
The North Star Chapter and our supporters have big climate goals for Minneapolis and the surrounding metro area. To play our part in combating climate change, we must adopt strategies that reduce pollution from fossil fuels. This includes clean energy solutions like:
-
Weatherization, making our homes and buildings more efficient so they take less energy to heat and cool,
-
I.e. air sealing and insulating our walls and attics
-
Electrification, switching to electric appliances which can be powered by renewable energy sources
-
I.e. electric stoves instead of polluting gas stoves and heat pumps instead of gas furnaces
-
Clean Transportation, driving less through more convenient and safe biking, walking and transit use, plus switching out gas powered engines to electric cars & buses
-
I.e. more EV charging infrastructure and better public transit
This transition must take place across all sectors of industry to have the strongest impact. In order to accomplish this goal, it’ll take a lot of investment in clean energy solutions.
That’s why the North Star Chapter is fighting for the passage of the People’s Climate and Equity Plan (PCEP), a proposal that requires polluting corporations, (like Xcel, CenterPoint, and others) in the metro area to pay their fair share of this investment in clean energy infrastructure. We’re building a grassroots movement of Minneapolis residents willing to take the Plan to their council members and push for them to adopt it.
Want more detail? Click here to see the detailed policy proposal.
**Note: this is subject to change as the campaign evolves**
Why Is the People’s Climate and Equity Plan Important?
The adoption of the PCEP is especially timely because Minneapolis is currently not on track to meet its goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Passing the plan will give the city council and the communities it serves the necessary funding to accomplish decarbonization goals, while also holding polluting industries responsible for their actions.
Equally important is the role that the PCEP will play in addressing racial inequities in Minneapolis. Our state has some of the biggest racial disparities in the country, and if done right, our transition to clean energy will narrow these disparities. The PCEP would create tens of millions of dollars annually, and to make it just, that investment must go to historically underinvested in neighborhoods in Minneapolis. That means prioritization for clean energy, weatherization, creation of green jobs, and pollution reduction would be for BIPOC communities.
How Can I Get Involved?
Join us in this fight by signing up to host a house party to spread the word about the People’s Climate and Equity Plan! By holding a house party, you can help generate a public mandate that will give the campaign the momentum it needs to move forward. Your house party will help build the relationships that aid your friends and neighbors in taking action by introducing them to our work, allowing them the opportunity to give feedback on the plan, and letting their council members know they are in support. Sign up to schedule your party for the Minneapolis People’s Climate and Equity Plan and receive whatever kinds of support you need.
Continue to check back in on this page for updates as the campaign for the People’s Climate and Equity Plan progresses. You’ll be able to find other opportunities to get involved alongside information on how to talk to your council members and voice your support for the plan.
