The Green New Deal
Written By: Mallika Shah
What is the Green New Deal?
The Green New Deal was introduced by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of NY and Senator Edward Markey of MA. The deal aims to reduce fossil fuels in the US as well as limit greenhouse gas emissions across the economy. It is structured to also promote new high-paying jobs in sustainable energy industries.
The proposal received a lot of pushback when the climate crisis got extremely polarized during the 2020 election season, but has pushed through and now stands as a strong set of goals that the Biden-Harris team wishes to meet.
How does the Green New Deal affect job security and economic growth?
One of the fundamental steps in creating a sustainable economy requires obtaining our energy from non-fossil fuel sources. Luckily, the US is already well-suited for this transitional step. Solar and wind energy are already the cheapest electricity sources, even more than natural gas. E2’s Clean Jobs America reported that clean jobs in the US are already outnumbering fossil fuel jobs 3-1. Solar jobs have increased by 167% over the past 10 years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides even better news - the wages for jobs in fossil fuels are comparable to the wages for jobs working in sustainable energy. The mean hourly wage for the fossil fuel electric power sector is $41 per hour while solar pays $43 and wind pays $39 per hour.
It is important to note that this transition isn’t without job loss. Although the transition will net positive for the number of jobs, a predicted 6 million jobs will be lost. That is why the Green New Deal states that it is crucial to provide displaced workers with income aid and a federal jobs guarantee. These sustainable jobs must especially be available in places where fossil-fuel jobs are the primary source of income.
What has the Green New Deal done so far?
It is critical to remember that the deal is fairly new and was recently endorsed by current President Joe Biden. Since the goals of the Deal are broad and long-term, no set goal has been successfully met. However, President Biden has rejoined the US to the Paris Agreement, hoping to reach net-zero emissions for the country by 2050. Biden has referred to climate change as the “number one issue facing humanity” and the “number one issue for [him]” and claims that it is everyone’s moral obligation to fully engage with this issue and change the course of the planet.
Sources:
https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/news-insights/the-green-new-deal-is-the-solution-to-the-jobs-issue/
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/21/climate/green-new-deal-questions-answers.html