Jonathon Berman, jonathon.berman@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC -- Today, as youth activists affiliated with the Sunrise Movement urged members of Congress nationwide to back a Green New Deal, the Sierra Club redoubled its calls for that platform.
The Sierra Club has been working with partners and allies to develop a framework for a Green New Deal for approximately a year.
Legislative actions supported by the Sierra Club in a Green New Deal platform can be found here.
Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement:
“As we witness record-breaking superstorms and devastating wildfires, it’s more clear than ever that bold action to fight climate change is urgently needed. Acting is also an opportunity to tackle social inequality, create good jobs, and move toward a better world for everyone. That is why the Sierra Club has and continues to strongly support a Green New Deal platform that includes significant action to protect every community from the climate crisis.
“A Green New Deal can create millions of family-sustaining union jobs upgrading our infrastructure, making our communities more resilient to the climate crisis, retrofitting and weatherizing our buildings, restoring our ecosystems, and moving our country to a 100% clean, renewable energy economy. And it would benefit those who have borne the brunt of both inequality and climate change while doing it at a scale and pace that protects this generation and generations to come from the worst of the climate crisis.
“The Sierra Club applauds the youth activists and newly-elected members of Congress who are standing up for a Green New Deal all over the country. Those speaking out have made clear that continued inaction is unacceptable, and we urge every decision maker in Congress to listen. Investing time and energy to develop bold Green New Deal legislation is vitally needed in order to have solutions ready to be enacted when those who are on the wrong side of history are voted out of office. Now it’s time to move forward together toward these solutions.”
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.