A Green Perspective on the Green New Deal
Category : blog , Economy , Environment
Two weeks ago, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey introduced HR 109, the Democrats’ version of a Green New Deal. This non-binding resolution is a “10-year national mobilization” to transition the country to 100% clean energy while providing millions of jobs and addressing “systemic injustices”. If approved, a select committee appointed by Nancy Pelosi will work to create a Green New Deal Plan by January 2020 which will then be transformed into a legislative draft by March 2020, just in time for the primary elections.
While ambitious on paper, the resolution remains vague and widely open to interpretation. Many climate justice groups have already criticized the resolution, including the Indigenous Environmental Network and Food and Water Watch. The Green Party of Santa Clara County also shares the general concern that HR 109 does not challenge big oil interests but instead reassure the Democrats’ wealthy corporate donors by using vague references to general policies while leaving out the needed sweeping policies that will enable funding a meaningful Green New Deal. For instance, explicit terms such as “fossil fuels”, “coal”, “natural gas”, “fracking”, or “pipelines” are not even mentioned in the resolution.
In addition, federal programs like single-payer universal healthcare, guaranteed affordable housing, tuition-free public college education and universal basic income do not appear in the document although they were part of the initial draft. If indeed one of the goals of the resolution is to counteract racial, social, and economic injustices as it claims, then such basic human rights would be guaranteed in a “ Green New Deal”.
The resolution also stops short of rejecting the for-profit, market-based economy and prioritizes private sector partnerships to implement its measures. Climate change cannot be fought with the same profiteering tools that put us in this mess in the first place. But since members of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis are all receiving donations from the fossil fuels industry, the future impact of this resolution remains unclear.
The Green Party’s Green New Deal, on the other hand, is a four-part comprehensive plan that calls for an economic bill of rights, a green and just transition, a real financial reform, a functioning democracy, and demilitarization. Cutting military spending by 50% would not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide (Department of Defense is the world’s worst polluter), but will help fund the massive public infrastructure works and the transition to 100% renewable energy while creating millions of jobs.
The Green Party of Santa Clara County welcomes a long overdue national discussion on a Green New Deal. However, we believe only a true integrated approach to today’s economic, social and environmental crises can lead us to a sustainable, just and peaceful future.
Only the Greens’ Green New Deal puts people, planet, and peace over profits. Now that the idea of a Green New Deal has been introduced, it is up to us where we want to take it by participating in discussions, raising awareness, calling our representatives, and organizing locally.
Let’s raise our expectations and demand more.
Let’s make the Green New Deal a transformative reality at last.
#WeAreGreen