FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 23, 2022
Contact: Sumer Shaikh, Green New Deal Network, sshaikh@greennewdealnetwork.org, 774-545-0128
Charting a Path Forward Post-IRA: Coalition of Progressives Continues Decade-Long Fight for a Green New Deal
Benefits and shortcomings of the Inflation Reduction Act make passage of the bill the beginning, not the end, of the Green New Deal Network’s fight for bold action on climate, care, jobs, and justice
Washington, D.C. – Last week, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) into law, beginning the effort to tackle the climate crisis, ensure access to essential services for working families, and hold corporate polluters accountable. The IRA is only a first step towards stabilizing our planet, and the Green New Deal Network (GNDN) calls on local and federal leaders to stop pandering to the fossil fuel industry and, instead, implement and fund policies that act on climate, care, jobs, and justice.
The Green New Deal Network — a coalition of 15 national organizations and 25 state tables — introduced the THRIVE Act in 2021, a $10 trillion climate, care, jobs, justice bill that would create enough jobs to end unemployment; build modern, reliable infrastructure; and invest in community resources while ensuring labor and justice standards. Years of tireless advocacy is evident in key THRIVE provisions reflected in the IRA, including:
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Support for working families by cutting healthcare costs, enacting cross-cutting justice and labor standards, creating 9 million new, local jobs, and reducing tax disparities.
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Estimated 40 percent reduction in emissions by 2030 by investing $369 billion in environmental and climate justice provisions, including in clean energy, manufacturing, transportation, building materials, and utilization of Defense Production Act (DPA) for deployment of renewable energy.
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Dozens of environmental justice programs that would reduce toxic pollution, ensure accessibility to clean energy technology, and increase climate resiliency for frontline communities.
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Provisions that would tax corporate polluters, the wealthy, and tax evaders — reducing the national deficit by nearly $300 billion — and protect frontline communities from pollution.
While key community and movement demands have been met, fossil fuel corporations and corrupt politicians continue to benefit from our tax dollars while many much-needed investments were cut from the reconciliation package including investments in care, immigration, housing, public transit, and more.
GNDN is committed to fighting the harm and filling the gaps in federal action to secure the scale of investments our communities need in climate, care, jobs, and justice. Our coalition seeks to secure a Green New Deal over the course of the decade by:
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Opposing the reported dirty energy side deal, a bill that would revive costly, deadly pipeline projects and fast-track fossil fuel permit applications under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Clean Water Act (CWA).
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Securing strong Justice40 rules so that federal funding actually reaches the communities who need those resources most and protecting frontline communities from the continued operation of fossil fuel projects.
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Urging President Biden to declare a climate emergency, halting new fossil fuel projects that exacerbate the climate disasters experienced across the country.
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Electing progressive leaders who will stop pandering to corporations and instead prioritize their constituents.
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Fighting for Green New Deal precedents at the state level to fill the gaps left behind by the federal government and supporting local frontline communities.
In response to the signing of the IRA into law, GNDNmembers shared their commitment to paving a path forward rooted in fighting for climate, care, jobs, and justice:
“The Inflation Reduction Act is a testament to the efforts of community organizations who worked every day to ensure that those who are most directly affected by climate change had their voices heard. While it is clear that the fossil fuel industry was able to embed their agenda into this package, we are dedicated to stopping these harms and ensuring that our wins are delivered to meet the needs of our communities,” said Julio Lopez Varona Co-Chief of Campaigns at the Center for Popular Democracy. “Much more needs to be done and we will continue to fight to progress every intersection of climate justice for the well-being of people of color, immigrants, and working families, women, and LGBTQ communities to face these challenges and build a healthy planet, a resilient and just economy, and an equitable society.”
“Climate Justice Alliance member groups have won significant victories against polluting and extractive industries, preventing new carbon emissions from reaching our atmosphere. We are continuing our resistance to dirty energy infrastructure that is harming people and ecosystems, and we are building local alternatives that center traditional ecological and cultural knowledge to create pathways for a regenerative future. Locally, tribally, and regionally-based racial and economic justice organizations of Indigenous Peoples, Black, Latinx, Asian Pacific Islander, and poor white communities within CJA are already operationalizing a Just Transition in their communities, putting clean energy infrastructure on the ground, moving policy, and centering climate justice. We need the White House and Congress to take bold action by following the lead of these frontline communities who are dealing with the impacts of the climate crisis, instead of the dirty energy industry who caused it in the first place,” said Ozawa Bineshi Albert, Climate Justice Alliance Co-Executive Director.
“What victories can be claimed from the Inflation Reduction Act are a direct result of movements of impacted people from the frontlines of pollution and climate crisis doggedly demanding the full scale of what we need to not just survive, but thrive. We must be clear in our assessment – the IRA, while containing key investments, pales to the scale of the action we need for a truly just transition away from an extractive economy towards an economy of care,” said Adrien Salazar, Policy Director Grassroots Global Justice Alliance. “The fight is not over. The worst elements of Manchin’s dirty fossil fuel deal can still be stopped. Any additional legislation that fast-tracks fossil fuel projects and undercuts bedrock environmental protections of NEPA will just continue to relegate frontline communities to sacrifice zones. This dirty deal must be stopped. And the President must declare a climate emergency to leverage all executive authority in his power to confront the climate crisis. We will continue to fight for a full-scale response to the climate crisis that puts impacted people first.”
