DNC Environment & Climate Crisis Council Announces Sweeping Policy Recommendations for the Democratic Party Platform; Urges Party To Adopt Bolder Solutions To The Crisis
The recommendations would be the most ambitious climate policies ever adopted by the Democratic Party
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Today, the first-ever DNC Council on the Environment & Climate Crisis released a sweeping set of policies for inclusion in the new four-year 2020 Democratic Party platform, scheduled to be approved at the Party’s August convention.
The Council, which was launched in February to push the Democratic Party to take bolder and more ambitious action to address the climate crisis and other environmental issues, will now campaign for the inclusion of its policies in the Party Platform.
The Council’s policy proposals address tackling the climate crisis, building a green economy, supporting and empowering workers, addressing environmental injustice, and supporting the health of people, communities and the planet. The policies resulted from a three-month process that included a listening tour and meetings with a diverse set of environmental justice advocates, scientists, public health experts, frontline community members, engineers, educators, union members, artists, faith leaders, policy analysts, environmental architects, elected leaders, activists, and environmental lawyers from across America.
“Our platform provides a blueprint for ambitious action to fight the climate crisis and advance climate and environmental justice,” said Michelle Deatrick, Founder and Chair of the DNC Climate Council. “There’s dwindling time for us to act before devastating damage to our planet, country and people is inevitable and irreversible. It’s a reality that in the United States, climate change and environmental degradation disproportionately harm Black, Brown and Indigenous communities. These policies center environmental justice for frontline and vulnerable communities, urgent climate action, and worker empowerment. If adopted, these platform recommendations would be the most ambitious policies addressing the climate crisis ever adopted by the Democratic Party. We urge the DNC to adopt our recommendations, and will be campaigning hard to ensure they do. Now more than ever, the Democratic Party must show it is serious about doing the hard work of combating the climate crisis.”
“These recommendations result from diverse expertise and experience of its contributors, and they can help shape the policies of the new administration to address the environmental and climate action needed to create a sustainable nation,” said Peggy Shepard, Founder and Executive Director of WE ACT for Environmental Justice. “They are a roadmap to creating healthy communities and achieving a measure of environmental and climate justice. This moment requires us to increase our resilience and commitment to dismantling the systemic, racial, social justice, and income inequalities that plague this country and that provide a foundation for glaring health disparities made evident by COVID-19.”
“We want the 2020 Democratic Convention to adopt a transformative climate platform that ends the fossil fuel era and ensures a just transition to 100% clean energy while protecting workers and communities,” said Kassie Siegel, Climate Director at Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund. “The DNC Environment and Climate Council’s recommendations include critical steps that Vice President Biden should take immediately after moving into the White House, including declaring a climate emergency, halting new fossil fuel leasing and infrastructure, and detailing a plan for 100% clean energy by 2030.”
The Council’s priority recommendations and actions include:
Develop a science-based national climate action plan that employs the full palette of policy tools, including aggressive use of executive actions, establishment of new structures and practices, and bold legislation.
Commit to an urgent transition away from fossil fuels with ambitious short- and long-term emissions and renewable energy targets: near-zero emissions by 2040; 100% clean renewable energy by 2030 in electricity generation, buildings and transportation; and 100% zero-carbon new building infrastructure by 2025.
Commit to the spending necessary to address the climate emergency: $10-$16 trillion in federal expenditures over the next decade.
Put communities and working families above fossil fuel corporations by ensuring a just transition and building a green economy with millions of new, family-sustaining jobs.
Establish a federal Just Transition Task Force to develop a program supporting communities and workers impacted by the climate crisis and the transition to renewables, and fund the program.
Direct massive investments to renewable energy infrastructure, creating millions of jobs, and end all incentives and subsidies of the fossil fuel industry, including passing the ReWIND Act.
Shift subsidies and federal procurement policies to support the growth of sustainable, regenerative agriculture powered by 100% clean energy.
Support the growth of healthy, just, sustainable green communities and address the disproportionate and legacy environmental and climate harms to frontline and vulnerable communities.
Elevate the EPA to a federal department; make the EPA Office of Environmental Justice permanent.
Require health impact assessments and climate equity screenings for major federal government actions.
Direct at least 40% of climate and environment investments to frontline and vulnerable communities.
Rescind Trump-era rollbacks on environmental protections.
Protect 30% of all U.S. lands and oceans by 2030 and 50% by 2050.
Download the full platform recommendations here: https://www.dncclimate.org/the-platform