New England is extremely vulnerable to climate change. It’s a crisis not only for the environment, but also for the health of our communities. It will take systemic change in the way we do business, the way we govern, and the way we guide people to solve climate change and move into the next century.
After months of work by Vermonters across the state – and despite a veto from Governor Scott – the Global Warming Solutions Act is now the law of the land in the Green Mountain State. This critical bill will slash carbon pollution while building resilient communities and looking after our most vulnerable neighbors.
“Climate change is an urgent public health crisis and procrastination and denial are not solutions,” said Jen Duggan, Vice President and Director of Conservation Law Foundation Vermont. “Our legislators clearly understand the reality and provided the leadership necessary to fight this crisis with everything we’ve got. It’s time to get to work so that no one is left behind.”
A Renewable Energy Certificate is a way to measure and track the production of clean energy. It’s how states and utilities track how much clean energy is being produced by renewable energy sources and which electrical utilities are buying that power.
A Renewable Portfolio Standard is a way for states to ensure their electric utilities – and by extension, the states themselves – are making progress on clean energy. The best policies heavily emphasize clean renewables like wind and solar.
“We can’t afford to let politics get in the way of preparing Vermont for the climate crisis,” said Jen Duggan, Vice President and Director of Conservation Law Foundation Vermont. “The science is clear: the longer we kick the can down the road on dealing with climate impacts, the more disastrous it will be for our communities. Today, our Representatives overwhelmingly voted to support the Solutions Act and ensure we don’t leave any Vermonters behind. We urge the Senate to follow the House’s lead so we can get to work.”
Two years after gas explosions rocked the Merrimack Valley, Lawrence is still fighting to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of its residents. And in fighting for Lawrence’s recovery, we can protect communities across the Commonwealth, too.
In the decade since I’ve moved away from California, I’ve watched the climate there go from a temperate paradise with the occasional fire to a place with scorching summers and yearly infernos. This is climate change, playing out right in front of us. It’s easy to see these and other disasters from afar and not call them climate catastrophes. But that’s exactly what they are.
“The COVID pandemic has exposed what happens when we fail to plan for an emergency,” said Jen Duggan, Vice President and Director of CLF Vermont. “This bill will make sure that we don’t make the same mistake when it comes to the urgent threat of the climate crisis. It will also help make our communities stronger and boost our economic recovery from COVID-19. Governor Scott must sign it into law so we can get to work.”
UPDATE: Temperatures across the Northeast have soared this summer. As emissions rise and climate change worsens, extreme heat becomes more common and more people face these deadly conditions. We need to take action to prevent things from getting even worse — and to help those most affected.
