The Green Party today urged the NYS Legislature to return to Albany in January, ready to enact a much more ambitious climate plan than that prepared by the Hochul-dominated Climate Action Council, made up of many remnants of the Cuomo administration.
The Greens said the draft plan, which the governor declined to share with the public, contains far too many examples of corporate greenwashing. A draft plan was considered by Council members at the state Capitol complex on Monday, with a vote to adopt it scheduled for Dec. 19.
“The plan proposed by the Climate Action Council does an adequate job of exposing many of the challenges NY faces in embracing a rapid transition to 100% clean renewable energy. We might have applauded it a lot – 15 years ago. It is now up to the legislator to make the critical policy decisions and investments. The UN keeps shouting that we can no longer afford incremental change. They must put the needs of future generations ahead of 1% donations,” remarked State Party Co-Chair Gloria Mattera.
The Party says the state must commit to raising at least $15 billion a year to immediately begin funding the transition to clean renewable energy, such as subsidizing costs to allow residents to decarbonize their buildings. The Greens have expressed concern over the plan’s support for a so-called “Cap and Invest” that appears very similar to the cap and trade program opposed by environmental justice groups and Pope Francis.
“This plan continues Cuomo and Democrats’ mindset of looking for ways to realign markets to support green capitalism, as well as the usual corporate welfare treasure troves like carbon capture and blue hydrogen. Cap and invest is just a new image of cap and trade, which still allows the big carbon polluters to continue polluting by buying emissions permits, polluters who are disproportionately in the disadvantaged communities. We need the ecosocialist Green New Deal that the Green Party started campaigning for in 2010, which guarantees a just transition and gainful employment, a decent life for all. We need an energy democracy through a public energy system. We need system change to stop climate change,” added Howie Hawkins, the Green Party’s newest gubernatorial candidate.
The Greens have long advocated for a robust carbon tax, the benefits of which are split between a rebate for low- and middle-income people and investments in renewable energy, public transport and EJ (environmental justice) initiatives. The Greens said any carbon price should at least reflect the $125 a tonne the NYS DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) has established as the social cost of carbon, rather than the anemic $12 a tonne charged under the regional cap. existing state – and – commercial program (RGGI).
The Council is also asking for a one-year postponement in its previous 2024 objective of banning gas in new buildings.
“Three and a half years after the state passed a moderate climate law, they are finishing a draft plan, which will now go through years of regulatory hearings and likely legal challenges before being implemented. . Virtually no new renewable energy has been added since the enactment of the CLCPA, and globally inIn 2022, we will witness the highest greenhouse gas emissions although we are still recovering from COVID-related economic burnout. When the UN Secretary General warns that the planet is about to burn due to slow government action, he is talking about New York State,” said Mark Dunlea, Co-Chair of the EcoAction Committee of the Green Party of the United States.
“We need New York to recognize that we are in a climate emergency on deck, and not as usual focused on appeasement from campaign donors and the fossil fuel industry,” Dunlea added.
The CLCPA’s emissions reduction targets remain even lower than those set by President Biden, who called for a 50-52% reduction by 2030.
“Let’s keep it simple. No new fossil fuels and a plan for a rapid phase-out of existing uses of fossil fuels. Yes to NYPA building renewable energy but focused on democratic local control of it. And a huge expansion of municipal public power, which already provides cheap, reliable power to more than fifty local communities. We must stop the $6 trillion global subsidy from taxpayers to fossil fuel companies and make polluters pay, both to fund the transition to renewable energy and to reduce energy costs for the average New Yorker,” added Peter LaVenia, a Green Party. state co-chairman.
The Greens oppose a variety of bogus climate solutions that have varying levels of support from state Democrats, including nuclear, blue hydrogen, “renewable” natural gas, garbage incineration, and various carbon technologies. carbon capture. They support much faster timelines (e.g. 2030) to achieve zero emissions.
Bold action is needed now to avert climate catastrophe. Incremental change that allows big polluters to continue polluting the air we breathe, the water we drink and the soil where food is grown is not the solution – it is empowering them to continue to destroy our environment.
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