We wrote to you the other week about the report outlining policies to solve the climate crisis released by the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. SEEC members made up the majority of the Select Committee’s membership and the Climate Action Plan includes dozens of SEEC member bills.
The report lays out an action plan for building a clean energy economy that supports workers, puts environmental justice at the forefront, and prepares us to meet the challenges of the climate crisis. It includes proposals to overhaul and decarbonize our electricity grid, transition our roadways to zero-emission vehicles, and limit fossil-fuel production on public lands, among many other proposals.
The response to the report has been incredible. But we need to keep the momentum up if we want to see action in Congress.
The analysis shows that if enacted, the Climate Action Plan would save more than 60,000 American lives every year thanks to reduced air pollution and generate nearly $8 trillion in cumulative health and climate benefits by 2050.
The path forward to achieving these goals includes many examples of SEEC Member-led policies that, when put together, can help us decarbonize our economy and build more resilient communities. Just a few examples of these policies, include
- Rep. Matt Cartwright’s Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act that would prepare our health system for the impact of climate change by implementing enhanced disease surveillance, research, communications, education, and training programs and
- Rep. Deb Haaland’s Climate Stewardship Act which would employ over 200,000 Americans to plant 15 billion trees, restore over two million acres of coastal wetlands, and invest in renewable energy for farmers and rural small businesses.
- Rep. Salud Carbajal’s Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability (WIRSA) Act to fund community investments in the resilience and adaptability of water-related infrastructure.
Now is the time for aggressive and comprehensive climate action. This report is only the beginning.