“Any and all good elements of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), of which there are few, are there because of the organizing of the climate justice and Indigenous movement. While we do not celebrate the passage of this bill, we still honor the labor of countless organizers and activists who endeavor to fight for climate justice and human rights,” stated Tom Goldtooth, Executive Director of the Indigenous Environmental Network. “Our work continues in asserting our inherent sovereignty, and jurisdictional authority, and advocating for free, prior, and informed consent over Indigenous lands and stopping our communities from being inducted as sacrifice zones. As dirty energy infrastructure projects continue to inflict deep harm, we urge the President to declare a climate emergency and stop the expansion of fossil fuels for the benefit of all life on Mother Earth.”
“The Inflation Reduction Act delivers for millions of Americans by lowering sky rocketing prescription drug costs, lowering energy bills, creating jobs, providing historic investments in climate action, and taking steps to make the ultra wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share in taxes. The inclusion of these critical provisions is a testament to the influence progressives have had on this drawn out fight as they consistently negotiated together and in good faith to deliver real wins for families and communities,” said Ann Clancy, Associate Director of Climate Policy at Indivisible. “As with all progress, there is more to be done. This was a hard won battle and we look forward to celebrating President Biden, Leader Schumer, and progressive champions in Congress for the good work they have done, and will continue to demand more for our communities, our economy, and our planet.”
Tamara Toles O’laughlin, of The Black Hive at Movement for Black Lives said, “As a collective The Black Hive is clear eyed about the opportunity and costs of the Inflation Reduction Act for Black communities. As the momentum moves from passage to regulation, redistribution and procedure we will return again and again to the basic question of whether the allocations protect Black lives, life and livelihoods. We remain committed to ensuring that the benefits of the legislation are equitable, accessible and fully realized in every community.”
“Organizers around the country won the best parts of this legislation. Because of their strength and dedication, carbon emissions will drop. And, the corporations that are raising prices on everyday people will have to pay more of their fair share in taxes. Unfortunately, corporate spending also won significant concessions in the IRA, including mandatory Gulf and Alaska fossil fuel leases and false solutions like carbon capture, which will disproportionately harm Black, brown and Indigenous communities,” said Sulma Arias, Executive Director at People’s Action. “We will double down on organizing to win more and better representation who will not put our communities in this situation in the future and to oppose this destructive side deal.”
“The Inflation Reduction Act heralds a new era of increased investment in climate action and clean energy. It puts us on the path to reducing emissions by 40 percent by 2030. It puts money back in the pockets of individuals across the country. It creates family-sustaining jobs, and it marks a big step toward ensuring we are all able to live and work in healthy communities. This is neither the climate bill we wanted nor the end of the climate action we need. But it is a beginning,” said Hebah Kassem, Acting Director of the Living Economy program at the Sierra Club. “The IRA’s oil and gas leasing provisions continue to place a heavy burden on frontline communities in places like the Gulf South that have already suffered decades of disproportionate pollution. We will keep fighting the devastating effects of fossil fuel development until every community is safe from harm. As we look to the work ahead, we share tremendous gratitude to everyone involved in this people-powered movement. Your passion and dedication has gotten us to this crucial milestone, and we will blaze forward together.”
“USCAN applauds the investments that will flow to renewable energy, electrification, and environmental justice, but more importantly, USCAN is committed to continuing the fight against the lifeline thrown to the dangerous fossil fuel industry that provide numerous bailouts and false solutions to dangerous corporations at the expense of frontline communities who suffer under harmful, polluting practices,” said Keya Chatterjee, Executive Director of US Climate Action Network. “Our work towards a just transition is resonant for our members and global allies, and we urge the Biden administration and our Congressional climate champions to stop mandates for fossil fuel lease sales, protect people and natural ecosystems that remove harmful greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, and stand alongside us as we refuel our fight against greedy oil and gas companies to secure a green new deal at all levels of government that tackle economic stability, racial justice, and care and safety for the future generations to come.”
“The IRA is a strong step forward for working families, but it will only keep us moving for so long,” said Natalia Salgado, Working Families Party Director of Federal Affairs. “The path forward is clear. We must build a true working families majority in Congress by electing progressive Senators who end the Sinema-Manchin veto. Then we must organize to tackle economic inequality and racial injustice, pass a true care agenda, and stop climate change in its tracks. And we have the momentum to do it. Thanks to on-the-ground organizing by WFP and our allies in GNDN, we are within striking distance of building a functional and effective majority in Congress. Working class voters across the country want Democrats to go bigger and bolder on proposals that will keep our families and communities moving forward for generations to come, and we’re going to make sure they deliver.”
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About the Green New Deal Network
The Green New Deal Network is a nationwide network of organizations committed to transforming our politics and economy with policies that address the climate crisis, that create good, union jobs, and that repair past harm and advance justice. The Network includes coalitions in 25 states, as well as a coordinating team of 15 national organizations: Center for Popular Democracy, Climate Justice Alliance, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, Greenpeace, Indigenous Environmental Network, Indivisible, Movement for Black Lives, MoveOn, People’s Action, Right To The City Alliance, Service Employees International Union, Sierra Club, Sunrise Movement, US Climate Action Network, and the Working Families Party.
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