The Green New Deal can address climate change, create jobs and a vibrant economy

Climate change is the single biggest national security threat for the United States and the single biggest threat to worldwide industrialized civilization. We are already seeing the impact climate change is having here in California. Wildfires devastate our communities, leaving families in hardships and ruin.

I think about the future and the state we will leave this world in. It worries me. As our world continues to change, we need to create a system that prepares today’s generation and future generations to come. We are tasking these young individuals to solve imperative climate challenges that the world has never witnessed before.

We must act now to combat the effects of climate change in order to give the next generation a chance to succeed. That is why I am a strong supporter of the Green New Deal.

We have a chance to grow our economy and create thousands of new jobs by harnessing the power of green and alternative energy. In our home district, green tech innovators are at the vanguard of new technologies that will help us reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and lead the world in clean energy production.

The United States Congress must play a critical role in supporting these industries and maintain our competitive edge in the global economy, ensuring that windmill manufacturers, solar panel makers, and biofuel producers have the support they need to grow. We have to wean the United States from fossil fuels and curb planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions across our planet and in the workplace. Here is how the Green New Deal enables that:

Decarbonization of the economy

We must remove and replace carbon-based fuels with non-carbon-based fuels. This is imperative because the first step in curtailing the effects of climate change is slowing, and halting, greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Without such action, anything else is negligible. Economy is a noble goal, but not sufficient. That’s why the Green New Deal doesn’t stop there.

Federal jobs guarantee and public investment

We all know that government spending stimulates the economy and spending creates growth that results in tax revenue for the spending to pay for itself. We must allow the federal government to invest in green tech and climate friendly infrastructure. This will in turn mobilize millions of Americans into professions that sets back the climate crisis. We will end up with a new economy that operates without pollution or fossil fuels.

Just and fair economic transition

The Green New Deal is one of the most robust worker protections put forward in the past few decades. Our economy needs a massive shift in a new direction and should not leave people behind. The Green New Deal calls for reorganizing and retraining our workforce.

What the Green New Deal will achieve:

• Millions of family-sustaining jobs: Whether replacing lead pipes, expanding railways, or manufacturing wind turbines, millions of workers will lead the transition to a new green economy.
• Climate sanity: A Green New Deal would help us transition to a clean energy economy. By investing in smart grids for renewable energy distribution, encouraging energy-efficient manufacturing, and expanding low-emissions public transit, a Green New Deal would significantly reduce climate pollution.
• Clean air and water: A Green New Deal would replace lead pipes, clean up hazardous waste sites, and reduce toxic air and water pollution from oil, gas, and coal. Those benefiting the most would be the communities of color and low-income families who today endure disproportionate exposure to toxins.
• Lower costs: A Green New Deal would help working class families slash their energy bills and reduce their transit costs by offering more energy-efficient homes, access to affordable wind and solar power, and more reliable options for affordable public transportation.

We must promote and create jobs in a clean-tech economy in order to prevent a planetary catastrophe. We need to enact the Green New Deal to safeguard our planet from the climate change. Clean air, chemical free food and water standards are a basic necessity of America. We need investments in policies and projects that would change the way we design buildings, travel and eat.