Democrats in the House of Representatives have unveiled a new strategy for counteracting climate change. The newly created House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released their “Climate Crisis Action Plan” guide, containing over 500 pages of recommendations for the federal government.
CBS News reported that the plan combines climate solutions with job creation, based on 12 pillars of investment that include “developing renewable energy, building resilience to climate impacts, and prioritizing environmental justice.” The goal is net zero emissions by 2050.
Representative Kathy Castor of Florida, explained to CBS News, “Climate solutions are economic solutions. Solving the climate crisis means putting Americans back to work in clean energy jobs that will grow our economy.”
“The United States must harness the technological innovation of the moonshot, the creativity of our entrepreneurs, the strength of our workers, and the moral force of a nation endeavoring to establish justice for all,” the report states.
The net zero scenario means that emissions are still produced, but they are counteracted by actions that absorb or remove them, thereby creating an atmosphere that does not increase emissions.
The plan involves spending to build cleaner energy, transportation, construction and manufacturing, though mandatory polices.
In addition to the specifics laid out, the plan places priority on environmental justice. “We’ve seen this during the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed too many Black and Brown lives in communities across America that are exposed to higher levels of air pollution,” Castor said.
The measures outlined for achieving this goal involved spending money on specific communities and increasing environmental laws in the same areas.
Whether or not the plan will receive any support from conservative members of the House is unknown.
The move comes a day after the “high priest” of the environmental humanist movement and founder of Environmental Progress, Michael Shellenberger, issued an “apology” for the climate change overestimates he made.
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